EP0150417B1 - Floor mop - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a floor mopping device with a flat frame equipped with a, preferably gimbal-mounted, handle holder and to be inserted with the longitudinal ends into the end pockets of an interchangeable mop cover, consisting of two frames which can be folded against one another and aligned in their extended position with an approximately parallel pivot axis to the bottom surface of the frame Frame parts to be locked with the aid of a locking device.

In the case of a wiper frame of a floor wiper described in DE-A-2914 230, the locking device consists of an extension arm of the other frame part to be swiveled into a slot of one frame part in the extended position of the device and one to be pushed between the first frame part and the extension arm in the extended position, on the first frame part of the bolt tongue. Locking and unlocking can be done with this wiper frame by operating the locking device. The latter can be operated with the foot so that the interchangeable cover does not have to be touched by hand when removing from the wiping frame. Since the foot-operated locking device can only be released when the device is placed on the floor, it is, however, a certain difficulty to throw a used mop cover into a storage container after unlocking the mop frame.

The generic wiper frame described in DE-A-31 37 791 was therefore created. This consists of two frame parts attached to a carrier plate, one of which is locked on the carrier plate about a transverse axis running transversely to the longitudinal direction of the frame. The locking is in this case effected by pivoting the gimbaled shaft attached to a bearing shaft fastened to the support plate in two bearings and running essentially parallel to the longitudinal direction. For this purpose, a bracket coupled to the bearing shaft is used, which engages around one leg of the frame part to be folded in the pivoting range of the handle provided for the application. In the known device, the mop cover cannot loosen accidentally during normal handling. To manufacture the floor mopping device, however, a large number of complicated parts to assemble are required, which generally consist entirely of stainless steel in order to counteract premature corrosion.

The invention has for its object to provide a foldable floor mopping device for interchangeable mop covers, in which the replacement of the covers or mops as well as locking and unlocking can be carried out without touching the hand and the construction of which is as simple as possible and with a minimum resistance to the harshest operating conditions of material and components required, in particular the device should be made essentially of plastic parts, preferably with a flat underside and / or top. The solution according to the invention consists in the floor mopping device with two frame parts to be folded against one another about a pivot axis - and in their extended position to be locked with the aid of a locking device in that one frame part is a T-shape and the other frame part is a T in a substantially rectangular plate complementary U-shape has that the pivot axis approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the legs of the T or. U-shape is aligned and that the locking device contains a magnetic closure.

The device according to the invention preferably consists essentially of a T-shaped frame part which is to be connected to the handle holder; a U-shaped frame part; a pivot axis, preferably made of stainless steel, which connects the two frame parts, in particular made of plastic, to one another; a holding magnet with counter plate, which holds the two frame parts together in the extended position; and the gimbaled stem holder with stem holder. The shape of the frame parts ensures that the device is essentially made of plastic.

The device according to the invention requires significantly less effort for material and assembly and also offers the possibility of designing the frame parts so that they are essentially flat and full-surface in their extended position, especially on their bottom surface. For this reason alone, the handling of the device offers considerable advantages over the known devices with bracket-like frame parts.

Particular attention is paid to the design of the magnetic fastener. The magnetic locking force of this locking device is determined not only by the magnet or magnet system used but also by the material to be attracted and the position of the respective magnet relative to the pivot axis of the overall device. So the holding force of magnets depends not only on the material used, the magnetization, the pole spacing, the dimensioning, etc. in the present context, but also essentially on the mass and thus on the weight of the magnet itself.

It is important for the use of magnets in the locking device of a foldable floor mopping device to keep the weight and size of the magnets used for locking as low as possible and the magnetization present in the magnet mass is optimal for a firm locking, taking into account the (mechanical) lever laws to take advantage of. Since with a lever the product force times force arm is equal to the product load times load arm and the latter product is determined by half the weight of the mop cover and the weight of the load arm, the mass of the magnet used can be kept below a desired size if the Magnet is placed on the free end of a long arm. For example, if the ratio of the force arm to the load arm is 1: 2, with a weight of the mop cover of 1 kg and a load arm weight of 0.5 kg, a magnetic adhesive force of 2 kg is sufficient for a balance. In such a case, when using a flat gripper magnet with an adhesive force of 3 kg, the magnetic forces available are considerably higher than those which compensate for pulling and pushing forces acting on the locking device during the wiping process.

When using magnetic locks as a lock in a floor wiper device according to the invention, care must also be taken to avoid magnetic short circuits. All components adjacent to the locking magnet and / or its counterplate must therefore be made of non-magnetizable material, e.g. B. made of chrome-nickel steel, plastic or the like. When manufacturing the frame parts of the floor mopping device from plastic and using a steel axle, an arrangement of the magnetic lock in the area adjacent to one of the longitudinal ends of a bracket is therefore preferable not only because of the cheaper force arm but also because of the greater distance from the axle.

• Fig. 1 eine Draufsicht auf die Oberseite eines Fußbodenwischgeräts;
• Fig. 2 einen Schnitt längs der Linie 11-11 von Fig. 1; und
• Fig. 3 eine Ansicht in Richtung der Schwenkachse eines aufgeklappten Fußbodenwischgeräts nach Fig. 1.

Details of the invention are explained on the basis of the schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment. Show it:

• Figure 1 is a plan view of the top of a floor mopping device.
• Fig. 2 is a section along the line 11-11 of Fig. 1; and
• 3 shows a view in the direction of the pivot axis of an opened floor mopping device according to FIG. 1.

1 to 3 consists of a T-shaped frame part, generally designated 1, a U-shaped frame part, generally designated 2, a swivel axis 3 connecting the two frame parts 1 and 2, a holding magnet 4 (permanent magnet) with a counter plate 5, which can be embedded in the frame parts 1 and 2 and lock the device in its extended position; and finally from a stem holder 6 symbolically shown in the drawing.

The two frame parts 1 and 2, which are preferably made of plastic which is resistant to the usual cleaning agents, are shaped in such a way that they fit into one another and together form a substantially flat rectangular surface in the closed state. In practice, the frame parts 1 and 2 can be cut out, for example, from a 14 mm thick plastic plate so that together they form an area of 85 mm in the direction parallel to the pivot axis 3 and 560 mm in the direction perpendicular to the pivot axis 3.

The locking device provided for locking the frame parts in the extended position should be designed such that it does not protrude over the bottom surface 7 and preferably also not over the top 8 of the device. In the exemplary embodiment, the groove-like recess 11 in the region of the crossbeam 12 of the U-shaped frame part 2 is reached by a tapered end section 9 of the T-leg 10 of the frame part 1 and a groove-like recess 11 adapted to the shape of the end section 9 when the counterplate 5 or the holding magnet 4 are let into the surfaces of the end section 9 and the recess 11 lying one on top of the other in the stretched position.

In order to be able to integrate the holding magnet 4 and the counter plate 5 in the above-mentioned manner in the volume of the T-leg 10 and the U-shaped frame part 2, it is necessary to limit the spatial size of the holding magnet and counter plate to a certain maximum. However, this naturally also limits the magnetic force available. For this reason, the force arm K on which the magnetic force acts is chosen to be as large as possible, so that the relationship to the load arm L is correspondingly favorable. In the drawing, the ratio of K to L is about 1 to 2. This means that the adhesive force of the magnet 4 must be twice as large for an equilibrium as the total load. In practice, for the operation of the device, an adhesive force of at least about twice the weight of the mop cover will be required if the locking device is to offer a sufficient abutment against the tensile and compressive forces exerted during operation.

In the middle of the top 8 of the device, a gimbal handle holder 6 is attached. On both sides there is a conically tapering groove 13 in the exemplary embodiment. This groove is used to hold the handle holder 6 during manufacture, e.g. B. Pressing the frame parts. Between the neck of the handle bracket 6 and the crossbar 14 of the T-shaped frame part 1, the pivot axis 3 pierces the two U-legs 15 of the frame part 2 and the intermediate T-leg 10 of the frame part 1. The longitudinal ends 16 of the pivot axis 3 should be in the outer longitudinal edges 17 of the U-legs 15 are inserted in order to avoid snagging with the mop cover.

When using the device, the cover (not shown) with terminal pockets is placed flat on the floor. In this position, the device can be inserted into the pockets with its longitudinal ends 18 and 19 in the open position according to FIG. 3. By Pressure on the stem connected to the stem holder 6, the longitudinal ends 18 and 19 are inserted into the cover pockets. This process is facilitated when using frame parts 1 and 2 with rounded outer corners 20.

By collapsing the frame parts 1 and 2, the length is adjusted to the common length of the frame parts 1 and 2 (or vice versa) stretched. In this extended position, the frame parts 1 and 2 are locked by the magnet 4 with the counter plate 5. The device can now be used in the intended manner.

To open the device, an impact or pressure on the area marked 21 on the top of the frame part 2 is sufficient if the entire device is hanging in the air on a stick, or - with the frame lying flat on the floor - a pressure, e.g. B. with the foot on the area 21 with simultaneous jerky lifting of the handle connected to the handle holder 6.

An expedient embodiment of the frame parts is that both the T-shaped and the V-shaped frame part are made from wire arches.

Reference symbol list

• 1 = T-shaped frame part
• 2 = U-shaped frame part
• 3 = swivel axis
• 4 = holding magnet
• 5 = counter plate
• 6 = handle holder
• 7 = floor area
• 8 = top
• 9 = end section (1)
• 10 = T-leg (1)
• 11 = recess (2)
• 12 = U crossbeam
• 13 = groove
• 14 = T-crossbar
• 15 = U-leg
• 16 = longitudinal ends (3)
• 17 = longitudinal edges (15)
• 18 = longitudinal end (1)
• 19 = longitudinal end (2)
• 20 = corners
• 21 = print area
• K = low power
• L = load arm

Claims (9)

1. Floor mop device with a flat frame which is equipped with a preferably cardanically fastened handle stick mounting (6), is to be introduced by the longitudinal ends (18, 19) into the end pockets of an exchangeable wiper cover and which consists of two frame parts (1, 2), which are to be folded each against the other about a pivot axle (3) aligned about parallelly to the bottom surface (7) of the frame as well as to be arrested in their straight setting with the aid of a locking device (4, 5), characterised thereby, that the one frame part (1) possesses a T-shape and the other frame part (2) possesses a U-shape augmenting the T into a substantially rectangular plate, that the pivot axle (3) is alignad about perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the limbs (10, 15) of the T-shape and the U-shape respectively and that the locking device contains an adhesive magnet fastener (4, 5).

2. Floor mop device according to claim 1, characterised thereby, that the handle stick mounting (6) is fixed in about the centre of the rectangular area formed by the frame parts (1, 2) at that limb (10) of the T-shaped frame part (1), which is embraced by the U-shaped frame part (2).

3. Floor mop device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised thereby, that the frame on its upper side (8) and in about the middle possesses a groove (13), which runs out towards both longitudinal rims, for the insertion of the handle stick mounting (6).

4. Floor mop device according to one or more of the claims 1 to 3, characterised thereby, that the pivot axle (3) penetrates the limbs (10, 15) of the T-shape and the U-shape in the region between the fixing of the handle stick mounting (6) and the crossbeam (14) of the T-shaped frame part (1).

5. Floor mop device according to one or more of the claims 1 to 4, characterised thereby, that the free end of the limb (10) of the T-shaped frame part (1) engages, in particular by an end portion (9) narrowed in the thickness, in the straight setting over the crossbeam (12) of the U-shaped frame part (2), in particular into a groove- like recess (11) provided there, and that an adhesion magnet (4) and an associated couterplate (5) are let into those surfaces of T-limb (10) and U-crossbeam (12), which each lie on the other in the straight setting.

6. Floor mop device according to one or more of the claims 1 to 5, characterised thereby, that the lever arm (K) measured between the pivot axle (3) and the location of the adhesion magnet (4) is determined to be as large as possible with a view to a reduction in volume and weight with stable retaining effect of the adhesion magnet.

7. Floor mop device according to one or more of the claims 1 to 6, characterised thereby, that the upper side (8) and/or the bottom surface (7) of the frame - in a given case, except for the groove (12) of the handle stick mounting (6) - are substantially planar in and holohedral in the straight setting.

8. Floor mop device according to one or more of the claims 1 to 7, charactarised thereby, that the four outer corners (20) of the frame are rounded off.

9. Floor mop device according to one or more of the claims 1 to 8, characterised thereby, that the parts of the frame 10, 14 and 12, 15 respectively are made of bent pieces of wire.

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