Abstract:
A chassis for a mopping system is provided wherein the mopping system is retained on the chassis on a mopping system receptacle. The mopping system may include a bucket and/or a wiping cloth press and/or a wiping cloth spinner. The chassis includes a braking device which is adapted to switch the chassis from a release position to a blocking position upon the application of a force to the mopping system receptacle. In the release position, the chassis is rollable and in the blocking position, the chassis is secured against rolling away.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a U.S. National Phase application under 35 U.S.C. §371 of International Application No. PCT/EP2007/003627, filed on Apr. 25, 2007, and claims benefit to German Patent Application No. DE 10 2006 021 278.9, filed on May 5, 2006. The International Application was published in German on Nov. 15, 2007 as WO 2007/128411 under PCT Article 21(2). 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a chassis having a mopping system receptacle for accommodating a mopping system, in particular a mopping system having a bucket and/or a wiping-cloth press and/or a wiping-cloth spinner. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    In German Patent Application DE 43 20 454 A1, a mobile cleaning cart is described which has a bucket and a vertical press mounted thereon. The vertical press is lever-actuated and is used for drying the mop covers that had been previously rinsed out in the bucket by a slewing motion. The cleaning cart is supported on free castering wheels and, therefore, has the advantage of being able to be pulled along by the user during cleaning of large surface areas, without much expenditure of force. The disadvantage of the cleaning cart is that it can roll away unintentionally and inconveniently, particularly upon actuation of the vertical press. In the extreme case, this can even cause the bucket to tip away from the cleaning cart or the entire cleaning cart to tip over. 
         [0004]    In German Patent Application DE 100 65 375 A1, a cleaning device is described which has a base station on wheels. The cleaning device has a receptacle on the base station into which a hand-held cleaning device is able to be set down. This setting down into the receptacle actuates a first operative connection that is linked to a locking device for one or more wheels. In response to the setting down or setting of the cleaning device into the receptacle, the locking device locks the wheels or releases the same. A disadvantage associated with the cleaning device is that, in order to move the cleaning device further along, the user must either completely set down his/her cleaning unit into the receptacle or that—in the case that the locking device releases the wheels when the cleaning unit is removed—the cleaning device is not secured against rolling away during the critical rinsing-out and drying process. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    It is an aspect of the present invention to provide a chassis for a mopping system which is preferably automatically secured against rolling away when the user rinses out or dries his/her mopping device and which is otherwise freely movable in order to provide ease of handling. 
         [0006]    In an embodiment the present invention provides a chassis for a mopping system. The chassis includes a mopping system receptacle adapted to receive the mopping system and a braking device configured to switch the chassis from a release position to blocking position upon the application of a force to the mopping system receptacle. In the release position, the chassis is rollable and in the blocking position the chassis is secured against rolling. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    Embodiments of the present invention are schematically illustrated in the drawing and is described below with reference to the figures, elements having essentially equivalent functions being denoted by the same reference numerals. The figures show: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1 : A chassis according to a first embodiment of the present invention in a schematic representation in the release position; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2 : A chassis according to the first embodiment of the present invention in the blocking position; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3 : A chassis according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 4 : A chassis according to the second embodiment the present invention in a folded-down position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    An embodiment of the present invention provides a chassis which includes a braking device that switches the chassis from a release position in which the chassis is movable, e.g., rollable, to a blocking position in which the chassis is locked and secured against rolling away in response to the application of a force to the mopping system receptacle. 
         [0013]    The chassis according to an embodiment of the present invention has the advantage that it is able to move freely during floor cleaning and be pulled by the user without much expenditure of force. Moreover, it has the advantage of being automatically secured against rolling away and thus against overturning, particularly during drying of the rinsed-out mop cover. This makes it unnecessary for the user operate any further actuating levers, such as additional brake levers or adapters for actuating brake levers or brakes, and makes the chassis easy to manipulate, thereby rendering possible a rapid and efficient functioning. 
         [0014]    An embodiment of the chassis according to the present invention provides for the braking device to switch from the release position into the blocking position when the force exceeds a preferably settable, position-changing force. Moreover, it may be provided for the braking device to switch from the blocking position into the release position when the force falls below a preferably settable, position-changing force. Further, the chassis is preferably in the release position when the force is smaller than a preferably settable, position-changing force. The position-changing force is preferably selected in such a way that the braking device is not switched into the blocking position by the weight of a bucket filled with water and by the additional weight of a drying device. Additionally, the position-changing force is preferably set in such a way that the braking device is only switched into the blocking position upon actuation by a mop press and/or when loaded with the additional weight of the mopping device. 
         [0015]    The chassis preferably has at least one wheel, and more preferably has at least three wheels. One or more of the wheels may be designed as swivel-type caster wheels. The term ‘wheels’ also refers to rollers, roller wheels, rotationally mounted balls or glides. 
         [0016]    In an embodiment, the braking device has at least one braking element, such as a brake block. It may be provided that the braking element for locking the chassis stand with the base on the chassis and/or that it come into contact with at least one wheel of the chassis. 
         [0017]    The braking element may be configured on a lever arm. The lever arm is preferably able to swivel in response to force being applied to the mopping system receptacle. 
         [0018]    Preferably, the chassis is tiltable from the release position into the blocking position. 
         [0019]    In an embodiment, the chassis has at least three wheels that define a rolling platform. In the release position, the chassis preferably stands upright on the wheels of the rolling platform and is thus able to be freely rolled by the user over the surface to be cleaned. Alternatively or additionally, the chassis has a braking platform having at least one braking element, such as a brake block. In the blocking position, it is preferably provided for the chassis to stand upright on the braking platform, respectively on elements of the braking platform. 
         [0020]    It may further be provided for at least one wheel, and preferably two wheels, to be both elements of the rolling platform, as well as elements of the braking platform. 
         [0021]    In another embodiment, the chassis tilts in response to the application of the force, preferably via the wheels, which are both elements of the rolling platform as well as elements of the braking platform, from the rolling platform onto the braking platform. This variant makes it readily possible to transfer the chassis, together with the mopping system, from the release position to the blocking position. To this end, it may be advantageously provided that the braking platform form an angle with the rolling platform that differs from  180  degrees. 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  shows a chassis  1  according to the present invention having a mopping system receptacle  3  which contains a plurality of mounting blocks  5 . A mopping system  7  having a bucket  9  rests on mounting blocks  5 . In this case, the mopping system may contain a mop press (not shown here). Chassis  1  has a rolling platform  11  having first wheels  13  and second wheels  15 . Moreover, the chassis has a braking platform  17  having a braking element  19  which is designed as a brake block  21 . In the illustrated release position, chassis  1  stands upright on wheels  13 ,  15  of rolling platform  11 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  shows chassis  1  according to the present invention in response to a force  23  greater than the position-changing force being applied to receptacle  3 . In response to the application of force  23 , chassis  1  is tilted via second wheels  15  onto braking platform  17  and, in this blocking position, is thus secured against rolling away. 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  shows another chassis  1  according to the present invention having a rolling platform  11 , a caster wheel  25  and other wheels  27 . Braking element  19  is configured on a lever arm  29  which constitutes braking platform  17 . Lever arm  29  is joined by articulation, e.g., hinged, to the rolling platform so that it may be folded down, as is shown in  FIG. 4 . This makes illustrated chassis  1  stowable and compact. In the case of this chassis  1 , the mopping system receptacle is formed by a retaining groove  31  and retaining sidewalls  33 , in which a cleaning bucket may be securely set. In response to the application of the force to the chassis: the chassis tilts via the other wheels  27  from rolling platform  11  onto braking platform  17 ; and back again when the force disappears or is reduced in magnitude. 
         [0025]    The present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments. However, it is evident that changes and modifications thereto may be made without departing from the protective scope of the claims set forth in the following.