MOPSWEEPING APPARATUS WITH CONTINUOUS ACTION

Abstract: A mopsweeping apparatus comprising a movable housing (15) wherein a drivable cooperating roller pair is incorporated, on one roller (1) of which is wound a supply of dust binding cloth (3) and on the other (2) of which the cloth is windable, between both rollers a pressing means is arranged, under which the cloth (3) during movement is held on the floor. In the figure an embodiment is shown.

Description: KOPSVΈEPISG APPARATUS WITH cormrooϋs ACTION The present invention relates to a mopsweeping apparat s for periodically or daily removal of dust and dirt particles from solid floor coverings, comprising a dust binding cloth which is moved on the floor to be cleaned. There are several mopsweeping apparatuses known TO remove dust from the floor and which contain disposable cloths. If after some time the cloth is saturated with dust and dirt it is exchanged for a clean impregnated cloth. Thus it is necessary in this εtepwise system to exchange the cloths after fixed times which is time consuming. Further- more, the moment of exchange is rather subjective. It is possible that the cloth is used too long a time and thus the desirable degree of cleaning is not obtained. The invention is now directed to a continuous mopsweeping apparatus wherein the cloth without interaction from outside iε contα- nxiousiy renewed and a more regular dust and dirt removal iε obtained. In this way the numerous stopping moments needed in the old system tc replace the cloth are abandoned. Thus the invention provides a mopsweeping apparatus comprising a dirt receiving cloth which iε moved over the floor to be cleaned, which iε characterized, in that it comprises a manually or a motor driven movable frame wherein a drive cooperating pair of rollers is present, on the one roller of which a supply of cloth iε wound and on the other roller of which the cloth, when driven, is windable and between which a pressing means is provided, under which the cloth is retained during movement on the floor. The roller pair iε preferably motor driven and preferably the take-up roller is driven. The driving preferably takes place so that the winding direction of the cloth runs in the same direction as the movement of the total apparatus in contact with the floor. Preferably the winding velocity of the cloth iε substantially lower than the movement velocity of the apparatus, which amounts to about a slow walking velocity of about 3-4 km/hour. A favourable value of the cloth velocity is generally in the range of 2-15 hour, with preference for values of 3-10 m/hour, especially 3-6 m/hour. By choosing the winding direction and the movement direction in the same senεe. the backεide of the apparatus aiwayε contains a clean cloth while the dirtv Dart is t*re-seι.τ at the front&ide. This is iavou- SUBSTITUTE SHEET rable for removal of dirt. Further the. collection of coarser dirt particles <such as stamps, paper balls, plastic etc. > which assemble at the frontεide and could damage the cloth, iε facilitated. For this purpose preferably at the frontside a catching means is arranged, for example a strip, bent in a U-form which does not touch the floor, possibly with catching arms. During a stop the collected dirt particles can then be removed. The mopsweeping apparatus is transported on wheels, which preferably are adjustable, in hight, so that, the pressure of the. cloth on the floor iε variable and can be adapted at desire at the type of floor, the cloth used etc. The pressing means should permanently keep the cloth on the floor. For this purpose a stationary bottom plate can be.used under which the cloth iε guided, comprising metal or plaεtic. However, the preεεing means preferably is self-movable, in the shape of one or more rolls, under which the cloth iε moving and which rolls themεelves are rotating. The plate or roliε are further coated with a reεilient porous material, which can take up the unevennesseε in the floor. The preεsing means also can exist of an assembly of rolls coated with resilient material which touch the floor. In a preferable embodiment an endless belt iε used which runs over two rollers, which are arranged in a frame and guide the cloth over the floor. In this embodiment more flexible action is ensured while also a favourable working surface of the cloth can be reached coupled with an acceptable breadth. The material from which the belt iε compoεed and which further serves as coating material for the pressing plate or rolls must be inert and resiεtent to chemicals and oil. For this purpose variouε technical plaεtic materials are. available, which are also reεilient and porous. <Aε such are also considered foam materials like polyether oam). The cloth preferably consistε of a nonwoven which iε pre- impregnated with a duεt binding agent. In another embodiment a non-pre- impregnated nonwoven iε provided with a duεt binding agent during the uεe of the apparatuε. Commercially available cloths are for inεtance RHO-THSO and OVOLIK. The dimensions of the cloth depend on the apparatuε used. Vhen using one presεing roller there iε a line contact which may be εufficient for lighter activitieε. The working breadth can vary from 600 mm to 1,50 m, the lower values being favourable for manual driving. The length of the cloth iε; no critical and depends on the SUBSTITUTESHEET size of the rollers used. Generally, sufficient material is provided to enable use during a long time. In practice an amount of about 50 iε found favourable. Vith such an amount an action of five to six hours at a velocity of θ m hour of the cloth, expeciaiiy about 10 hours at a velocity of about 5 m hour is ensured. The whole apparatuε can be moved by mounting it on an electri¬ cally driven socalled scooter. Thus the user can, sitting on the scooter, drive it and thus treat the floor to be cleaned. One can also use human power, in which caεe a battery iε mounted on the apparatuε which provides current to the motor of the winding roller. In the scooter verεion the battery of the scooter serves this purpoεe. The motor can be provided with a switch for εtepwiεe actuation, poεεibly by meanε of a timing switch. It is to be understood that, owing to the different veiocitieε of the winding of the cloth and the moving velocity of the apparatus, a slip arises between the cloth and the floor, which of course is favou¬ rable for the cleaning power. The number of rotations of the motor can be adjustable, so that one may choose the right velocity dependant on the circumstanceε and that this during action possibly can be changed. The foregoing description relates to the dry cleaning of floors. It is alεo possible to carry out a wet cleaning by starting from a hydrof lic nonwoven or woven cloth which may be impregnated with a cleaning agent. The cloth used should then be a moisture and water receiving cloth, which may be impregnated with a floor cleaning agent and/or floor maintaining agent which is known, and which mostly is made somewhat thicker. If necessary, a water tank can be mounted to the mopεweeping apparatus, which iθε in communication with the preεεing means and delivers (additional> water during the mopping action. Preferably Dne startε from a dry cloth impregnated with the cleaning agent and/or the maintenance product, the water necessary being dosed from a water tank. Poεεibly the water tank may contain a (additional ) floor cleaning agent and/or a floor maintaining agent, the moistening of the cloth taking place before or during the preεεing εtep. The preεεing meanε can be made adjuεtably to εeiect the preεεure on the floor. However, thiε can also be reached by making adiuεtable the wheels of the apparatus, which has preference. The SUBSTITUTESHEET pivoting wheeiε are mounted on an angle line belonging to the frame which haε a εmall angle deviation relative to the floor. During the foreward movement of the apparatuε, the cloth will thus be brought in contact with the. floor by the pressing means whil at a backwards movement the whole apparatus iε tilted several millimeters from the floor. The cloth then comes free from the floor. The apparatus will now be illustrated by means of the added figure, which iε a schematic elevation of the apparatus according to the invention. In this figure a preferred embodiment is indicated wherein use iε made of an endleεε belt running over two rollers. In the figureε 1 and 2 reεpectively indicate the roller with a clean cloth and the winding roller. The cloth 3 iε running from roller 1 to roller 2. wherein the dotted lines 4 and 5 as well as 4' and 5' indicate the covirεe of the cloth, i.e. of a roller just provided with cloth (4. 4') and of a practically empty roller (5, 5') with respective¬ ly an empty and a full winding roller <4', 5">. Winding rolle ' r 2 iε driven by motor 6 through drive 7. Between both rollers is the endlesε belt 8 of porous resilient material, running about the. two rollers 9. This belt is in the frame 11 of the apparatuε and toucheε the floor 10 with a light preεsure; the cloth iε running between the floor 10 and the endless belt 3; the rollers 9 are not driven. The. apparatuε is further provided with a house or a cap 15. To the frame 11 wheeiε 12 are connected. 13 εchematically indicateε a hinge with which the house can be opened for replacement of the rollerε. In the " centre 1? and 19 indicate connection means, whereaε 14 alεo indicateε connection meanε. In uεe, after roller 1 iε provided with a clean cloth and thiε is fixed to the take-up roller by means of the underside of the endless belt 8, the motor is started, which drives the take-up roller through the driving belt 7 with adjustable velocity. The apparatus is then moved over the floor either manually or with the uεe. of a εcooter. During action the coarεer dirt aεsembles at the frontεide of the apparatus, where, a preferably U-shape εtrip 18 iε placed, which retains this dirt; thiε εtrip can poεεibly be replaced by a rubber εtrip. After the nonwoven cloth iε dewinded, the rollerε are removed and replaced by new oneε. By meanε of the different setting possibi- SUBSTITUTESHEET lities the apparatus can be adapted to the current circumstanceε and the ty of floor in such a wav that the best results are obtained. SUBSTITUTESHEET

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Mopεweeping apparatus comprising a dust, gatherins cloth which ife moved over the floor to be cleaned, characterized, in that it comprises a manually or motor driven housing, wherein a driven coopera ¬ ting roller pair is taken up, on the one roll of which a supply of cloth iε wounded and on the other of which the cloth iε windable, between which both rollers a preεεing meanε iε arranged, under which the cloth iε retained during movement over the. floor. 2. Mopsweeping apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the preεεing meanε co priεeε an endleεε flexible, belt. 3. Mopsweeping apparatuε according to claim 1, wherein the preεεing meanε consists of an assembly of rolls coated with reεilient material which touch the floor. 4. Mopsweeping apparatuε according to claims i-3, wherein the take-up roller iε drivable. 5. Mopεweeping apparatuε according to claimε i-4, wherein the apparatuε iε adjuεted εo that the winding direction of the cloth runε in the εame direction aε the progreεεive movement of the housing. 6. Mopsweeping apparatus according to claims 1-5, wherein the apparatuε iε ad.: ' uεte.d εo that the cloth winding velocity is considerably lower than the moving velocity of the apparatuε. 7. Hopεweeping apparatuε according "to claim ~ , characterized in that the winding velocity iε 2-15 m/hour at a moving velocity of about 3-4 km/hour. 8. Mopεweeping apparatus according to claimε 1-7, wherein the apparatuε iε moving on wheeiε which are adjuεtable in height. 9. Mopεweeping apparatuε according to claimε 1-8, wherein the belt conεiεts of an inert, reεilient plaεtic material which iε porouε and which can take up the unevennesεeε of the floor and which iε further reεiεtant to chemicalε and oil. 10. Mopεweeping apparatuε according to claimε 1-9. wherein a nonwoven is present on the rollers and pre-impregnated with a dust binding agent. 11. Mopεweeping apparatuε according to claimε.1-9, wherein the cloth is moiεture or water abεorbtive. 12. Mopεweeping apparatuε according to claim 11, wherein the cloth SUBSTITUTESHEET iε impregnated with a floor cleaning agent and/or a floor maintaining agent. 13. Mopεweeping apparatuε according to claimε 11-12, wherein thiε iε provided with a water tank for moiεtening of the cloth. 14. Mopsweeping apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the water tank contains a floor cleaning agent and/or a floor maintaining agent. 15. Mopsweeping apparatuε according to claimε 1-4, wherein the motor of the winding roller iε provided with a battery for electrical driving thereof. 16. Mopεweeping apparatuε according to claimε 1-5, wherein it is provided at the front side of a catching meanε for coarse dirt par¬ ticles.

Inventors: BIERMA ULRIK FOLKERT, BOTH DIRK MAARTEN, BIERMA, ULRIK, FOLKERT, BOTH, DIRK, MAARTEN
Applicants: REINHOUD BV, REINHOUD B.V.
Application year: 1991
Main classification: A47L11
IPC codes: A47L11