BOARD FOR CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF MOP YARN

Abstract: The invention concerns a yarn reconditioning board (10) for reconditioning and maintenance of mop yarn (3), which is provided with a portion of Velcro3 fastener (5) and which mop yarn is arranged, in use, to be removably attached to the mop holder (2) of a floor-cleaning mop, said mop comprising a mop handle (1), one end of which is pivotally connected to the mop holder (2), the latter (2) having a portion of Velcro3 fastener (4) of a kind cooperating with the corresponding Velcro3 portion (5) on the mop yarn (3) in order to removably receive said mop yarn (3). The novel features of the invention reside therein that the yarn reconditioning board (10) is adapted to be preferably removably attached to an essentially vertical attachment plane (40), such as a wall, an attachment frame, or the like, and to receive said mop yarn (3) in order to allow reconditioning of said mop yarn, for instance by vacuum-cleaning, said yarn reconditioning board (10) comprising: a preferably flat surface (11) which is arranged to essentially be turned away from the attachment plane (40) and which comprises an area provided with a portion of Velcro3 fastener (12, 13) of a kind cooperating with the portion of Velcro3 fastener (5) on the above mop yarn (3) for the purpose of receiving and removably securing said Velcro3 fastener portion (5) of said mop yarn (3) in order to allow maintenance of said head of mop yarn (3); and fastening means (20) for securing said board to said essentially vertical attachment plane (40).

Description: BOARD FOR CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF MOP YARN The present invention relates to a board designed to allow reconditioning of mop yarns in an ergonomically suitable manner in connection with professional cleaning of places and various premises. Lately, dry-mode cleaning methods have proved to afford several advantages compared with wet-mode clean¬ ing methods for cleaning various premises, and for simi¬ lar applications. When wet-mode cleaning methods are employed, water mixed with various chemical detergents are used. The detergents may be dangerous to the health of the cleaning personnel using the detergents and obviously they may be detrimental to the environment generally. Dry-mode clean¬ ing methods reduce the chemical effects considerably. Research has furthermore showed that dry-mode clean¬ ing methods are more efficient in many contexts than are wet-mode methods. Minute dry particles of dust and dirt that are difficult to collect and that wet-cleaning methods on the whole tend to spread, are more easily col- lected by dry-mode cleaning methods. One example of a dry-mode cleaning method is the use of floor-cleaning mops equipped with mop yarn for clean¬ ing the flooring in office and plant premises. Usually, the floor-cleaning mop, see Fig. 1, consists of a handle and a holder to which a mop yarn is attached. The mop yarn could be entirely dry or be impregnated by a suit¬ able impregnating agent. During normal use of a mop of this kind it is neces¬ sary to clean the mop yarn at regular intervals from dust and dirt particles collected on the yarn. Usually, such reconditioning or maintenance of the mop yarn is effected by vacuum-cleaning the mop yarn with the aid of a vacuum cleaner. From an ergonomic point of view, the manner in which this task is practised today suffers from many dis- advantages. A simple method often resorted to is for the user to simply turn the mop over and vacuum-clean the mop yarn, one hand of the user holding the mop holder and the other the vacuum cleaner nozzle. This is a very tir- ing, strenuous and clumsy method. With the kind of floor-cleaning mops where the mop yarn as such may be detached from the mop holder vacuum- cleaning of the mop yarn is often carried out by the user holding the detached mop yarn pressed against the wall by one hand or against the floor by means of his foot. Also this method is ergonomically very inconvenient and puts considerable strain on the user's back, shoulders and arms. Also in other respects this method is awkward and clumsy, since it is very difficult to maintain the mop yarn steadily in position, in addition to which the method is very time-consuming. A further method described in the US Patent Speci¬ fication US 5,167,045 is based on the mop yarn being attached to a mop head which in turn is removably attach- ed to the mop holder. By dismantling the mop head includ¬ ing the mop yarn from the holder and inserting and lock¬ ing the mop head in position on a board placed on the floor with the aid of board-mounted slide rails and mag¬ netic key blocks, an implement is produced which does not require that the user himself holds fast the mop head including the mop yarn during the very vacuum-cleaning operation. However, the method and the construction of the implement suffer from several drawbacks. The method requires a number of different operations, both to dis- mantle the mop head from the holder and to attach the head to the board on the floor, in addition to which it is necessary to then perform the corresponding operations in the reversed order when the head is to be re-attached to the floor-cleaning mop. The means for attachment of the mop head to the holder and the board on the floor are complicated and their function is easily impaired, should the implement be exposed to dirt and dust from the mop yarn. The design of the floor-deposited board and the arrangement as a whole are related to a certain type of mop and to a certain type of mop yarn, mop head and mop holder. A disadvantage of the arrangement according to the above-mentioned patent thus is that the user of the floor-deposited board is restricted to a particular floor mopping system. In addition, the intended position of the board on the floor requires that the user bends in order to mount the mop head on and remove it from the board on the floor, which is extremely disadvantageous from an ergono¬ mic point of view. If one prefers not to leave the board on the floor when not in use it has to be removed from its place of storage for use and to be put back after use. In this connection it is important to realise that the work situation of cleaning personnel is a very demanding one in many respects and comprises a large num¬ ber of different tasks which in the long run may cause work-related injuries. For this reason it is of utmost importance that the equipment used by the cleaning per¬ sonnel is designed to allow it to be handled and used in the most ergonomically suitable manner possible. In addition it should be mentioned that to clean for instance a normal size high-school building comprising some 10000 m^ floor area it is necessary for the cleaning personnel to be able to accommodate, on their equipment trolley, between 30 and 40 heads of yarn in order not to have to walk back to the cleaning equipment storage room as soon as a new head of yarn is required. Bearing this in mind it is easily understood that the efficiency and ergonomic situation of the cleaning personnel highly depend on the possibility offered them to clean and to bring along a large number of heads of mop yarn in a con¬ venient and simple manner. A first object of the invention is to provide a yarn reconditioning board allowing mop yarns that are attached on the board to be cleaned and reconditioned in an econo¬ mically and ergonomically suitable manner. A second object of the invention is to provide a mop reconditioning board allowing mop yarns to be cleaned and cared for independently of variations in the configura¬ tion of the mop yarns. A third object of the invention is to provide a mop yarn reconditioning board that is lightweight, stable and easy to manufacture and put in position. These objects are achieved in accordance with the invention in a mop yarn reconditioning board designed for reconditioning or cleaning of mop yarns, which is provid- ed with a portion of Velcro fastener and which mop yarn is arranged, in use, to be removably attached to the mop holder of a floor-cleaning mop, said mop comprising a mop handle, one end of which is pivotally connected to the mop holder, the latter having a portion of Velcro fas- tener of a kind cooperating with the Velcro portion on the mop yarn in order to removably receive said mop yarn; characterised in that: the mop yarn reconditioning board is adapted to be preferably removably attached to an essentially vertical attachment plane, such as a wall, an attachment frame, or the like, and to receive said mop yarn in order to allow reconditioning of said mop yarn, for instance by vacuum-cleaning, said mop yarn recondi¬ tioning board comprising: a preferably flat surface which is arranged to essentially face away from the attachment plane and which comprises an area provided with a portion of Velcro fastener of a kind cooperating with the portion of Velcro fastener on said mop yarn for the purpose of receiving and removably fastening said Velcro fastener portion of said mop yarn in order to allow reconditioning of said mop yarn; and fastening means for attaching said board to said essentially vertical attachment plane. Additional properties of and further developments of the invention will appear from the characteristics defin¬ ed in the dependent claims. One example of a preferred embodiment of the inven- tion will be described in the following in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 illustrates a floor-cleaning mop equipped with mop yarn, as seen in a view obliquely from above; Fig. 2 illustrates the floor-cleaning mop of Fig. 1 without the mop yarn, as seen obliquely from below; Fig. 3 illustrates the mop yarn of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 illustrates a mop yarn reconditioning board in accordance with one embodiment of the invention as seen obliquely from the front; Fig. 5 illustrates the mop yarn reconditioning board of Fig. 4 as seen obliquely from behind; Fig. 6 is a lateral view of the yarn reconditioning board of Fig. 4 when attached to a wall, and Fig. 7 illustrates the yarn reconditioning board of Fig. 4 having mop yarn attached thereto. Fig. 1 illustrates a floor-cleaning mop comprising a holder or mop plate 2 and a handle 1 pivotally attach¬ ed to the holder. The bottom face of the holder 2 has mop yarn 3 removably attached thereto by means of interact- ing portions of Velcro fastener (4 and 5 in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, respectively). By a mop yarn should primarily be understood an arrangement or bundle of textile threads of vegetable or synthetic fibres that are sewn onto a fabric or the like and intended to be fastened to a mop holder. Fig. 2 illustrates the cleaning mop in a view as seen obliquely from below, the mop yarn 3 having been removed. On its bottom face the holder 2 is provided with one or several portions 4 of Velcro fastener of a first kind, which portions are designed to receive and remov- ably retain the mop yarn 3 to the bottom face of the holder. Fig. 3 illustrates the mop yarn separately. On one of its faces, the mop yarn 3 is provided with one or several portions of Velcro fastener of a second kind that cooperates with the Velcro fastener portions on the holder, in order to removably fasten the mop yarn to the holder. Figs 4, 5 and 6 illustrate a yarn reconditioning board 10 in accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The yarn reconditioning board is designed to receive a mop yarn 3 to allow reconditioning thereof. In addition, the yarn reconditioning board 10 is adapted to be attached to an essentially vertical attach¬ ment plane 40, which may be a wall, an attachment frame, a support rail or the like, as illustrated in Fig. 6. Because the board is adapted for attachment to a wall, the user need not have to bend down to the floor each time a mop yarn is to be attached to or removed from the yarn reconditioning board. The reconditioning board 10 comprises a panel 11 having a preferably flat surface intended to face away from the attachment plane onto which the board is secur¬ ed. The surface could also be configured as or comprise a curved surface. On the surface of the panel 11 one area is provided with one or several portions 12, 13 of Velcro fastener of a kind adapted to cooperate with the portion 5 of Velcro fastener on the mop yarn 3, allowing the latter 3 to be removably fastened to the yarn reconditioning board 10. When different manufacturers supply mop yarns pro- vided with portions of Velcro fastener of different kinds and configuration it may be desirable that the portions 12, 13 of Velcro fastener on the board 10 are also of a correspondingly different kind, allowing the mop yarn to be reconditioned independently of the mop yarn manufac- turer or type of mop yarn. Contrary to the arrangement according to the above- mentioned US 5,167,045 the arrangement including the Velcro fasteners additionally makes it possible to use the yarn reconditioning board independently of the type and configuration of the mop yarn, as long as the latter are provided with portions of Velcro fastener of a type cooperating with those on the board. The arrangement in accordance with US 5,167,045 requires a particular con¬ figuration of especially the mop heads to which the mop yarn is attached, in order to allow the mop yarn to be used together with the board on the floor. In accordance with one preferred embodiment the Velcro fastener portions 12, 13 of the panel 11 extend in parallel with the longitudinal direction of the panel, as appears from Fig. 4. In accordance with this embodiment of the present invention the rear of the panel 11 is provided with an upper fastener element in the shape of a transversely extending, bent rail 20. The rail 20 is adapted for cooperation with a bent attachment strip 30 which is mounted on the attachment plane 40 and which serves to secure the yarn reconditioning board 10 when the latter is fixed to the attachment plane. It is easily understood that the board 10 may be attached to the attachment plane in many other equivalent manners. For instance, the fas¬ tening element could be configured as a Velcro fastener portion or as one or several hook or loop members coope¬ rating with corresponding fastener elements mounted on the attachment plane. The panel 11 could also quite sim¬ ply be screwed to the attachment plane. In addition, the rear of the panel 11 is provided with bottom spacer means in the form of a transverse spacer profile section 23 serving to keep the lower part of the panel 11 at a distance away from the attachment plane 40, ensuring that the lower part of the board is spaced a larger distance away from the attachment plane 40 than the upper part of the board when the latter is attached to the attachment plane. In this manner the pre¬ ferably flat surface of the panel 11 will extend oblique- ly outwardly, away from the attachment plane 40, at an angle which in accordance with the embodiment illustrated in the drawing figures amounts to approximately 10°. The reason why the panel 11 should extend at an angle outwards from the attachment plane 40 is that this position allows vacuum-cleaning or other reconditioning of a mop yarn 3 that has been attached to the yarn recon¬ ditioning board 10 to be performed in an ergonomically more suitable manner when the board attitude is such that an imagined line extending perpendicularly outwards from the centre of the flat surface of the panel 11 is direct¬ ed essentially towards the shoulder area of the user. In case the reconditioning board 10 is attached to the attachment plane 40 in such a manner that a predominant part of the surface of the board 10 is positioned at a level lower than the level of the user's shoulder area, which is preferable since it is ergonomically suitable to work against a surface positioned at a higher level than the user's shoulder portion, it is necessary to design the board in such a manner that the lower part of the panel 11 is spaced a larger distance away from the attachment plane 40 than the upper part of the panel 11 in order to produce said perpendicular direction from the surface of the panel 11 towards the shoulder area of the user. Should the available space or other similar reasons make it necessary to attach the board at a higher level on the wall, the upper portion of the panel 11 should be positioned at a larger distance away from the attachment plane 40 than the lower portion of the panel 11, ensuring that said perpendicular line from the panel surface also in this case will be directed essentially towards the user's shoulder area. However, this arrangement is a less preferred one. However, it should be noted that although it is pre¬ ferable to arrange for said angle between the surface of the panel 11 and the attachment plane 40, considerable advantages compared with the prior-art technology are obtained also when the panel does not comprise said spacer means and is not positioned at an angle outwardly from the attachment plane 40. From an ergonomic point of view the attachment of the board on a wall is in itself a considerable advantage since it omits the need for the user to have to bend down to the floor to attach or remove the mop yarn, which is necessary, should the board be positioned on the floor. The spacer means, which in this case is formed by the spacer profile section 23, comprises a support por¬ tion 24 serving to support the spacer profile section 23 against the attachment plane 40 but which could also be used to secure the spacer profile section 23 or the lower part of the panel 11 against the attachment plane 40, for instance by means of double-sided adhesive tape, Velcro fastener strips, screws or other suitable means. The yarn reconditioning board 10 also comprises a reinforcing or rigidifying element which in accordance with the present embodiment consists of a transverse reinforcing profile section 21 arranged on the back of the panel 11. The reinforcing profile section 21 is to have a reinforcing effect on the panel 11, preventing the latter from warping inwards when the user applies a force on the panel 11. According to this embodiment the rein¬ forcing profile section 21 likewise serves to support the middle part of the panel 11 and to hold it away from the attachment plane 40 in a manner similar to that of the spacer profile section 23. The reinforcing means may be configured in several different ways. For instance, it could be shaped as a vertical profile section instead of a transverse one. It could be configured as one or two lateral plates extending perpendicularly between the panel 11 and the attachment plane 40 on one or both sides of the panel 11. An advantage found in the arrangement in accordance with Fig. 4 is that the profile sections 21 and 23 may be used as shelves for storage of small clean¬ ing equipment items. In accordance with the present embodiment the rein¬ forcing profile section 21 comprises a support part 21 serving to support the profile section 21 against the attachment plane 40 but which could also be used to secure the profile section 21 or the middle part of the panel to the attachment plane 40. In this connection it should be mentioned that the functional properties offered by the panel 11, the rail 20, and the profile sections 21 and 23 could be realised in several different ways. For example, the panel 11, the rail 20, and the profile sections 21 and 23 could be made as one integral piece. When the panel 11 is formed with lateral walls as mentioned above, they could, depending on configuration, functionally be considered to serve as attachment means as well as reinforcing means and spacer means. It is likewise possible to configure the fastener means, the spacer means, and the reinforcing means in such a manner that it becomes possible to adjust the angle between the face of the panel 11 and the attachment plane 40 in dependence of the physiology of the user. The spacer means could for instance be configured as lockable telescopic means or as two cooperating slitted members which may be locked in the desired set position by means of a screw and nut bond or the like. Experience has prov¬ ed, however, that the differences in physique between different users are so small that the feature of a just- ability fails to be a significant requirement. Fig. 7 illustrates the yarn reconditioning board 10 of Fig. 4 with the mop yarn 3 of Fig. 3 attached to a Velcro fastener portion 12 on the board 10. One advantage of the embodiment as outlined above is that the board is easy and simple to manufacture. Since some manufacturers and suppliers of this type of equip¬ ment operate on a rental basis it is desirable that the board is lightweight, easy to handle, simple to attach to and remove from the attachment plane while at the same time exhibiting the required rigidity. These and other properties are obtained in a board constructed in accor- dance with the above-described embodiment.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A board (10) for reconditioning of mop yarn (3), which is provided with a portion of Velcro fastener ( 5) and which mop yarn is arranged, in use, to be removably attached to the mop holder (2) of a floor-cleaning mop, said mop comprising a mop handle (1 ) , one end of which is pivotally connected to the mop holder (2), the latter (2) having a portion of Velcro fastener of a kind cooperating with the corresponding Velcro portion (5 ) on the mop yarn (3) in order to removably receive said mop yarn (3) , c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the yarn reconditioning board (10) is adapted to be preferably removably attached to an essentially ver¬ tical attachment plane (40), such as a wall, an attach¬ ment, or the like, and to receive said mop yarn (3) in order to allow care of said mop yarn, for instance by vacuum-cleaning, said yarn reconditioning board (10) comprising: a preferably flat surface (11) which is arranged to essentially face away from the attachment plane (40) and which comprises an area provided with a portion of Velcro fastener (12, 13) of a kind cooperating with the portion of Velcro fastener (5) on said mop yarn (3) for the pur¬ pose of receiving and removably fastening said Velcro fastener portion ( 5) of said mop yarn (3 ) in order to allow reconditioning of said mop yarn (3); and fastening means (20) for attaching said board to said essentially vertical attachment plane (40) . 2. A yarn reconditioning board as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the board (10) further comprises spacer means (23) adapted to keep, together with said fastening means (20) , a lower part of said surface spaced a first distance from the attachment plane (40), and an upper part of said surface spaced a second distance from said attachment plane (40) , whereby said surface will extend an angle relatively to the sub¬ stantially vertical attachment plane (40) when the board is attached thereto. 3. A board as claimed in claim 2, c h a r a c - t e r i s e d in that said first distance is longer than the second distance, whereby said surface will extend at an angle in a direction downwards and outwards from the essentially vertical attachment plane (40) , when the board is attached thereto. 4. A board as claimed in claim 2, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i s e d in that said first distance is smaller than said second distance, whereby said surface will extend at an angle in a direction upwards and outwards from the substantially vertical attachment plane (40), when the board is attached thereto. 5. A board as claimed in any one of claims 2, 3 or 4, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that said fastening means (20) and said spacer means (23) are configured to ensure that said angle is in the range of 0°-30°, and preferably 5°-20°. 6. A board as claimed in any one of claims 2, 3, 4 or 5, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that said spacer means (23 ) likewise have a supporting and/or securing function at the plane of attachment (40) . 7. A board as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the board (10) further comprises reinforcing elements (21) serving to reinforce said surface (11), so as to counteract deforma¬ tion of said surface ( 11 ) in consequence of load exerted thereon when reconditioning said mop yarn (3 ) . 8. A board as claimed in claim 7, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i s e d in that said elements (21) likewise have a supporting and/or fastening function at the attachment plane (40) . 9. A board as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the Velcro fastener portions (12, 13) on the board comprise one or more separate Velcro fastener portions (12, 13), the lon¬ gitudinal axes of which are parallel with the longitudi¬ nal axis of said surface (11). 10. A board as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that said surface (11) comprises a curved surface (11).

Inventors: ANEHORN LARS G, ANEHORN, LARS, G.
Applicants: ANEHORN LARS G, CARPETING I STOCKHOLM AB, ANEHORN, LARS, G.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: A47L13
IPC codes: A47L13