Patent Publication Number: US-2016242617-A1

Title: Cleaning head comprising a foam body

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The invention relates to a cleaning head and, specifically, a cleaning head of a cleaning device for cleaning a surface. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The use of foam bodies for cleaning is generally known. In particular, using foam bodies for cleaning floors is known. A foam body can be associated with a cleaning head of a cleaning device, wherein the cleaning head is turned to face the floor in order to guide the foam body over the floor. 
     Foam bodies are often clamped into brackets which are part of the cleaning head. A cleaning head of this type is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 6,490,749 B1. 
     Conventionally, cuboid foam bodies, i.e. foam bodies having a rectangular cross section, are pressed into such brackets. In such cases, it is disadvantageous that the upper region of the foam body facing the bracket can be used for absorbing only a small amount of water, since the pores thereof are compressed to a particularly great degree. 
     SUMMARY 
     In an embodiment, the present invention provides a cleaning head of a cleaning device for cleaning a surface. The cleaning head comprises a bracket, in which a foam body is held, an upper region of the foam body being held in the bracket and a lower region of the foam body having a wiping surface which is configured to be turned to face the surface to be cleaned. The foam body is separate from the bracket and tapers in cross section from the lower region towards the upper region. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be described in even greater detail below based on the exemplary figures. The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments. All features described and/or illustrated herein can be used alone or combined in different combinations in embodiments of the invention. The features and advantages of various embodiments of the present invention will become apparent by reading the following detailed description with reference to the attached drawings which illustrate the following: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a bracket having a trapezoidal cross section and a foam body having a trapezoidal cross section, which are part of a cleaning head, and 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of a bracket having a rectangular cross section and a foam body having a T-shaped cross section, which are part of a cleaning head. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The invention provides a cleaning head of a cleaning device with a foam body such that the volume thereof can absorb as much water as possible and forms an operational wiping surface. 
     According to an aspect of the invention, it has firstly been recognised that an upper foam region which is compressed in the bracket has no function for the actual application thereof, i.e. wiping a surface, since the clamped foam region does not form a wiping surface and cannot be used to store water either because of the compression. According to the invention, it has additionally been recognised that by tapering the foam body in the upper region or by avoiding a rectangular cross section of the foam body, a sufficient foam body thickness can be maintained in some regions and, at the same time, said body can be mounted in a relatively thin bracket. By means of a tapered foam body having a non-rectangular cross section, less material can be used by comparison with previous foam bodies. Compared with previous foam bodies, a thinner bracket is required for fixing the foam body described here. Although a cuboid foam body could also be clamped in a relatively thin bracket, this would cause warping in the lower region thereof and thus in the wiping surface thereof as a result of the great compression in the upper region of the foam body. 
     In this respect, a cleaning head of a cleaning device is provided with a foam body such that the volume thereof can absorb as much water as possible and forms an operational wiping surface. 
     The foam body could be formed with a trapezoidal, T-shaped and/or non-rectangular cross section. A trapezoidal foam body having the same wiping surface has a smaller proportion of foam in the clamping region of the bracket than a foam body having a rectangular cross section. By selecting the trapezoidal shape, foam bodies can be cut out alternately from a large foam block without too much waste being produced. 
     The bracket could comprise two arms which each project from a base surface at an obtuse angle. The bracket thus forms a space having a trapezoidal cross section for receiving the upper region of a foam body. 
     The bracket could comprise two arms which each project from a base surface at a right angle. The bracket thus forms a space having a rectangular or square cross section for receiving the upper region of a foam body having a T-shaped cross section. 
     The arms could comprise angled clamping strips. These are used to improve the force holding the foam body in the bracket. An angled clamping strip thus increases the contact pressure on the foam body by means of the small surface area of the end face of said bracket. As a result of this and the geometry of the clamping strip, the foam body is pushed in so that an almost interlocking fit is produced between the foam body and the clamping strip. 
     The clamping strips could be profiled or could comprise tooth means. Toothing can further increase the holding force, but can also lead to tearing when using a relatively low tensile force in the case of a foam body having a low tensile strength. 
     The cleaning head described here could be associated with a mop. In particular, a foam body having a trapezoidal cross section can easily be substituted on a mop. The bracket can be integrated in a handle of the mop. The bracket is used as a reinforcing element so that sufficient pressure can be applied by the foam body when wiping. In order to use the foam body, said body must be able to be connected to the mop by means of an apparatus. 
     Instead of a foam, or more specifically a foamed plastics material, a sponge or another material which exhibits similar absorbency and compression properties to a foam can also be used. 
       FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  show two parts of a cleaning head of a cleaning device for cleaning a surface. More specifically, a bracket  1  is shown, in which a foam body  2  is intended to be held, wherein an upper region  3  of the foam body  2  is intended to be held in the bracket  1  and wherein a lower region  4  has a wiping surface  5  which is or can be turned to face the surface to be cleaned. 
     As a component which is separate from the bracket  1 , the foam body  2  tapers in cross section from the lower region  4  towards the upper region  3 . 
     The foam body  2  according to  FIG. 1  is formed with a trapezoidal cross section. The lower side thereof is for example 96 mm wide, and the upper is 50 mm. The height thereof is 60 mm. 
     The bracket  1  comprises two arms  6 ,  7  which each project from a base surface  8  at an obtuse angle. The cleaning head can be associated with a mop. 
       FIG. 2  shows that the bracket  1  comprises two arms  6 ,  7  which each project from a base surface  8  at a right angle. In  FIG. 2 , the foam body  2  is formed with a T-shaped cross section. 
     The brackets  1  in  FIGS. 1 and 2  can be fitted into a handle. The arms  6  and  7  of each bracket  1  can comprise angled clamping strips which are used to improve the force holding the foam body  2  in the bracket  1 . The clamping strips can be profiled or can comprise tooth means. 
     While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. It will be understood that changes and modifications may be made by those of ordinary skill within the scope of the following claims. In particular, the present invention covers further embodiments with any combination of features from different embodiments described above and below. 
     The terms used in the claims should be construed to have the broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the foregoing description. For example, the use of the article “a” or “the” in introducing an element should not be interpreted as being exclusive of a plurality of elements. Likewise, the recitation of “or” should be interpreted as being inclusive, such that the recitation of “A or B” is not exclusive of “A and B,” unless it is clear from the context or the foregoing description that only one of A and B is intended. Further, the recitation of “at least one of A, B and C” should be interpreted as one or more of a group of elements consisting of A, B and C, and should not be interpreted as requiring at least one of each of the listed elements A, B and C, regardless of whether A, B and C are related as categories or otherwise. Moreover, the recitation of “A, B and/or C” or “at least one of A, B or C” should be interpreted as including any singular entity from the listed elements, e.g., A, any subset from the listed elements, e.g., A and B, or the entire list of elements A, B and C.