Patent Description:
The present invention pertains to the field of professional equipment for cleaning and sanitising surfaces. In particular, it is useful in hospital facilities and healthcare residences, but also, more generally, in private or public environments such as offices, restaurants, stations, airports, or schools.

To wet cloths, buckets containing cleaning liquids are typically used.

The floor washing cloths, once immersed in the liquids collected in the buckets, must be squeezed manually or mechanically to remove the excess cleaning liquid collected. Such squeezing operations are notoriously cumbersome and time-consuming and difficult to quantify in terms of costs.

Devices are known in the state of the art for wetting floor cleaning cloths comprising a bucket and a tray which can be inserted inside the bucket. Such a tray is shaped to contain a sufficient amount of cleaning liquid to impregnate a single floor cleaning cloth, so as to avoid or minimise the subsequent squeezing operations.

In detail, the bucket is shaped to keep the tray raised with respect to the free surface of the cleaning liquid contained in the bucket and, in use, a cleaning operator pours part of the liquid contained in the bucket into the tray. Specifically, by means of the head of the mop itself, the operator tilts the tray towards the inside of the bucket, mechanically engaging a top portion of the specially shaped tray.

Disadvantageously, the operation of pouring the cleaning liquid from the bucket to the tray requires a certain handiness of the operator, thus being not immediate and slow.

<CIT> discloses a wetting device having a container that can hold a detergent, a tank to receive the cleaning cloth as well as nozzles within the tank to direct the detergent onto the cloth. This publication shows the nozzles being positioned on the side surface of the tank.

Disadvantageously, the devices described in <CIT> is not capable of ensuring a homogeneous distribution of the cleaning liquid on the surface of the cloth.

In this context, the technical task underlying the present invention is to propose a wetting device of floor cleaning cloths which overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art mentioned above.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a wetting device for floor cleaning cloths capable of quickly providing a quantity of liquid suitable for impregnating the floor cleaning cloth.

Furthermore, it is a further object of the present invention to ensure a homogeneous distribution of the cleaning liquid on the surface of the cloth, so as to minimise the amount of cleaning liquid required.

It is also an object of the present invention to minimise the manual activities required to impregnate the floor cleaning cloth so as to reduce operator fatigue and the randomness of results.

The present invention relates to a wetting device configured to impregnate a floor cleaning cloth with a certain dose of a cleaning liquid as detailed in claim <NUM>.

It should be noted that to wet the floor cleaning cloth, the operator of the wetting device object of the present invention must simply place the cloth to be wetted inside the impregnation zone of the tank. In fact, once the floor cleaning cloth is placed in the tank, the pumping means, through the plurality of nozzles, direct the cleaning liquid onto the floor cleaning cloth.

Therefore, it is clear that the wetting device object of the present invention is easy to use and is capable of providing a quantity of liquid suitable for impregnating the floor cleaning cloth in a short time.

Furthermore, the plurality of nozzles allow to distribute the cleaning liquid in different areas of the impregnation zone, thus obtaining a homogeneous distribution of the cleaning liquid on the surface of the cloth and allowing to minimise the amount of cleaning liquid required.

Further, the wetting device object of the present invention allows to keep the amount of liquid employed in the various impregnation operations constant, thus facilitating the estimation of the cleaning costs attributable to the consumption of the cleaning liquid.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the exemplary, and therefore non-limiting, description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a wetting device of floor cleaning cloths and a trolley for cleaning surfaces, as illustrated in the appended drawings, in which:.

With reference to <FIG>, the present invention relates to a trolley <NUM> for cleaning surfaces, in particular floors of public or private environments such as healthcare facilities, schools, offices, shopping centres, hospitals, airports, stations, cinemas and the like.

The trolley <NUM> comprises a base <NUM> extending substantially in a plane XY. Plane XY is intended as a plane defined by a first main extension direction X and a second main extension direction Y. The first X and the second Y main extension direction are perpendicular to each other.

Said base <NUM> comprises a support surface R, configured to accommodate cleaning devices. Preferably, such a support surface R is substantially flat and extends along the first and the second main extension direction X, Y of the base <NUM>.

Preferably, the base <NUM> has a perimeter profile P surrounding the support R. Still more preferably, the perimeter profile P is raised with respect to the support surface R so as to prevent the fall of any cleaning devices supported on the latter.

The trolley <NUM> further comprises movement means <NUM> connected to the base <NUM> and configured to allow the trolley <NUM> to be moved on a walking surface (not shown in the figures). In the embodiments shown in <FIG> the movement means <NUM> comprise a plurality of wheels.

Preferably, the base <NUM> is modular, i.e., it comprises a plurality of modules 1001a which can be mutually assembled to vary the extension of the support surface R. <FIG> shows a first embodiment of the trolley <NUM> of the present invention having a single base module, <FIG> shows a second embodiment of the trolley <NUM> having a pair of modules 1001a mutually assembled to form a single base <NUM>. From the comparison of <FIG> it can be seen that, according to needs, by assembling several modules 1001a it is possible to extend the support surface R and thus the number of cleaning devices which can be placed on the trolley <NUM>.

Preferably, the trolley <NUM> comprises control means <NUM> associated with respective cleaning devices and configured to operate them. More details regarding the control means <NUM> and the operation thereof will be provided in a later part of the present disclosure.

The cleaning devices which can be placed on the support surface comprise a wetting device <NUM> of floor cleaning cloths, also an object of the present invention. <FIG> depict the wetting device <NUM> placed on the support surface R of the trolley <NUM>, <FIG> instead depict the wetting device <NUM> individually.

It should be specified that in the context of the present invention, the term wetting device is intended as a device configured to impregnate a floor cleaning cloth <NUM> with a dose of a cleaning liquid. Such a cleaning liquid can simply be water, or a specific liquid product for cleaning tiles, parquet, cement or the like.

With reference to <FIG>, the wetting device <NUM> object of the present invention comprises a container <NUM> configured to contain cleaning liquid. More precisely, the container <NUM> has a compartment <NUM> inside which the cleaning liquid can be accumulated. Preferably, the compartment has a capacity between <NUM> and <NUM> litres, in particular <NUM> litres.

Such a container <NUM> can have different geometries, however, it preferably has a prismatic or frusto-conical shape to optimise its arrangement and encumbrance on the trolley <NUM>.

Preferably, as shown in <FIG>, the container <NUM> has an opening <NUM> adapted to allow access to the compartment <NUM>, in particular configured to allow the introduction of the cleaning liquid. Even more preferably, the opening <NUM> extends for the totality of an end portion of the container <NUM>. In the embodiment shown in <FIG>, the container <NUM> is substantially a bucket having a straight parallelepiped geometry with a rectangular base.

The wetting device <NUM> further comprises a tank <NUM> configured to accommodate the floor cleaning cloth <NUM> therein.

In detail, the tank <NUM> has an impregnation zone Z inside which the floor cleaning cloth <NUM> can be placed. Preferably, as shown in <FIG>, the impregnation zone Z is configured to accommodate the floor cleaning cloth <NUM> in an extended - not ruffled - form so as to allow its entire and homogeneous wetting. Even more preferably, the floor cleaning cloth <NUM> is insertable in the tank <NUM>, in particular in the impregnation zone Z, while it is fixed to a floor cleaning tool 100a which, in use, allows it to be moved on the surface to be cleaned.

Preferably, the tank <NUM> comprises a bottom <NUM> facing the impregnation zone R, and an insertion mouth <NUM> arranged on the opposite side of the impregnation zone R with respect to the bottom <NUM>. It should be specified that the insertion mouth <NUM> is suitably sized to allow the insertion of the floor cleaning cloth <NUM> in an extended form and fixed to the floor cleaning tool 100a.

Furthermore, preferably, according to what is shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the wetting device <NUM> comprises a support grid <NUM> adapted to abuttingly receive the floor cleaning cloth <NUM> and arrange it in the impregnation zone Z. In detail, the support grid is arranged in the tank <NUM> at the impregnation zone Z. Therefore, the support grid <NUM> is interposed between the insertion mouth <NUM> and the bottom <NUM>. Preferably, the support grid <NUM> is spaced from the bottom <NUM> and extends parallel to the latter.

Preferably, the wetting device <NUM> object of the present invention comprises a cover <NUM> configured to be connected to the container <NUM> so as to close the opening <NUM>. Thereby, the cover <NUM> allows to avoid spillage of the cleaning liquid from the compartment <NUM> of the container <NUM> in case of jolts or overturning.

Even more preferably, the tank <NUM> is obtained on such a cover <NUM>, i.e., the cover <NUM> is shaped to define the tank <NUM>.

The wetting device <NUM> object of the present invention further comprises pumping means <NUM> configured to transfer cleaning liquid from the compartment <NUM> of the container to the tank <NUM>. More details on the pumping means <NUM>, in particular on their arrangement and their operation, will be provided in a later part of the disclosure.

The amount of liquid dispensed and the weight of the cloth will be configured so as to ensure the disinfection of a defined area (max <NUM> sqm).

With reference to <FIG>, the wetting device <NUM> comprises a plurality of nozzles <NUM> positioned at the tank <NUM> and in fluid communication with the pumping means <NUM>. Such a plurality of nozzles <NUM> is configured to direct the cleaning liquid towards the impregnation zone Z of the tank <NUM>. In detail, in use, each nozzle <NUM> is fed by the pumping means <NUM> and is configured to generate a jet of cleaning liquid towards the impregnation zone Z. It should be specified that the nozzles <NUM> are configured to direct the cleaning liquid towards different areas of the impregnation zone Z, so as to evenly wet the floor cleaning cloth <NUM>.

Preferably, each nozzle <NUM> is configured to generate a vaporised or nebulised jet of cleaning liquid. However, it is not to be excluded that in alternative embodiments the nozzles <NUM> are configured to generate a continuous liquid jet.

In a first embodiment shown in <FIG>, each nozzle <NUM> comprises a hollow cylindrical body 6b extending along a longitudinal direction X-X between a first open end <NUM>' and a second closed end <NUM>". In detail, said cylindrical body 6b comprises an inner channel 6c accessible by means of the first end <NUM>' and closed at the second end <NUM>". The cylindrical body 6b further comprises a recess 6d and a pair of openings 6e extending along a radial direction with respect to the longitudinal direction X-X and adapted to put the inner channel 6c in fluid communication with the recess 6d. Further, the cylindrical body comprises a pair of grooves 6f obtained on the second closed end <NUM>". In use, the pressurised cleaning liquid enters the channel 6c of the nozzle <NUM> by means of the first open end <NUM>', and then exits from the second end <NUM>" through the pair of openings 6e, the recess 6d and finally through the grooves 6f.

In a second embodiment shown in <FIG>, each nozzle <NUM> comprises a screw body 6a rotatable about a respective rotation axis R-R. In detail, the screw body 6a is configured to be rotated by the hydraulic pressure generated by the pumping means <NUM> and to vaporise the cleaning liquid.

Advantageously, the plurality of nozzles <NUM> allows to evenly distribute the dispensing of the cleaning liquid on the surface of the floor cleaning cloth <NUM>, avoiding excessively damp regions and other dry cloth regions.

Furthermore, advantageously, the plurality of nozzles <NUM> is configured to homogenise the dispensing of the cleaning liquid in the impregnation zone Z allows to avoid waste, thus minimising the dose of cleaning liquid necessary for wetting the floor cleaning cloth <NUM>.

Still, advantageously, the plurality of nozzles <NUM>, fed by the pumping means <NUM>, allows to quickly wet the entire surface of the floor cleaning cloth. Therefore, the wetting device <NUM> object of the present invention allows to speed up the operations of preparing the cloth for cleaning surfaces.

Preferably, the plurality of nozzles <NUM> are arranged, at least in part, homogeneously at the bottom <NUM> of the tank <NUM>. Still more preferably, the nozzles <NUM> are at least partly inserted in the bottom <NUM> of the tank <NUM>.

In the embodiment shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the plurality of nozzles <NUM> are equally distributed on the bottom <NUM> of the tank <NUM>. It should be specified that equally distributed is intended as the plurality of nozzles <NUM> organised in an equidistant manner on the bottom <NUM> of the tank <NUM>, for example in grids organised on rows and columns.

In a possible embodiment, the plurality of nozzles is interposed between the bottom <NUM> and the support grid <NUM>. Each nozzle <NUM> is configured to direct the cleaning liquid from the bottom <NUM> of the tank <NUM> towards the support grid <NUM> arranged in the impregnation zone Z.

Preferably, with reference to figures 3b and <FIG>, the wetting device <NUM> comprises a distribution body <NUM> fixed to the bottom <NUM> of the tank <NUM> and adapted to distribute the pressurised cleaning liquid dispensed by the pumping means <NUM> to the plurality of nozzles. In detail, said distribution body <NUM> comprises at least one pair of channels 11a within which several nozzles <NUM> are at least partially arranged. Each channel 11a is placed in fluid communication with the pumping means <NUM> by means of respective supply openings 11b.

In use, the pumping means <NUM> feed pressurised cleaning liquid inside the channels 11a of the distribution body <NUM> by means of the supply openings 11b which distribute it to the plurality of nozzles <NUM>.

Preferably, a watertight seal (not shown in the figures) is interposed between the distribution body <NUM> and the bottom <NUM> of the tank <NUM>.

According to what is shown in <FIG>, preferably, the cover <NUM> comprises a chamber <NUM> adapted to accommodate the pumping means <NUM> therein. In detail, said chamber <NUM> extends from the opposite side of the bottom <NUM> with respect to the tank <NUM>. Therefore, when the cover <NUM> is connected to the container <NUM>, the chamber <NUM> is located inside the compartment <NUM>.

The pumping means <NUM>, arranged inside the chamber <NUM>, are configured to draw the cleaning liquid from the compartment <NUM> of the container <NUM>, for example by means of a suction duct (not shown in the figures) extending from the chamber <NUM> of the cover <NUM> into the compartment <NUM> of the container <NUM> when the cover <NUM> is connected to the container <NUM>.

In a possible embodiment, the bottom <NUM> of the tank <NUM> has a plurality of holes <NUM> associated with the nozzles <NUM>, and each nozzle <NUM> extends from the chamber <NUM> into the tank <NUM> through a respective hole <NUM>. In alternative embodiments, the holes <NUM> themselves can be the nozzles, in which case it is necessary to fluid-dynamically connect the pumping means <NUM> to the plurality of holes <NUM>.

Turning now to the pumping means <NUM>, they can comprise an electric hydraulic pump 5a configured to draw the cleaning liquid from the compartment <NUM> of the container <NUM> and feed it pressurised to the plurality of nozzles <NUM> which will direct it onto the impregnation zone Z. In alternative embodiments, the hydraulic pump 5a can be manually operated, for example a crank or a pedal.

With reference to <FIG>, to electronically control the operation of the hydraulic pump 5a, the wetting device <NUM> comprises a control unit <NUM> placed in signal communication with the hydraulic pump 5a itself. In detail, the control unit <NUM>, by means of an electronic dispensing signal, is configured to operate the pump 4a for a time interval such that a predetermined dose of cleaning liquid is dispensed into the impregnation zone Z by means of the nozzles <NUM>. It should be specified that the predetermined dose of cleaning liquid is the minimum amount of liquid which allows a sufficient wetting of the cloth. Such a predetermined dose of cleaning liquid is typically identified experimentally, however this does not preclude its analytical or analytical-experimental determination.

Preferably, the time interval during which the dispensing of the cleaning liquid occurs is constant for each dispensing.

The electronic dispensing signal cam come from the control means <NUM> of the trolley <NUM> associated with the wetting device <NUM>. In detail, the operator, after placing the floor cleaning cloth <NUM> inside the tank <NUM>, acting on the control means <NUM> - for example by pressing a button - sends the electronic dispensing signal to the hydraulic pump 5a. It is therefore evident that in this case the trolley control means <NUM> are placed in signal communication with the pumping means <NUM> of the wetting device <NUM>.

Alternatively, the electronic dispensing signal can be generated automatically upon insertion of the floor cleaning cloth <NUM> inside the tank <NUM>. In this case, referring to <FIG>, the wetting device <NUM> object of the present invention comprises detection means <NUM> configured to detect the presence of the floor cleaning cloth <NUM> inside the detection zone Z of the tank <NUM>. Such detection means <NUM> are arranged at the tank <NUM>, preferably near the detection zone Z. Moreover, in this case, the control unit <NUM> is placed in signal communication with the detection means <NUM>, so as to operate the pump 4a only when the latter detect the presence of the floor cleaning cloth <NUM> inside the impregnation zone Z.

The detection means <NUM> can also be used to avoid the accidental activation of the pumping means <NUM> when the floor cleaning cloth <NUM> is not inserted in the tank <NUM>, thus preventing the dispensing of the cleaning liquid outside the wetting device <NUM>. In other words, the detection means <NUM> are employable as electronic consent to the dispensing of the cleaning liquid.

Such detection means <NUM> can for example comprise a photocell (not depicted in the figures) adapted to detect the presence of the floor cleaning cloth <NUM> inside the impregnation zone Z.

Alternatively to or in addition to the photocell, the detection means <NUM> can comprise magnetic means (not depicted in the figures) adapted to detect the approach of an external magnetic element fixed to the floor cleaning cloth <NUM>, or more generally to the floor cleaning tool 100a.

With reference to <FIG>, preferably, the cover <NUM> comprises a door <NUM> configured to switch between a use configuration in which it closes the floor cleaning cloth <NUM> in the tank <NUM>, and a rest configuration in which it allows the insertion or extraction of the floor cleaning cloth <NUM> inside the impregnation zone Z of the tank <NUM>. Preferably, the door <NUM> comprises a pair of doors 10a rotatably fixed to the cover <NUM> at the insertion mouth <NUM> of the tank <NUM>.

Preferably, when in the use configuration the door <NUM> defines a passage opening 10b for the floor cleaning tool 100a to which the floor cleaning cloth <NUM> is secured.

In a preferred embodiment, the switching of the door <NUM> from the rest configuration to that of use is operated by acting on the support grid <NUM> by means of the floor washing cloth <NUM>. In detail, the support grid <NUM> is connected to the door <NUM> and is movable from and towards the bottom <NUM> of the tank <NUM>. For example, the movement of the support grid <NUM> towards and away from the bottom <NUM> of the tank <NUM> is obtainable by means of mechanical guides (not depicted in the figures). The connection between the support grid <NUM> and the door <NUM> is configured to control the switching of the latter from the rest to the use configuration when the grid approaches the bottom <NUM>. Therefore, in use, by inserting the floor cleaning cloth <NUM> in the tank <NUM>, and pushing it against the support grid <NUM> by means of the floor cleaning tool 100a, the user is capable of switching the door <NUM> from the rest configuration to that of use. Subsequently, after dispensing, it is possible to switch the door <NUM> from the use configuration to the rest configuration, for example by means of elastic elements (not shown in the figures) arranged so as to preload upon the approach of the support grid <NUM> to the bottom <NUM>. Alternatively, the door <NUM> can switch from the use configuration to the rest configuration due to the mechanical action of the floor cleaning tool 100a on the door itself during the removal of the floor cleaning cloth <NUM>.

In alternative embodiments, the movement of the door <NUM> can be electronic and controlled by the control unit <NUM>.

Claim 1:
Wetting device (<NUM>) of floor cleaning cloths, said wetting device (<NUM>) being configured to impregnate a floor cleaning cloth (<NUM>) with a dose of a cleaning liquid, said wetting device (<NUM>) comprising:
- a container (<NUM>) having a compartment (<NUM>) adapted to contain the cleaning fluid;
- a tank (<NUM>) in fluid communication with the compartment (<NUM>) and having an impregnation zone (Z) for the floor cleaning cloth (<NUM>);
- pumping means (<NUM>) configured to transfer cleaning liquid from the compartment (<NUM>) to the tank (<NUM>);
- a plurality of nozzles (<NUM>) placed at the tank (<NUM>) and in fluid communication with the pumping means (<NUM>), said nozzles (<NUM>) being configured to direct the cleaning liquid towards the impregnation zone (Z);
characterized in that:
- the tank (<NUM>) has a bottom (<NUM>) facing the impregnation zone (Z);
- at least part of the plurality of nozzles (<NUM>) are arranged at the bottom (<NUM>) of the tank (<NUM>).