Cleaning element and cleaning apparatus
A cleaning element comprises a plurality of water-absorbing strips, each having a large water-absorbing surface made up of front, rear, left right surfaces for wiping a large floor area, a holding plate for holding the water-absorbing strips on inner ends thereof, and reinforcing seams, longitudinally running along the water-absorbing strips, for high mechanical strength and an enhanced lifetime. A cleaning apparatus, used in conjunction with the cleaning element, further comprises a rod and a bearing.
The present invention relates to a cleaning element and a cleaning apparatus, particularly to a cleaning element for wiping a floor made of water-absorbent material in several strips with reinforcing seams, and a cleaning apparatus to be used in conjunction therewith.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONFor cleaning floors, usually a mop is used, so as to avoid having to kneel down on the ground. A mop generally has a rod, a bearing and a cleaning element consisting of several cloth strips. However, wringing dry the cleaning element is hard, and the cleaning element during use often becomes detached from the rod. Therefore, cleaning elements made of water-absorbent material, like PVA, have appeared on the market to enhance absorbability and easy wringing and thus save time and physical effort. Mechanical strength of conventional water-absorbent material, however, is deficient. In the shape of an elongated cylinder, the cleaning element easily breaks after periods of non-usage and has to be soaked with water to be flexible and water-absorbent again. Furthermore, a contact surface of the cleaning element to a floor to be cleaned is small, so that frequent soaking, cleaning and wringing are required, which is inconvenient.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning element which does not become easily detached during use, does not easily break and has a long lifetime and a cleaning apparatus used in conjunction therewith.
It is another object of the invention to provide cleaning element with an increased contact surface to a floor to be wiped and a cleaning apparatus used in conjunction therewith.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the present invention.
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Each reinforcing seam is made of nylon fiber or polyester fiber and attached longitudinally to one of the water-absorbent strips 43, providing high mechanical strength and thus a high lifetime thereto.
The bearing 2 comprises: a fastening piece 21, having an upper tube 22 and a lower chamber 23; and a fastening plate 24. The upper tube 21 is connected with the lower end of the rod 3. The lower chamber 23 has several threaded holes 25, allowing to fasten the fastening plate 24 thereto from below. The fastening plate 24 has several holes 26, accommodating bolts 29 for fastening the fastening piece 21, the holding plate 40 and the fastening plate 24 together. The fastening plate 24 is further provided with a plurality of cone-shaped upward projections 28 to prevent the water-absorbent strips 43 from becoming detached from the holding plate 40. The bolts 29 pass through the holes 26 of the fastening plate 24 and through the threaded holes 25 of the lower chamber 23 of the fastening piece 21, resulting in the holding plate 40 entering the lower chamber 23 and to be held there.
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Claims
1. A cleaning element, comprising:
- a holding plate;
- a plurality of water-absorbent strips, each having a front, rear, left and right surface, which together form a large water-absorbent surface, and each, at an inner end thereof, entering said holding plate; and
- a plurality of reinforcing seams, respectively longitudinally running along said water-absorbent strips.
2. The cleaning element of claim 1, wherein said water-absorbent strips enter said holding plate from two opposite sides thereof.
3. The cleaning element of claim 1, wherein said holding plate and said water-absorbent strips form an integrated body.
4. The cleaning element of claim 2, wherein said holding plate and said water-absorbent strips form an integrated body.
5. The cleaning element of claim 1, wherein said holding plate has at least one reinforcing seam.
6. The cleaning element of claim 2, wherein said holding plate has at least one reinforcing seam.
7. The cleaning element of claim 1, wherein said holding plate comprises a plurality of overlapping parts, so that said water-absorbent strips overlap.
8. The cleaning element of claim 1, wherein each of said water-absorbent strips has at least two parts held together by a reinforcing seam.
9. The cleaning element of claim 1, wherein each of said water-absorbent strips has at least two reinforcing seams.
10. The cleaning element of claim 1, wherein each of said water-absorbent strips is made of PVA, natural sponge, plastics or unweaved cloth.
11. A cleaning element, comprising:
- a holding plate, forming an integrated body;
- a plurality of water-absorbent strips, each having a front, rear, left and right surface, which together form a large water-absorbent surface, and each, at an inner end thereof, entering said holding plate; and
- a plurality of reinforcing seams, respectively longitudinally running along said water-absorbent strips.
12. A cleaning element, comprising:
- a holding plate, having a separate connecting part;
- a plurality of water-absorbent strips, each having a front, rear, left and right surface, which together form a large water-absorbent surface, and each, at an inner end thereof, entering said connecting part of said holding plate;
- and
- a plurality of reinforcing seams, respectively longitudinally running along said water-absorbent strips.
13. A cleaning apparatus, comprising:
- a rod;
- a bearing, mounted on a lower end of said rod;
- a cleaning element, fastened to said bearing and further comprising
- a holding plate, forming an integrated body,
- a plurality of water-absorbent strips, each having a front, rear, left and right surface, which together form a large water-absorbent surface, and each, at an inner end thereof, entering said holding plate, and
- a plurality of reinforcing seams, respectively longitudinally running along said water-absorbent strips.
14. The cleaning apparatus of claim 13, wherein said bearing further comprises a fastening piece, having an upper tube, which is fastened to said lower end of said rod, and a lower chamber, accommodating said holding plate and having a plurality of threaded holes, and a fastening plate, having a plurality of cone-shaped upward projections and a plurality of holes through which bolts pass that engage with said threaded holes, so that said fastening plate and said fastening piece are fastened together, allowing to hold said holding plate in between.
15. The cleaning apparatus of claim 13, wherein said bearing further comprises a fastening piece, having an upper tube, which is fastened to said lower end of said rod, and a lower chamber, accommodating said holding plate and having a plurality of holes with relatively narrow lower sections, and a fastening plate, having a plurality of cone-shaped upward projections and a plurality of upward pointing fixing elements, each of said fixing elements having a relatively wide blocking head which is elastically compressible by being split by a transverse gap, has a tapered end and a blocking part, so that each of said fixing elements easily enters one of said holes and is held there, allowing to fasten said fastening plate and said fastening piece together and to hold said holding plate in between.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 14, 2007
Publication Date: Dec 18, 2008
Inventor: Ming-Hsien Lin (Chia Yi Hsien)
Application Number: 11/818,383