MOP MATERIAL, A MOP PAD, A MOP, AND A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING MOP MATERIAL

Abstract

Mop material comprises a first material and a reinforcement material, wherein substantially all of an operative part of the first material is covered by the reinforcement material and the reinforcement material includes a plurality of strands, such that the reinforcement material at least partially protects the first material from wear through contact with a surface to be cleaned and/or dried.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application, filed under 35 USC 371, is a United States National Stage Application of International Application No. PCT/GB2013/051939, filed Jul. 19, 2013, which claims priority to UK Application No. GB 1213363.3, filed on Jul. 26, 2012, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention relate to mop material including first material which is covered by reinforcement material. Embodiments of the invention include a mop pad including mop material, a mop including such a mop pad, and a method of manufacturing the mop material.

Mop material such as quilted mop material is commonly used in modern flat mops. A flat mop is a mop in which a main surface of the mop material is placed against the surface to be cleaned and substantially all of the mop material is supported by the mop head, such that the mop material is held flat against the surface to be cleaned.

Over repeated cycles of use, the mop material wears. A large portion of this wear occurs through contact of the mop material with the surface being cleaned. However, the mop material must be positioned in close contact with the surface being cleaned to allow the mop material to clean the surface.

Some solutions have been suggested for reinforcing mop material. One such example is U.S. Pat. No. 101,777 which discloses the covering of mop material of mop material with buckskin, leather, a light net-work, or canvas. Prior arrangements in which the mop material is entirely covered by a reinforcement material can, however, be detrimental to the properties of the mop material. In addition, the use of net-work can create an uneven surface for the mop material which prevents the mop material from working effectively (and may be overly abrasive in some applications).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to ameliorate one or more problems associated with the prior art.

Accordingly, we provide mop material comprising: an absorbent pad having one or more layers including a first material; and a reinforcement material, wherein substantially all of an operative part of the first material is covered by the reinforcement material and the reinforcement material includes a plurality of strands, such that the reinforcement material at least partially protects the first material from wear through contact with a surface to be cleaned and/or dried.

The plurality of strands may be tethered to the first material at a plurality of locations which are spaced apart from each other.

Respective portions of a first and a second of the plurality of strands between two tethered locations may be configured to be moveable with respect to each other and with respect to the first material.

The plurality of strands may be arranged to extend in a direction which is perpendicular to the usual direction of travel of the mop material over a surface being cleaned and/or dried using the mop material.

The plurality of strands may extend along a length of the first material.

The plurality of strands may comprise one or more bundles of strands.

The plurality of strands may be stitched to the first material.

The first material or absorbent pad may comprise a quilted material.

The first material or absorbent pad may comprise a non-woven absorbent padding material.

The reinforcement material may be substantially non-absorbent.

The reinforcement material may comprise strands of a polyester-viscose mixture.

The reinforcement material may not cover a side of the first material which opposes the operative part of the first material.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a mop pad formed from mop material and including one or more coupling arrangements for connecting the mop pad to a mop head.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a mop including a mop handle, a mop head, and a mop pad.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a method of manufacturing mop, the method comprising: providing an absorbent pad having one or more layers including a first material; and attaching a reinforcement material to cover substantially all of an operative part of the first material, wherein the reinforcement material includes a plurality of strands, such that the reinforcement material at least partially protects the first material from wear through contact with a surface to be cleaned and/or dried.

The absorbent pad or the first material is a quilted material and the reinforcement material is attached to the first material by stitching through at least part of the first material and/or the absorbent pad.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention as described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a mop according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 shows a mop head according to an embodiment, in a first configuration;

FIG. 3 shows mop material according to an embodiment; and

FIG. 4 shows a mop head according to an embodiment, in a second configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIG. 1, an embodiment of the present invention includes a mop 1. The mop 1 has a mop handle 2 and a mop head 3. The mop handle 2 comprises an elongate rod configured to be held by a user. Towards a distal end 4 of the mop handle 2 is a connection arrangement 5. The connection arrangement 5 is configured to be coupled to the mop head 3 so as to connect the mop head 3 to the mop handle 2.

The connection arrangement 5 may be configured to couple the mop head 3 and mop handle 2 releasably such that the mop head 3 can be disconnected from the mop handle 2. In embodiments, the releasable connection arrangement 5 also allows for the connection of another tool to the mop handle 2.

The connection arrangement 5 is configured to engage, or be engaged by, a corresponding connection arrangement 6 of the mop head 3.

The connection arrangements 5, 6 may be configured to allow pivotable movement between the mop handle 2 and the mop head 3.

The mop head 3 comprises a mop material support arrangement 7 (see FIG. 2) which is configured to support, at least partially, mop material 8 with respect to the mop head 3.

In embodiments, the mop material support arrangement 7 comprises a bracket 10a, 10b which is configured to engage a portion of the mop material 8. In embodiments, the mop material support arrangement 7 comprises a hinged member (or wing) 9a which is configured to move between a first configuration (see FIG. 2) and a second configuration (see FIG. 4). In the first configuration, the hinged member 9a extends generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the mop handle 2 such that a plane of the hinged member 9a can be held generally in parallel with the surface to be cleaned and/or dried in normal use. Thus, the hinged member 9a is configured to support at least part of the mop material 8 with respect to the surface to be cleaned and/or dried such that at least part of the mop material 8 is between the hinged member 9a and the surface when the hinged member 9a is in the first configuration.

When the hinged member 9a is in the second configuration, the mop material 8 hangs freely from the mop head 2 such that the mop material may be wrung.

In embodiments, a pair of hinged members (or wings) 9a, 9b are provided which extend from the connection arrangement 6 of the mop head 3 in roughly opposite directions when in their respective first configurations. In embodiments, the pair of hinged members (or wings) 9a, 9b in their respective second configurations extend away from the connection arrangement 6 of the mop head 3 in a direction which is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the mop handle 2 and away from the mop handle 2.

In embodiments which include one or more hinged members 9, the mop material 8 may be secured to the mop head 3 by one or more brackets 10a, 10b. In embodiments, the or each hinged member 9 carries one or more of the one or more brackets 10a, 10b. The or each bracket 10a, 10b may be located such that mop material 8 extends from a first bracket 10a of a first hinged member 9a of a pair of hinged members 9a, 9b, around a distal edge of the first hinged member 9a, over a support surface of the first hinged member 9a, over a support surface of a second hinged member 9b of the pair of hinged members 9a, 9b, around a distal edge of the second hinged member 9b, and to a second bracket 10b of the second hinged member 9b—with the first and second hinged members 9a, 9b in the first configuration. In such an arrangement, the mop material 8 is supported such that it may be held substantially flat against the surface to be cleaned and/or dried and moved with respect thereto whilst remaining held in the substantially flat configuration. The mop material may be held generally taut across the support surfaces of the hinged members 9a, 9b.

The mop material 8 may be secured to the or each bracket 10a, 10b by a coupling arrangement 13 which may include a hook and loop arrangement, and/or a loop of the mop material which is configured to pass around the bracket 10, and/or a pair of jaws of the bracket 10 which grasp a part of the mop material 8.

The present invention includes mop material 8 (see FIG. 3). The mop material 8 may be formed into a mop pad which may include a plurality of layers of different materials. In some embodiments, the mop material 8 may include an absorbent pad having one or more layers. For example, the pad may comprise a substrate material 12a to which a sheet of material is secured; an absorbent material may be provided between the substrate 12a and the sheet of material. The absorbent material may be non-woven filler material. As will be understood, a two layered construction with an absorbent material between the two layers is a “quilted” construction. An example of a quilted construction is shown in FIG. 3 in which lines of stitching which may be used to secure the layers of material together are depicted. The lines of stitching are depicted in a cross-hatched configuration but it will be appreciated that other arrangements are also possible. The stitching may be through all of the layers of material or through only some of the layers of material—see, for example, FIG. 3 in which the stitching does not pass through the layer of substrate material 12a.

The mop material 8 has a first side 11 and a second side 12, which oppose each other across a depth of the mop material 8. The first side 11 is for cleaning and/or drying a surface and the mop material 8 is intended to be secured to a mop head 3 such that an operative part 13 of the first side 11 is towards the surface to be cleaned and/or dried relative to the second side 12. The second side 12 is configured for placement adjacent a support surface of a part of the mop head 2—such as the support surface of a hinged member 9. Accordingly, the second side 12 may include one or more regions on a surface thereof which have a relatively high coefficient of friction (compared to the coefficient of friction of a surface of the first side 11) so that movement between the support surface of a hinged member 9 (for example) and the mop material second side 12 may be inhibited when the hinged member 9 is in the first configuration.

The first side 11 of the mop material 8 includes a first material 11a. This first material 11a may be a material which is intended to be used to clean and/or dry a surface.

In some embodiments, the first material 11a is a layer of an absorbent pad which includes at least one further layer. The at least one further layer may include an absorbent material such as the absorbent material described above.

One or more regions of the first material 11a are covered by a material which is relatively hardwearing compared to the first material 11a. The operative part 13 of the first material 11a (i.e., that part which is presented, in use, to the surface to be cleaned and/or dried) is substantially covered by the hardwearing material.

The one or more regions covered by hardwearing material are configured such that, in use, they are located immediately adjacent the surface to be cleaned and/or dried.

The hardwearing material comprises strands 14 (or strips) of material which may be non-woven material or woven material or yarn. The hardwearing material may comprise one or more bundles of strands 14. The hardwearing material may be absorbent or may be substantially non-absorbent. For illustrative purposes a FIG. 3 includes representations of strands 14; however, it will be appreciated that there are actually more strands 14 than indicated such that substantially all of the operative region 13 is covered by the strands 14.

In embodiments, the one or more regions cover substantially the whole of a portion of the first material 11a which is intended to clean and/or dry a surface during use—i.e., the operative part 13 of the mop material 8. In embodiments, the one or more regions cover only a portion of the first material 11a.

In embodiments, the hardwearing material forms an array of covered regions of the first material 11a. In embodiments, the hardwearing material covers at least part of, or substantially all, of a circumference of a part of the first material 11a which is intended to clean and/or dry a surface during use. In embodiments, the array of covered regions comprises an array of covered patches which are substantially surrounded by uncovered regions of the first material 11a and not substantially all of the operative part 13 of the first material 11a is covered.

In embodiments, the hardwearing material forms a linear set of covered regions of the first material 11a, wherein each of the linear covered regions of the set of linear covered regions is adjacent another and substantially no mop material 11a is exposed between the linear covered regions.

The strands 14 of hardwearing material are elongate with longitudinal axes which extend in a direction which may be substantially perpendicular to the usual direction of travel of the mop material 8 over the surface to be cleaned and/or dried in normal use. The mop material 8 may have a length and a width—the length being greater than the width. The longitudinal axis of each strand 14 may extend across at least part of a length of the mop material 8. Each strand 14 may extend across substantially the entire length of the mop material 8. Each strand 14 may extend across substantially an entire operative part mop material 8.

The hardwearing material may be stitched, needled, or adhered to the first material 11a of the mop material 8. The hardwearing material may be coupled to the first material 11a removably—for example, using a hook and loop arrangement.

The coupling between the hardwearing material and the first material 11a may be such that one or more portions of the hardwearing material are moveable with respect to the first material 11a. In such embodiments, other portions 15 of the hardwearing material are substantially fixed with respect to the first material 11a. In other words, the hardwearing material is tethered to the first material 11a in one or more locations 15. The portion of the hardwearing material between two tethered locations may be moveable with respect to the first material 11a (and may be moveable with respect to other parts of the hardwearing material). This movement may be in a direction which is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hardwearing material.

In embodiments, the hardwearing material is secured (i.e., tethered) to the first material 11a by stitching 15 through at least a portion mop material 8. The stitching may be through at least a part of a non-woven material of the mop material 8. In embodiments, the stitching 15 comprises a line of stitching which extends across a width of the mop material 8.

The hardwearing material may include strands of a polyester-viscose mixture. In embodiments, the hardwearing material is a material which will not cause substantial scratching to a surface over which it is intended to be passed during use. In embodiments, the hardwearing material is such that there is a low coefficient of friction between the hardwearing material and the surface over which it is intended to be passed during use—such that the material readily slides over the surface.

The hardwearing material may be strands 14 which take the form of elongate strands 14 which are secured towards both ends to the first material 11a. The elongate strands may also be secured to the first material 11a along a length thereof between the two ends of the strands.

As will be appreciated, the hardwearing material is a reinforcement material.

The mop material 8 may be formed into a mop pad and the mop pad may be secured to a mop head 3 of a mop 1. The mop 1 may be a flat-type mop—as discussed above.

Embodiments of the present invention include a method of mopping using the mop material 8 including affixing the mop material 8 to the mop head 3 and placing a surface of the mop material 8 in contact with a surface to be cleaned and/or dried (e.g., a floor). The method may include the steps of moving the mop material 8 with respect to the surface to be cleaned and/or dried to effect the cleaning and/or drying thereof. The method may include the steps of wetting the mop material 8, and wringing the mop material 8 prior to placing the mop material 8 in contact with the surface. The method may further include rinsing the mop material 8 and wringing the mop material 8 after the mop material 8 has been used to clean a surface. The method may further include removing the mop material 8 from the mop head 3 and washing the mop material 8. The method may further include brushing the mop material 8 or a part thereof—e.g., the hardwearing material.

When used in this specification and claims, the terms “comprises” and “comprising” and variations thereof mean that the specified features, steps or integers are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilized for realizing the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. Mop material comprising:

an absorbent pad having one more layers including a first material, and a reinforcement material, wherein substantially all of an operative part of the first material is covered by the reinforcement material and the reinforcement material includes a plurality of strands, such that the reinforcement material at least partially protects the first material from wear through contact with a surface to be cleaned and/or dried.

2. Mop material according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of strands is tethered to the first material at a plurality of locations which are spaced apart from each other.

3. Mop material according to claim 2, wherein respective portions of a first and a second of the plurality of strands between two tethered locations are configured to be moveable with respect to each other and with respect to the first material.

4. Mop material according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of strands is arranged to extend in a direction which is perpendicular to the usual direction of travel of the mop material over a surface being cleaned and/or dried using the mop material.

5. Mop material according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of strands extends along a length of the first material.

6. Mop material according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of strands comprises one or more bundles of strands.

7. Mop material according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of strands is stitched to the first material.

8. Mop material according to any claim 1, wherein the absorbent pad or the first material comprises a quilted material.

9. Mop material according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent pad or the first material comprises a non-woven absorbent padding material.

10. Mop material according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcement material is substantially non-absorbent.

11. Mop material according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcement material comprises strands of a polyester-viscose mixture.

12. Mop material according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcement material does not cover a side of the first material which opposes the operative part of the first material.

13. A mop pad formed from mop material according to claim 1 and including one or more coupling arrangements for connecting the mop pad to a mop head.

14. A mop including a mop handle, a mop head, and a mop pad according to claim 13.

15. A method of manufacturing mop, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an absorbent pad having one or more layers including a first material; and

attaching a reinforcement material to cover substantially all of an operative part of the first material, wherein the reinforcement material includes a plurality of strands, such that the reinforcement material at least partially protects the first material from wear through contact with a surface to be cleaned and/or dried.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the absorbent pad or the first material is a quilted material and the reinforcement material is attached to the first material by stitching through at least part of the first material and/or the absorbent pad.

17. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

20. (canceled)