"DEVICE FOR RETAINING THE FLOCK OF A MOP" Technical field of the invention

The object of the present invention is a device for retaining the flock of a mop. The English term "mop" is in common parlance a word indicating those cleaning devices consisting of a handle to which a plurality of strips, ribbons or yarns in general are engaged and which, in a wet or dry condition, are used to clean surfaces such as floors . The above mentioned strips or ribbons are constrained to the handle in such a way as to have respective free ends hanging away from the handle. Such a disposition of the strips or ribbons or threads is commonly known with the term "flock". Background art

Devices are known for retaining the flock of a mop which are essentially made up of two elements.

The first of such elements, so-called "cap" in jargon, is intended for engagement on one side with the mop's handle and on the other with the second element, so-called "fork" or hook.

Inserted and engaged between the cap and the fork are the strips that will form the flock. In particular, the surface of the cap to be engaged with the fork is substantially flat and exhibits two or more recesses for engaging therein as many protrusions of the fork. The latter comprises a substantially flat surface from which the protrusions or prongs develop away therefrom to be engaged within the recesses of the cap. The strips of the flock are placed in contact between them substantially in parallel relationship and along respective central portions between the prongs of the fork so that the two free ends of each strip result lying away from the fork. The fork is then fitted to the cap by a press, thereby

trapping the strips between the fork and the cap. Obviously, to allow the strips forming the flock configuration correctly, after fitting the fork to the cap, it is necessary to handle the strips by pulling and stretching them so as to have them disposed along the whole perimetric development of the fork and cap.

In other words, the strips held between the fork and the cap are displaced, by pulling them, to protrude radially away also from perimetric portions of the fork located in proximity of the prongs, so as to cover all the peripheral edge of the cap.

In this way, the flock results disposed according to a substantial axial symmetry with respect to the axis of the handle . This arrangement ensures a correct use of the mop, inasmuch as it can be used without making it follow a preferential direction of sweep on the floor to be cleaned. However, although soon after the packaging, the mop's flock-retaining device allows a correct disposition of the flock relative to the fork, the mop's strips, during the use, tend to resume their original configuration, that is, substantially parallel to each other and, therefore, not disposed around the whole lateral surface of the fork and cap. Actually, to ensure the retention of the flock, the central portions of the strips must be forcedly held between the fork and cap and, therefore, are hardly able to be reoriented into a configuration other than the initial one. In this context, the specific technical task of the present invention is to propose a device for retaining the flock of a mop which is free from the above drawbacks. Disclosure of the invention

In particular the object of the present invention is to provide a device for retaining the flock of a mop allowing to maintain a correct positioning of the flock along the

whole peripheral development of the mop.

The specified technical task and object are substantially achieved by a device for retaining the flock of a mop having the technical characteristics set forth in one or more of the attached claims.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from a reading of the indicative and thus not limiting description of a preferred but non exclusive embodiment of a device for retaining the flock of a mop as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

- Fig. 1 shows schematically a mop with the device for retaining the flock, according to the present invention;

- Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a first detail of the device for retaining the flock of Fig. 1; - Fig. 3 is a plan view of the detail of Fig. 2;

- Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a second detail of the device for retaining the flock of Fig. 1; and

- Fig. 5 shows the detail of Fig. 3 fitted to a flock. With reference to the attached figures, numeral 1 indicates in the whole a device for retaining the flock according to the present invention.

In the context of the present invention, the flock 101 indicates a plurality of strips, ribbons or threads 102 of natural or synthetic fibres intended to sweep over a surface to clean it.

The flock 101 is constrained to a handle 103 via the device 1 so as to make up a broom 100, so-called "mop" in technical language (shown in Fig. 1). The device 1 comprises a first element 2 provided with a first 3 and second 4 opposite surfaces.

The first element 2 comprises at least two lugs 5 which develop away from the first surface 3 (see Fig. 2) . The device 1 further comprises a second element 6 (see Fig. 4) having two retaining seats 7 intended to engage and retain therein the lugs 5 of the first element.

The second element 6 also comprises a further retaining seat to house into engagement the mop's handle 103. Such further retention seat 8 is preferably located in a central portion of the second element 6. The first 2 and second 6 elements are able to be fitted firmly to one another, in particular through the engagement of the lugs 5 into the retention seat 7, in order to retain the flock 101.

In particular, the first surface 3 of first element 6 is substantially flat, but it should be appreciated that it may advantageously comprise reinforcing ribs provided with teeth.

The first surface 3 is able to receive, in abutment thereon, central portions of the strips or ribbons 102 which form the flock 100 (as schematically illustrated in

Fig. 5) .

In the preferred embodiment, also the second surface 4 of the first element 2 is flat and parallel to the first surface 3. Such central portions of the strips or ribbons 102 are retained in their position when the second element 6 is fitted to the first 2, preferable by means of a press.

To ensure a positive retention of the flock 101, the geometries in plan view of the first 2 and second 6 elements are preferably identical and exhibit a gap rightly proportionate therebetween.

In this way, the flock 100 result "trapped" and firmly associated with the device 1.

As can be seen in Figs. 2 and 3, the lugs 5 develop starting from peripheral portions of the first element 2, preferably from peripheral portions opposite to each other.

As illustrated in Fig. 5, the ribbons 102 of the flock 101 are made to rest between the lugs 5 of the first element 2 so as to make the latter act as a striker and stop means during the positioning of the ribbons 102.

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Advantageously, the first element 2 comprises restraining mechanical means for retaining, in a predetermined position, at least one strip 102 of the flock 101. In this way, when the two elements 2, 6 are fitted to each other to engage the flock 101, the strips 102 which, in the flock' s ideal configuration must encircle completely the edges of the first element 2, are retained in those positions from which, usually, the strips 102 tend to move away. In particular, the restraining mechanical means 9 comprise at least a slot 10 formed on the first element 2. Such slot 10 extends from the first surface 3 to the second surface 4 of the first element 2 by crossing the latter. The slot 10 has the function of receiving into engagement one or more strips 102 of the flock 101, by retaining them and preventing them from returning to the non-deformed configuration .

In fact, following the coupling between the first 2 and second 6 elements, the strips that are engaged between said two elements 2, 6 do not cover the whole peripheral edge of the first element 2, inasmuch as they tend to arrange themselves parallel to each other by taking up the configuration in which they are disposed onto the first surface 3 of the first element 2 prior to the coupling of the latter with the second element 6.

After the coupling between the two elements 2, 6, the strips 102 are pulled and stretched by hand to cause them to lie around the whole peripheral edge of the first element 2. However, the strips 102 thus pulled and stretched tend to resume their initial configuration, inasmuch as the central portion thereof keep on to be retained between the two elements 2 and 6 substantially in the initial configuration, that is, substantially parallel to each other.

The slot 10 allows advantageously one or more strips to be retained in the predetermined position as determined by stretching the same strips, thereby preventing those engaged within the slot 10 to resume their initial configuration.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, at least two, preferably four slots 10 are disposed preferably close to lugs 5 and/or along the perimeter of the flat surface 2. In fact, as above indicated, the strips 102 are initially disposed onto the first surface 3 of the first element 2 just between the lugs 5. The portions of peripheral edge of the first element 2 located in close proximity of the lugs 5 are therefore hardly able to be reached and covered by the strips 102 of flock 101. Accordingly, the positioning of the slots 10 in proximity of the lugs 5 makes it possible to cover with strips 102 of flock 101 those very portions of peripheral edge of the first element 2 which are more difficult to cover. Preferably, the slots 10 extend inwardly of the first element 2 over a length at least equal to the dimension of lugs 5 on first element 2, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5. Preferably, for each lug 5 there are provided at least two slots disposed on opposite sides thereof. The two slots 10 disposed on opposite sides of lug 5 define a protrusion 11 (Figs. 2 and 3) of the first element 2 having the lug 5 thereon.

Preferably, each slot comprises two edges substantially parallel and joined by a portion substantially U-shaped, as illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 5. The strips 102 of flock 101 engaged by the slots 10 are pulled and stretched so as to lie with their central portion onto the first surface 3 of first element 2 and between the two lugs 5 (likewise all the other strips at the moment of their arrangement onto the first element 2 before fitting the latter to the second element 6) .

The portions of these strips 102 adjacent to the central portion are made to pass inside the respective slots 10 to be moved afterwards away from the first element 2, thereby creating a loop in the same strips as shown in Fig. 5. Such loops ensure that the strips 102 of flock 101 be laid around the whole peripheral edge of the first element 2. Moreover, such loop stays on also after having used the mop, inasmuch as the slots 10 hold firmly the strips 102 of flock 101 which pass inside the same slots.