DESCRIPTION

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to the sector of tools used for cleaning surfaces, in particular floors, and relates to a tool for cleaning surfaces of the type provided with a substantially planar support plate with which it is possible to removably engage with a cleaning member, for example, made from fabric or made from microfibre.

Description of the prior art

As known, in the cleaning sector, both in the private field and in the professional field, there are widely used cleaning tools comprising a manoeuvring shaft, at which the user grips the cleaning tool in order to move it over the surface to be cleaned. More specifically, the cleaning tool provides for a cloth which is made from fabric or microfibre and which is removably engaged with an end of the cleaning tool which is normally provided with an engaging plate.

Once a predetermined area has been swept, the efficiency of the cleaning action begins to decrease because the dirt, particularly the dust, gradually accumulates on the cleaning member, reducing the surface to which the dirt can adhere. After a specific period of time, therefore, the user provides for removing the cleaning member which is now worn out and for replacing it with a new cleaning member. There exist cleaning tools or mops which are provided with a mechanism which allows the support plate to be brought into a position which makes removal thereof easier, as well as the application of a new cleaning member to the support plate.

An example of a similar mechanism is described in W02017/046601. In particular, W02017/046601 describes a mop comprising a manoeuvring shaft, at the end of which a support plate for a cleaning member is secured. In greater detail, the support plate comprises a central portion, to which the manoeuvring shaft is secured and two lateral portions which are hinged to the central portion. The manoeuvring shaft is provided with a sliding handle which is provided at the end directed towards the support plate with two projections. These projections, when the handle is pushed towards the support plate, are able to be positioned in the region of respective openings which are constructed in the support plate itself in order to push two brackets which form part of a kinematic arrangement which brings about the rotation of the two lateral portions of the support plate with respect to the central portion. In this manner, the support plate, starting from an open configuration, in which it engages with the cleaning member, can be arranged in a folded configuration, in which it is possible to remove the cleaning member and to replace it with a new cleaning member.

However, the solution described in W02017/046601 has some disadvantages.

Firstly, the kinematic arrangement which actuates the rotation of the lateral portions with respect to the central portion of the support plate appears to be structurally complicated because it requires the use of two hinges and the production of four engagement surface (two at the central portion and one at each lateral portion) and therefore involves substantial production costs. Furthermore, the complex kinematic arrangement provided for actuating the lateral portions inevitably introduces occurrences of friction which the user has to overcome during the entire movement from the stretched configuration to the folded configuration with a substantial expenditure of energy and time, including under consideration of the fact that during a working day the replacement of the cleaning member has to be repeated a number of times.

In addition to the above, the complexity of the mechanism described above makes the mechanism overall subject to possible jamming because it is highly probable that over time dust and other material present on the cleaned surface may accumulate at the hinges and the engagement surfaces between the various portions of the support plate which are provided with a number of projections which alternate with a similar number of recesses. Another disadvantage of the technical solution described in W02017/046601 is constituted by the fact that the projecting portions of the pushing handle necessarily have to be tapered as a result of the reduced surface available to produce the openings in the support plate and also because openings with great dimensions would inevitably involve an excessive weakening of the support plate itself. Consequently, the projecting portions are fragile and, with the passage of time, can snap, inevitably compromising the possibility of being able to continue to use the tool.

Statement of invention

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a tool for cleaning surfaces, in particular a mop, which can solve the problems of the solutions of the prior art.

A particular object of the present invention is to provide a tool for cleaning surfaces which ensures that the responsible operator works under the necessary conditions of hygiene and safety, preventing the operator from having to touch the cloth made of microfibre or other cleaning member in order to remove it from the tool at the end of the use thereof, thereby preventing it from being able to come into contact with potential bacteria or other microorganisms present on the cleaned surface. Another object of the present invention is to provide a tool for cleaning surfaces which allows the work of the user to be made easier, preventing the user from having to take up unnatural postures during the cleaning operation with respect to the solutions of the prior art.

These objects and other objects are achieved by a tool for cleaning surfaces, in particular floors, which is provided with:

- a support plate preferably comprising a fi rst and a second part which are configured to move between a stretched configuration, in which they can be positioned in the same plane and can engage with a cleaning member, and a folded configuration, in which they can be positioned at a predetermined angle less than 180° in order to allow the worn-out cleaning member to be removed and/or a new cleaning member to be engaged;

- a manoeuvring shaft preferably comprising a base portion secured at one end to the first part of the support plate and a sliding portion configured to slide with respect to the base portion towards/away from the support plate.

The tool preferably further comprises an engagement device configured to move between an engagement configuration, in which it is able to prevent the first and second parts of the support plate from moving from the stretched configuration to the folded configuration, and a disengagement configuration, in which it is able to allow the first and second parts of the support plate to move from the stretched configuration to the folded configuration, and wherein the sliding portion is configured to cause the engagement device to move from the engagement configuration to the disengagement configuration when a predetermined actuation position (Pa) which is reached during the sliding of the sliding portion towards the base portion is reached.

Other technical features of the invention and relevant embodiments are defined by the dependent claims.

In some embodiments, the above-mentioned engagement device may be provided with an engagement portion integral with the second part of the support plate and wherein the first part of the support plate is provided with a respective engagement portion. Preferably, the engagement portion of the engagement device and the engagement portion of the first part of the support plate are configured to move between a mutual engagement position, in which they are able to prevent the first and second parts from moving from the stretched configuration to the folded configuration, and a disengagement position, in which they are able to allow the first and second parts of the support plate to move from the stretched configuration to the folded configuration.

Advantageously, the above-mentioned sliding portion is telescopically mounted on the base portion.

In some embodiments, there may be provided a first resilient element which is configured to oppose the sliding of the sliding portion with respect to the base portion. Preferably, the first resilient element is able to be received in a longitudinal seat formed between the base portion and the sliding portion of the manoeuvring shaft.

In some embodiments, the first resilient element may be configured to apply a predetermined resilient return force (Fr) to bring the sliding portion of the manoeuvring shaft back into a starting position, once the external force applied by the user to the sliding portion in order to cause the sliding thereof towards the support plate is removed. Advantageously, the first and second parts of the support plate are rotatably connected to each other at a respective first end so as to be able to rotate one with respect to the other in order to be moved between the stretched configuration, in which the respective second ends are positioned at a first distance dl at which they stretch between them the cleaning member, and the folded configuration, in which the above-mentioned second ends are arranged at a second distance d2 less than the first distance dl, whereby it is possible to disengage the worn-out cleaning member from the support plate and/or to engage a new cleaning member with the support plate.

In one embodiment of the invention, the first and second parts of the support plate are provided with an axially protruding portion and an axially recessed portion having a complementary shape, respectively, so as to form a continuous surface in the stretched configuration.

Preferably, the engagement portion of the first part of the support plate may be able to protrude laterally from the above-mentioned axially protruding portion of the first part of the support plate.

Advantageously, the above-mentioned sliding portion of the manoeuvring shaft and the engagement device may be provided with respective actuation surfaces which are shaped in such a manner that, when the sliding portion reaches the engagement device during the sliding towards the support plate, the actuation surface of the sliding portion is able to hit the actuation surface of the engagement device in order to cause a movement thereof, which causes the engagement portions to move from the mutual engagement position to the disengagement position.

Advantageously, the engagement portion of the engagement device is associated with a second resilient element configured to apply a predetermined resilient force (Fc) to the engagement portion itself in order to cause the second part of the above-mentioned support plate to move from the stretched configuration to the folded configuration when the engagement portions move from the mutual engagement position to the disengagement position.

Preferably, the engagement device may be associated with a support wall to which the engagement portion is rotatably connected by a hinge member.

According to another aspect, the invention also refers to a method for removing a cleaning member from a tool for cleaning surfaces, in particular floors, the tool for cleaning surfaces being provided with:

- a support plate preferably comprising a first and a second part configured to move between a stretched configuration, in which they can be located in the same plane and to engage with a cleaning member, and a folded configuration, in which they can be arranged at a predetermined angle less than 180° in order to allow the removal of the worn-out cleaning member and/or the engagement of a new cleaning member;

- a manoeuvring shaft preferably comprising a base portion which is secured at one end to the first part of the support plate and a sliding portion configured to slide with respect to the base portion towards/away from the support plate;

- an engagement device which is preferably configured to move between an engagement configuration, i n which it is able to prevent the first and second parts of the support plate from moving from the stretched configuration to the folded configuration, and a disengagement configuration, in which it is able to allow the movement of the first and second parts of the support plate from the stretched configuration to the folded configuration. In some embodiments, a step is provided for causing the sliding portion to slide towards the support plate and for the sliding to be able to cause the engagement device to move from the engagement configuration to the disengagement configuration when a predetermined actuation position which is reached during the sliding of the sliding portion with respect to the base portion is reached.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will now be illustrated with the following description of an embodiment thereof which is given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 is a schematic, perspective view as a side elevation of a possible embodiment of the tool for cleaning surfaces, according to the invention, in a stretched configuration;

- Figure 2 is a schematic, perspective view as a side elevation of the tool for cleaning surfaces of Figure 1 in a folded configuration;

- Figures 3, 4A and 4B schematically show the cleaning tool of Figures 1 and 2 in a working configuration, in which the cleaning member is engaged with the support plate, in an initial step of an application operation of a cleaning member to the support plate, and in a step of removing the cleaning member from the support plate, respectively;

- Figure 5 is a schematic cross-section of one possible embodiment of the cleaning tool according to the invention;

- Figure 6 is a schematic, enlarged view of Figure 5 in order to show a number of technical features of the cleaning tool of Figure 1;

- Figure 7 is a schematic plan view, which is partially sectioned, of an embodiment of the support plate of the cleaning tool according to the invention; - Figures 8 and 9 are schematic cross-sections of the support plate of Figure 7 in an engagement configuration and in a disengagement configuration, respectively.

Detailed description of a number of embodiments

As schematically illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, a tool 1 according to the invention for cleaning surfaces 100, such as floors, and particularly of the type commonly defined as a mop, is provided with a support plate 30 comprising a first part and a second part 30a and 30b which are configured to move, preferably via a rotation about a rotation axis 130, between a stretched configuration (Figure 1) and a folded configuration (Figure 2). More specifically, when the first part and second part 30a and 30b of the support plate 30 are arranged in the stretched configuration, they are capable of being located in the same plane and of engaging with a cleaning member 50, in particular by subjecting it to a predetermined tension. In the folded configuration which is schematically illustrated in Figure 2, however, the first part and the second part 30a and 30b of the support plate 30 are able to be arranged at a predetermined angle less than 180° with respect to each other in order to allow the cleaning member 50 which is now worn to be removed, no longer being subjected to the above-mentioned tension, and/or the engagement of a new cleaning member 50.

The cleaning tool 1 is further provided with a manoeuvring shaft 5 comprising a base portion 10 which is secured at an end 11 to the first part 30a of the support plate 30. In the embodiment which is schematically illustrated, for example, in Figure 1, the base portion 10 can be secured to the first part 30a of the support plate 30 so as to be able to rotate about a first rotation axis and a second rotation axis 101 and 102 which are mutually orthogonal. The manoeuvring shaft 5 further comprises a sliding portion 20 which is configured to slide with respect to the base portion 10 towards or away from the support plate 30. For example, as schematically illustrated in Figures 1 to 9, the sliding portion 20 of the manoeuvring shaft 5 can be mounted telescopically on the base portion 10. However, different solutions are also not excluded, for example, the sliding portion 20 may be mounted so as to slide laterally relative to the base portion 10, which solution is not shown in the Figures for the sake of simplicity.

According to what is provided for by the present invention, the above-mentioned tool 1 further comprises an engagement device 40 which is configured to move between an engagement configuration, in which it can prevent the movement of the first part and second part 30a and 30b of the support plate 30 from the stretched configuration to the folded configuration, and a disengagement configuration, in which it is instead able to allow the above-mentioned movement of the first part and second part 30a and 30b of the support plate 30 from the stretched configuration to the folded configuration. Still according to what is provided for by the invention, the sliding portion 20 is configured to bring about the movement of the engagement device 40 from the engagement configuration to the disengagement configuration when a predetermined actuation position Pa which is reached during the above-mentioned sliding of the sliding portion 20 with respect to the base portion 10 is reached. In particular, the above- mentioned actuation position Pa can be positioned above the first face 30' of the support plate 30 opposite the second face 30" which during use is provided with the cleaning member 50 and which is positioned adjacent to the surface 100 to be cleaned (Figure 3).

As schematically illustrated in Figures 3, 4A and 4B, the first part and second part 30a and 30b of the support plate 30 can be rotatably connected at a respective first end 31a and 31b so as to be able to rotate with respect to each other about a rotation axis 130 in order to be moved from the stretched configuration of Figures 1 and 3, in which the respective second ends 32a and 32b are positioned at a first distance (dl), in particular a maximum distance at which they stretch between them the cleaning member 50, to the folded configuration of Figures 2, 4A and 4B, in which the second ends 32a and 32b are arranged at a second distance (d2) less than the first distance (dl), whereby it is possible to easily disengage a worn cleaning member 50 from the support plate 30 and/or to engage a new cleaning member 50 therewith. To this end, it may advantageously be noted that the hinge which rotatably connects the first part and second part 30a and 30b of the support plate 30 can be configured so as to allow the two surfaces thereof which, in the folded configuration, face each other to be able to arranged adjacent or substantially adjacent to each other, or in such a manner that the angle defined between them is close to zero, for example, between 0° and 20°.

For example, the cleaning member 50 which can be removably engaged with the support plate 30 of the cleaning tool 1 may be of the type illustrated in Figures 3, 4A and 4B, that is to say, provided with a cleaning surface 51 which can, during use, be arranged adjacent to the surface 100 to be cleaned and an engagement surface 52 opposite the cleaning surface 51. More specifically, the engagement surface 52 can be provided with lateral pockets 53a and 54b which can be engaged in the end portions 34a and 34b of the first part and the second part 30a and 30b of the support plate 30 advantageously with a width less than the remaining portions. As schematically illustrated in Figures 4A and 4B, the solution provided by the present invention ensures that the responsible operator operates under the necessary conditions of hygiene and safety, preventing the operator from having to touch the cleaning member 50, for example, a cloth made of microfibre, or other cleaning member, and is able to remove it by hand from the support plate 30 at the end of the use thereof. In fact, for the operator it will simply be necessary to act on the sliding portion 20 of the manoeuvring shaft in order to be able to remove the cleaning member 50 which is now worn out from the support plate 30, where applicable being assisted by the edge of a collector 55, ensuring that the operator not only avoids coming into direct contact with the cleaning member 50, but even maintains the airways at a distance greater than at least 1, 1.4 m from the cleaning member 50 as a result of the length of the manoeuvring shaft 5 and, therefore, at a distance capable of effectively ensuring that dusts of various types, but also bacteria, or other microorganisms present on the surface which has just been cleaned, are prevented from being able to reach the airways of the operator.

As schematically illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, there may advantageously be provided a first resilient element 60 which is configured to act counter to the above-mentioned sliding of the sliding portion 20 with respect to the base portion 10 of the manoeuvring shaft, in particular during the sliding towards the support plate 30. In greater detail, the first resilient element 60 may be able to be received in a longitudinal seat 26 which is formed between the base portion 10 and the sliding portion 20 and be configured to apply a predetermined resilient return force (Fr) in order to bring the sliding portion 20 of the manoeuvring shaft 5 back into a starting position Ps shown in Figure 5, once the external force applied by the user to the sliding portion 20 in order to bring about the sliding thereof towards the support plate 30 has been removed. More specifically, the longitudinal seat 26 inside which the resilient element 60 is received, for example, a linear spring, is progressively loaded during the sliding of the sliding portion 20 towards the support plate 30 because it is compressed between a first containment wall and a second containment wall 26a and 26b.

As schematically illustrated in particular in Figures 7 to 9, the engagement device 40 can be provided with an engagement portion 43 which is fixedly joined to the second part 30b of the support plate 30 and the first part 30a of the support plate 30 can be provided with a respective engagement portion 33. In particular, the engagement portion 43 of the engagement device 40 and the engagement portion 33 of the first part 30a of the support plate 30 are configured to move between a mutual engagement position (Figure 8) in which they can prevent the movement of the first part and the second part 30a and 30b from the stretched configuration to the folded configuration, and a disengagement position (Figure 9), in which they can allow the movement of the first part and the second part 30a, 30b from the stretched configuration to the folded configuration.

In particular, as schematically illustrated in Figure 9, the sliding portion 20 of the manoeuvring shaft 5 and the engagement device 40 are preferably provided with respective actuation surfaces 25 and 45 which are configured in such a manner that, when the sliding portion 20 reaches the engagement device 40 during the sliding towards the support plate 30, the actuation surface 25 which is constructed, for example, at the end portion 21 of the sliding portion 20, is able to hit the actuation surface 45 of the engagement device 40, in particular an actuation button, in order to bring about a movement of the engagement device 40 itself in a predetermined direction so as to bring about the movement of the engagement portions 33 and 43 from the mutual engagement position of Figure 8 to the disengagement position of Figure 9. More particularly, the engagement portion 43 of the engagement device 40 may be associated with a second resilient element 65 which is configured to apply a predetermined resilient force (Fc) to the engagement portion 43 of the engagement device 40 so as to bring about the movement of the second part 30b of the support plate 30 from the stretched configuration to the folded configuration when the engagement portions 33 and 43 move from the mutual engagement position of Figure 8 to the disengagement position of Figure 9.

The engagement device 40 is advantageously provided with a support wall 46, for example, with a curvilinear shape, to which the engagement portion 43 of the engagement device 40 can be rotatably connected via a hinge member 47, of which Figures 8 and 9 schematically show the hinge axis. In this case, therefore, the movement of the engagement portions 33 and 43 from the engagement configuration of Figure 8 to the disengagement configuration of Figure 9 is brought about by a rotation caused by the impact of the actuation surface 25 of the sliding portion 20 on the actuation surface 45 of the engagement device 40.

As schematically illustrated, for example, in Figure 2, the first part and the second part 30a and 30b of the support plate 30 can be provided with an axially projecting portion 36 and an axially recessed portion 37 with a complementary shape, respectively, so as to form a continuous surface in the stretched configuration of Figure 1. In particular, the above-mentioned engagement portion 33 of the first part 30a of the support plate 30 can be positioned in the axially projecting portion 36. More specifically, the above-mentioned engagement portion 43 of the engagement device 40 can be advantageously positioned on the second part 30b of the support plate 30 at one side of the above-mentioned laterally recessed portion 37 and configured so as to face towards the above- mentioned laterally recessed portion 37. The above description of a specific embodiment is capable of showing the invention from the conceptual point of view so that other persons, using the prior art, may modify and/or adapt in various applications this specific embodiment without additional research and without moving away from the inventive concept, and, therefore, it will be understood that these adaptations and modifications will be able to be considered to be equivalents of the specific embodiment. The means and materials for performing the various functions described may be of various types without thereby departing from the scope of the invention. It will be understood that the expressions or the terminology used has/have a purely descriptive and thereby non-limiting purpose.