Wet cleaning device having a cleaning roller which can be rotated about a roller axis

Abstract

A wet cleaning device, in particular a wet wiping device, has a cleaning roller which is rotatable about a roller axis and has a cleaning lining. In order to create a wet cleaning device in which the regeneration effect is optimized, in particular while using a minimum of liquid, the wet cleaning device has a decelerating element to assist the removal of liquid and/or of dirt from the cleaning roller, which element has an impact edge directed radially outwards with respect to the roller axis and is arranged between fibers of the cleaning lining during a regeneration operation in such a way that the free ends of the mechanically unloaded fibers project outwards in the radial direction beyond the impact edge.

Claims

1. A wet-cleaning device (1), having a cleaning roller (3) that can rotate around a roller axis (2), and has a cleaning lining (4) with fibers (6) having free ends, wherein the wet-cleaning device (1) has a decelerating element (5) to support the removal of liquid and/or dirt from the cleaning roller (3) during a regeneration operation, wherein the decelerating element (5) has an impact edge (7) relative to the roller axis (2), and during the regeneration operation is arranged so as to radially cover the fibers (6) of the cleaning lining (4) to such an extent that the free ends (8) of the mechanically unloaded fibers (6) outwardly protrude over the impact edge (7) in a radial direction, wherein the decelerating element (5) has an expansion that yields a distance between the decelerating element (5) and the roots of the fibers (6) and a distance between the free ends (8) of the fibers (6) extending in a radial direction and the decelerating element (5), so that the free ends (8) of the fibers (6) have leeway to bend over the impact edge (7) given an impact on the impact edge of the decelerating element and to be pulled off of the impact edge (7) in the direction opposite the bending as the cleaning roller (3) continues to rotate and be guided through between the cleaning roller (3) and decelerating element (5).

2. The wet-cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the decelerating element (5) is mounted on the wet-cleaning device (1) so as to be displaceable relative to the cleaning roller (3).

3. The wet-cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the decelerating element (5) is immovably arranged on the wet-cleaning device (1) during the regeneration operation.

4. The wet-cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the decelerating element (5) is essentially rod-shaped in design, and is a wire.

5. The wet-cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the decelerating element (5) has a height (z) of 0.3 to 5 mm, preferably a height (z) of 0.5 mm to 2 mm, in relation to a radial direction relative to the roller axis (2), and/or is arranged parallel to the roller axis (2) along the entire length of the cleaning lining (4).

6. The wet-cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the impact edge (7) of the decelerating element (5) is arranged roughly in the area of one fourth to one half the fiber length (L) of the fibers (6) relative to the mechanically unloaded fibers (6) facing in the radial direction.

7. The wet-cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning lining (4) is a textile lining.

8. The wet-cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning roller (3) has a roller diameter of 40 mm to 50 mm.

9. A method for operating a wet-cleaning device (1) wherein liquid and/or dirt are removed from a cleaning roller (3) of the wet-cleaning device (1) rotating around a roller axis (2) during a regeneration operation, wherein a decelerating element (5) for the regeneration operation is arranged so as to radially cover fibers (6) of a cleaning lining (4) of the cleaning roller (3) to a point where an impact edge (7) of the decelerating element (5) protrudes so far between the fibers (6) that the free ends (8) of the fibers (6) are folded over the impact edge (7) during the rotation of the cleaning roller (3), wherein the decelerating element (5) has an expansion that yields a distance between the decelerating element (5) and the roots of the fibers (6) and a distance between the free ends (8) of the fibers (6) extending in a radial direction and the decelerating element (5), so that the free ends (8) of the fibers (6) have leeway to bend over the impact edge (7) given an impact on the impact edge (7) of the decelerating element (5), and to be pulled off of the impact edge (7) in the direction opposite the bending as the cleaning roller (3) continues to rotate, and be guided through between the cleaning roller (2) and decelerating element (5).

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the cleaning roller (3) is rotated during the regeneration operation at a speed of 1500 RPM to 6000 RPM.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the cleaning roller (3) is rotated during the regeneration operation at a speed of 4000 RM to 5000 RM.

12. The wet-cleaning device according to claim 5, wherein the decelerating element (5) has a height of 0.5 mm to 2 mm.

13. The wet-cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning element (4) is a microfiber textile lining.

14. The wet-cleaning device according to claim 8, wherein the cleaning roller (3) has a roller diameter of 45 mm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be explained in greater detail below based on exemplary embodiments. Shown on:

(2) FIG. 1 is a wet-cleaning device according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 is a cross section through a sketched cleaning roller of the wet-cleaning device,

(4) FIG. 3 is a magnified partial area of a cleaning lining of the cleaning roller,

(5) FIG. 4 is a cross section of the cleaning roller during continued rotation of the cleaning roller by comparison to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3,

(6) FIG. 5 is a locus of a free end area of a fiber of the cleaning lining.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(7) FIG. 1 shows a wet-cleaning device 1, which is here designed as a hand-operated wet-cleaning device 1 with a base unit 9 and an attachment 10. The attachment 10 is removably held on the base unit 9. The base unit 9 also has a stalk 11, for example which here has a telescoping design, so that a user of the wet-cleaning device 1 can adjust the length of the stalk 11 to his or her body size. Also arranged on the stalk 11 is a handle 12, which the user can use to guide the wet-cleaning device 1 during a conventional wiping operation, i.e., push it over a surface to be cleaned. During the wiping operation, the user usually guides the wet-cleaning device 1 over the surface to be cleaned in opposing movements b. He or she here alternately pushes out and pulls back the wet-cleaning device 1.

(8) The attachment 10 has a housing, which holds a cleaning roller 3 so that it can rotate around a roller axis 2. A filler neck 13 is arranged on the housing, through which liquid can be filled into a liquid tank (not shown). The liquid stored in the liquid tank serves to moisten the cleaning roller 3.

(9) During the wiping operation, the rotatably mounted cleaning roller 3 rotates around the roller axis 2, so that the circumferential surface of the cleaning roller 3 continuously rolls off onto a surface to be cleaned. The cleaning roller 3 is usually wound with a cleaning lining 4 (not shown on FIG. 1), possibly with a sponge body that stores additional liquid interspersed. For example, the cleaning lining 4 is here a textile cleaning cloth, between whose fibers 6 liquid and/or dirt can be picked up.

(10) During the wiping operation, dirt continuously accumulates on the cleaning roller 3, i.e., on the cleaning lining 4. For this reason, it may become necessary after a certain operating period to regenerate the cleaning roller 3, wherein dirt and liquid loaded with dirt are removed from the cleaning roller 3 during a regeneration operation.

(11) FIG. 2 shows a sketch of a cross section of the cleaning roller 3 with a cleaning lining 4. The cleaning lining 4 is provided with a plurality of fibers 6, but only individual fibers 6 thereof are shown here for improved clarity. The free ends 8 of the fibers 6 form a continuous shell surface of the cleaning lining 4. The fibers 6 sketched on FIG. 3 are all mechanically unloaded at the point in time shown, meaning straight in a radial direction relative to the roller axis 2 and outwardly stretched. In this mechanically unloaded state, the fibers 6 each here have a length L of 8 mm, for example. The cleaning roller has a diameter of roughly 33 mm. However, the indicated dimensions are only exemplary. Other lengths, diameters and proportions are of course also possible.

(12) A decelerating element 5 engages between the fibers 6 of the cleaning lining 4, and consists of a wire aligned parallel to the roller axis 2. This decelerating element 5 is shown as a point in the cross sectional view. The decelerating element 5 is arranged roughly at half the height of the fiber length L of the fibers 6. The height z of the decelerating element 5 itself is here equal to the diameter of the wire, and measures roughly 1 mm. The impact edge 7 opposing the fibers 6 during rotation is convexly shaped by the surface curvature of the wire. FIG. 2 exemplarily shows one fiber 6 from the plurality of fibers 6, which in the illustration is arranged on the left next to the decelerating element 5 relative to the rotational direction r of the cleaning roller 3 (clockwise rotation). In this state, the fiber 6 is still mechanically unloaded and stretched, since the latter is not yet in contact with the decelerating element 5.

(13) Proceeding from FIG. 2, FIG. 3 shows a later point in time during the rotation of the cleaning roller 3, during which the fiber 6 impacts the impact edge 7 of the decelerating element 5, and its free end 8 is folded over the impact edge 7, specifically in the rotational direction 4 of the cleaning roller 3. The impact of the fiber 6 on the impact edge 7 folds the free end 8 of the fiber 6 around the decelerating element 5 in a whip-like manner, causing liquid and/or dirt adhering to the fiber 6 to be spun off. For example, the acceleration produced by the whip effect is here seven times higher than the acceleration of the fiber 6 that arises without the decelerating element 5 solely due to the centrifugal force that acts on the fiber 6 during the rotation of the cleaning roller 3. As further evident from the magnified view on FIG. 3, while the cleaning roller 3 continues to rotate, the fiber 6 is pulled clockwise through between the decelerating element 5 and surface of the cleaning roller 3, against which the cleaning lining 4 abuts, specifically in the area of the roots of the fibers 6, wherein the free end 8 of the fiber 6 is pulled off of the decelerating element 5, and passed under the decelerating element 5 stretched to more or less of an extent as a function of its inherent rigidity.

(14) FIG. 4 shows a later point in time than on FIG. 3 as the cleaning roller 3 continues to rotate. The fiber 6 is here nearly stretched, wherein the outermost end area of the free end 8 of the fiber 6 is situated roughly at the location of the decelerating element 5. As soon as the free end 8 has passed the decelerating element 5, its inherent rigidity causes the fiber 6 to again stand upright. If necessary, any residual liquid or residual dirt still adhering to the fiber 6 can here be spun off by standing up the fiber 6.

(15) Finally, FIG. 5 shows a locus of the fiber end, i.e., the outermost end area of the free end 8 of the fiber 6. The coordinate origin (0,0\0,0) here denotes the location of the root of the fiber 6, which is the location where the fiber 6 stands on the cleaning roller 3 inside of the cleaning lining 4. The lattice spacings of the diagrams shown (0,0 to 3,0) on the x-axis and y-axis are here randomly selected. For example, the latter are here selected for a fiber 6 having a fiber length L of 3.0 mm. At the point in time t.sub.0 shown, the fiber 6 is still not in contact with the decelerating element 5. The fiber 6 is thus in a completely stretched state, and the free end 8 (i.e., the outermost end area of the fiber 6) is at a location with the relative coordinates x\y=0\3. At a later point in time (after t.sub.0), the fiber 6 hits the decelerating element 5 as depicted on FIG. 3, and is folded over the impact edge 7. As a result, the free end 8 of the fiber 6 swings to the right over the impact edge 7 like a whip, but the distance between the free end 8 and root of the fiber 6 (coordinate origin 0,0) is simultaneously reduced. This is described on FIG. 5 by the curved progression of the locus. At point in time t.sub.x, a change in sign arises relative to the x-coordinate of the current location of the free end 8 of the fiber 6, which corresponds to a point in time during the rotation of the cleaning roller 3 at which the delay of the fiber 6 by the decelerating element 5 has concluded. In this moment, the free end 8 of the fiber 6 is pulled around the decelerating element 5 opposite the rotational direction r of the cleaning roller 3, since the fiber 6 is guided through between the decelerating element 5 and cleaning roller 3, as shown on FIG. 4.

REFERENCE LIST

(16) 1 Wet-cleaning device 2 Roller axis 3 Cleaning roller 4 Cleaning lining 5 Decelerating element 6 Fiber 7 Impact edge 8 Free end 9 Base unit 10 Attachment 11 Stalk 12 Handle 13 Filler neck B Direction of movement d Roller diameter L Fiber length r Rotational direction t.sub.0 Point in time t.sub.x Point in time x Location coordinate y Location coordinate z Height