Porous cleaning material

Abstract

A wet cleaning apparatus (100) comprising a porous cleaning material (152) is provided. The porous cleaning material comprises a backing member (154) comprising a back side (156) and a protrusion-containing side (158). The protrusion-containing side comprises protrusions (160) protruding from the backing member. A negative pressure generator (102) can be arranged to apply suction to the back side of the backing member.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a wet cleaning device, comprising a porous cleaning material and a negative pressure generator arranged to apply suction to the porous cleaning material. The invention also relates to the use of this porous cleaning material, the use of which includes arranging the negative pressure generator to apply suction to the porous cleaning material.

[0002] Wet cleaning equipment can be used to clean, for example, floors, interior surfaces, or windows. Background Technology

[0003] Known wet cleaning devices, such as wet mopping devices, remove water from the surface to be cleaned. Such wet cleaning devices can also apply a cleaning solution (e.g., water) to the surface to be cleaned, and then remove the liquid, for example, with a suitable cloth.

[0004] Some wet cleaning devices feature electrically powered pickup capabilities to remove water from surfaces to be cleaned. For example, a wet vacuum cleaner can pick up liquid by generating sufficient air velocity (e.g., at least 10 m / s) and / or brushing force to apply sufficient shear force to the droplet, forcing it into the device. Typical power consumption for such wet vacuum cleaners is relatively high, on the order of several hundred watts.

[0005] Some wet cleaning equipment utilizes a porous layer covering a dust inlet, where a negative pressure generator (e.g., a pump) provides negative pressure. When the porous layer dries, it can be considered to be in an "air transport state," where air is transported through each dry pore of the porous layer. A "liquid transport state" corresponds to the transport of liquid (e.g., water) through the (wet) pores of the porous layer. When no more liquid is fed into the pores, a "fluid blockage state" can be employed. A "fluid blockage state" corresponds to the state where the surface tension of the (residual) liquid retained in the wet pores of the porous layer prevents fluid transport through the pores. In the latter state, a surface or barrier is formed at the boundary between the air and the liquid (e.g., water). This barrier helps maintain negative pressure between the porous layer and the negative pressure generator.

[0006] Compared to wet vacuum cleaners of the type described above, maintaining negative pressure in this way means a significant reduction in the energy required to pick up liquid from the surface to be cleaned. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The porous layers described above for maintaining negative pressure have encountered various challenges. It is desirable for the porous layer to contact the surface to be cleaned, thus functioning as a surface interaction layer and maintaining negative pressure. However, in practice, identifying porous layers that can simultaneously fulfill both of these functions has proven challenging. While porous layers (e.g., tightly woven fabrics) are well-suited for maintaining negative pressure and picking up liquids and loosening stains from the surface, they have been found to have disadvantages when coarse dirt (e.g., sand) is present on the surface. For example, if sand particles are trapped between the surface and the porous layer, the particles may experience high normal forces toward the surface because they are compressed between the relatively dense porous layer and the surface. This can lead to highly undesirable scratching of the surface.

[0008] This surface scratching problem can, in principle, be mitigated by providing protrusions (such as clusters) to the porous layers, as these protrusions provide space between the porous layers to accommodate process dirt. By providing space within the porous layers to receive coarse dirt, it may be less likely to be squeezed between the porous layers and the surface to be cleaned.

[0009] However, adding such protrusions can reduce the liquid pickup performance of porous layers. The inventors have discovered that the poor liquid pickup performance of porous layers with protrusions may be due to the pores (e.g., micropores) of the porous layer not reaching the surface to be cleaned. This applies, for example, to protrusions in the form of spread clusters, because the (cut) fibers constituting such spread clusters can define capillary paths that are less capable of transporting liquid to the pores defined in the bulk of the porous layer (e.g., chamois material). This is thought to be due to poor spatial definition between these spread clusters, thus the size of these spaces is uncontrolled. This, in turn, weakens the porous layer's ability to draw liquid from the surface to be cleaned.

[0010] This invention is defined by the claims.

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention, a wet cleaning device is provided, comprising: a porous cleaning material including a backing member, the backing member including a back side and a protrusion-containing side, the protrusion-containing side including protrusions projecting from the backing member such that at least some of the protrusions are available to contact a surface to be cleaned, the protrusions including assembled fibers such that within each protrusion, movement of the fibers relative to each other is restricted, wherein a capillary path extends from the protrusion to reach the back side of the backing member, the capillary path being at least partially defined by a space between a plurality of fibers whose movement relative to each other is restricted; and a negative pressure generator arranged to apply suction to the back side of the backing member.

[0012] Implicit in each protrusion protruding from the backing member is that the point where the protrusion joins the backing member is spatially separated from each other.

[0013] Therefore, rough dirt (such as sand) may be contained in the space between the protrusions, thus reducing the risk of scratching the surface to be cleaned.

[0014] Furthermore, since the capillary path is at least partially defined by the space between fibers whose movement relative to each other is restricted within each protrusion, and the capillary path extends from the protrusion to the back side of the backing member, it is possible to maintain efficient pickup of liquid from the surface to be cleaned.

[0015] Please note that, to avoid any ambiguity, the term “restricted” in relation to fiber movement within each protrusion should not be interpreted as eliminating any movement of the fibers. Rather, the term “restricted” is intended to indicate that the movement of the fibers relative to each other is limited by the movement permitted by the fiber assembly method (e.g., twisting, weaving, and / or knitting).

[0016] The fiber can be considered more restricted than, for example, in the case of a protrusion in the form of a cut fiber protruding from the backing member.

[0017] Porous cleaning materials with protrusions can offer further benefits, including, for example, reduced resistance to movement of the porous cleaning layer on the surface to be cleaned. Chamois-type porous layers tend to generate relatively high friction with the surface to be cleaned, largely depending on the contact area between the chamois and the surface. Liquids in the chamois may also be continuously removed from the surface to be cleaned, potentially resulting in a relatively thin liquid layer between the chamois and the surface, leading to relatively high viscous friction. The flat surface of the chamois allows it to adhere to the surface to be cleaned like a suction cup.

[0018] Porous cleaning materials with protrusions can counteract the two properties of chamois-type porous layers. In the latter case, the contact area with the surface to be cleaned can be significantly reduced, providing a path for air to move between the protrusions containing the porous cleaning material and the surface to be cleaned, thereby helping to minimize or prevent the aforementioned suction effect.

[0019] It should also be noted that chamois-type porous layers may not be very effective at following the contours of uneven surfaces, such as floors with uneven tiles, seams, etc. Protrusions are better able to adapt to this unevenness of the surface to be cleaned; note that individual protrusions can enter pits, cracks, etc., and can also remove dirty liquids from them.

[0020] Furthermore, in some embodiments, including protrusions, such as flexible protrusions, in the porous cleaning material can avoid the need for additional cleaning material to apply the cleaning fluid to the surface to be cleaned. Since both liquid pickup and cleaning liquid wetting functions can be provided using the same porous cleaning material, the manufacture of wet cleaning equipment can be simplified and made less expensive.

[0021] Porous cleaning materials with protrusions can be constructed in a variety of ways. For example, a porous cleaning material can have a structure in which densely packed fiber groups are surrounded by bags with relatively low fiber density. Alternatively, a porous cleaning material can have a knitted structure in which liquid delivery is provided via yarns and open air bags are provided inside the backing member and between the ridged protrusions that contact the surface to be cleaned.

[0022] More generally, the backing member may comprise a backing fabric, such as a woven or knitted backing fabric. Such a backing member can be manufactured relatively simply and can be provided with a suitable porous structure to maintain negative pressure behind the back side of the backing member.

[0023] In some embodiments, the backing member includes a porous layer in addition to the layer containing the protruding side. In these embodiments, the back side of the backing member may be provided by a porous layer.

[0024] For example, the backing member includes a porous layer arranged on a layer in the form of a backing fabric, such as a woven or knitted backing fabric, the back side of the backing member being provided by the porous layer.

[0025] Such a porous layer can help maintain negative pressure on the back side of the backing member, especially in embodiments where the backing fabric includes relatively large pores (and spaces between fibers that at least partially define capillary paths).

[0026] As briefly described above, a protrusion may include a ridge protruding from the backing member, for example, it may be defined by a ridge protruding from the backing member.

[0027] The pitch of a ridge, in other words, the distance between the centers of adjacent ridges measured in a direction perpendicular to the extension of the ridge, can be, for example, 1 to 5 millimeters, such as about 2 millimeters.

[0028] This pitch is suitable for accommodating coarse dirt, such as sand, between ridges.

[0029] As an alternative to or addition to the ridge-like protrusion, the protrusion may include clusters, such as microfiber clusters, protruding from the backing member. Such clusters can provide protrusions that contribute to the capillary path through the defined spacing between the fibers and / or yarns constituting each cluster.

[0030] The fibers can be assembled in any suitable manner to restrict movement between the fibers within each protrusion. In some embodiments, the protrusion comprises fibers assembled at least partially by twisted fibers. In such embodiments, the space between the twisted fibers can at least partially define a capillary path.

[0031] Optionally or additionally, the protrusion may include fibers assembled at least partially by woven fibers and / or yarns formed from fibers. In such embodiments, the spaces between woven fibers, the spaces between woven yarns, and / or the spaces between the fibers of the yarns (e.g., twisted fibers) may at least partially define capillary paths.

[0032] Optionally or additionally, the protrusion may include fibers assembled at least partially by knitted fibers and / or yarns formed from fibers. In these embodiments, the spaces between knitted fibers, the spaces between knitted yarns, and / or the spaces between the fibers of the yarns (e.g., twisted fibers) may at least partially define capillary paths.

[0033] In at least some embodiments, the protrusion includes uncut fibers. In such embodiments, the fibers may be in the form of loops extending from and returning to the backing member.

[0034] Such a ring can confine fibers, for example, relative to cut fibers without such a ring, and the space defined by such a ring can at least partially define the capillary path.

[0035] In some embodiments, the protrusion comprises a ply yarn formed by twisting, the capillary path being at least partially defined by the space between the fibers of the twisted yarn. The twisting of the yarn helps to hold the fibers in each ply yarn together, thereby providing a well-defined capillary path / channel from the backing member to the end (i.e., tip) of the ply yarn.

[0036] In these embodiments, the backing member may comprise a textile structure formed by weaving or knitting the ply yarn. For example, the backing member includes a textile structure and the aforementioned porous layer disposed on the textile structure, with the back side of the backing member provided by the porous layer.

[0037] In some embodiments, the protrusion includes a ply yarn formed by twisting two or more single yarns together, wherein the capillary path is at least partially defined by the space between the single yarns.

[0038] In such an embodiment, the twisting of the single yarn helps to keep the fibers present in each ply yarn together, thereby providing a well-defined capillary path / channel from the backing member to the end (in other words, the tip) of the ply yarn.

[0039] In some embodiments, the protrusion comprises an uncut cluster of twisted microfibers. It has been found that such uncut clusters of twisted microfibers are particularly effective in providing a relatively well-defined capillary path extending from the ends (in other words, the tips) of the cluster.

[0040] It is worth noting that "terry knitting" is a term used for the process of knitting uncut twisted tufts.

[0041] In some embodiments, the backing member comprises a textile structure formed by woven or knitted uncut clusters of twisted microfibers.

[0042] This helps ensure that the capillary path extends from the end of the ply yarn (e.g., a twisted cluster of microfibers) that forms the protrusion to or at least toward the back side of the backing member.

[0043] More generally, at least a portion of the backing member and the protrusion may be formed of a common material, such as a common fibrous material. Forming at least a portion of the backing member and the protrusion from this common fibrous material in this way can help ensure that the capillary path extends continuously from the end of the protrusion along the protrusion and through the backing member to or at least toward the back side of the backing member.

[0044] In terms of water transport within porous cleaning materials, it may be particularly advantageous for at least a portion of the protrusions (e.g., clusters) and backing members to be formed from the same fibers, since common fibers may mean a tight liquid connection between the backing member and the protrusions, without a liquid-gas interface between the protrusions and the backing member.

[0045] In some embodiments, both the backing member and the protrusion comprise polyester and / or polyamide fibers. These polyester and / or polyamide fibers may constitute a common fibrous material forming the backing member and the protrusion.

[0046] The wettability of polyesters and polyamides (such as nylon), especially after plasma treatment, makes these fibers particularly suitable for picking up water-based cleaning solutions from surfaces to be cleaned.

[0047] In some embodiments, the wet cleaning device includes a cleaning head that defines a dust inlet structure, the dust inlet structure being arranged to apply suction generated by a negative pressure generator to the back side of a backing member.

[0048] The liquid pickup area of ​​a porous cleaning material can be defined by the sealing attachment of the porous cleaning material around the dirt inlet structure.

[0049] A sealed attachment of a cleaning material layer around the dust inlet structure helps maintain negative pressure within the dust inlet structure, regardless of whether a negative pressure generator applies flow.

[0050] In some embodiments, the cleaning head includes a support substrate. The support substrate may be considered, for example, as the body of the cleaning head.

[0051] The support substrate can be, for example, a flexible support substrate. This flexible support substrate helps the cleaning head follow the contours of the surface to be cleaned. Optionally or additionally, the flexibility of the flexible support substrate can facilitate cleaning the cleaning head after use, such as when squeezing liquid from the cleaning head and / or washing the cleaning head in the user's washing machine.

[0052] In embodiments where the support substrate is a bendable support substrate, the support substrate may be formed from any suitable malleable material. In some embodiments, the malleable material forming the bendable support substrate includes polymeric materials and / or elastic materials.

[0053] In embodiments where the cleaning head includes a support substrate (e.g., a flexible support substrate), the dust inlet structure may be recessed and / or protruded from the bottom surface of the support substrate, which faces the surface to be cleaned during use.

[0054] The negative pressure generator can be configured to provide a pressure difference between the internal pressure of the wet cleaning equipment and atmospheric pressure for drawing fluid through porous cleaning materials, the pressure difference being in the range of 3000 Pa to 13500 Pa.

[0055] Optionally or additionally, the negative pressure generator can be configured to generate up to 2000 cm 3 / minute flow rate through the porous cleaning material.

[0056] In some embodiments, the negative pressure generator is configured to provide pressure at 15cm 3 / minute to 2000 cm 3 / minute, preferably 80cm 3 / minute to 750 cm 3 / minute, or even better, 100cm 3 / minute to 300 cubic centimeters / minute, optimal value 150cm 3 / minute to 300 cm 3 The suction is provided by a flow rate of porous cleaning material within a range of / minute.

[0057] This flow, or flow rate, can be maintained by utilizing the negative pressure of porous cleaning materials, ensuring adequate liquid pickup while limiting energy consumption.

[0058] Negative pressure generators may include, for example, positive displacement pumps, such as peristaltic pumps.

[0059] Because the pump's design inherently limits backflow from the pump outlet, this positive displacement pump can help maintain negative pressure in the dust inlet structure even after the negative pressure generator is deactivated (e.g., shut down). This, in turn, can mitigate problematic liquid release from porous cleaning materials, such as after cleaning the surface to be cleaned and / or while the wet cleaning equipment is stored in a storage area after use.

[0060] Wet cleaning equipment may include a dirty liquid pickup tank. In such an embodiment, a negative pressure generator may be arranged to draw liquid from the back side of the backing member to the dirty liquid pickup tank.

[0061] In some embodiments, the wet cleaning equipment includes a cleaning fluid supply for supplying cleaning fluid to the surface to be cleaned.

[0062] Such a cleaning fluid supply source may include, for example, a cleaning fluid container and a delivery device, such as a delivery device including a pump, for delivering the cleaning fluid to the surface to be cleaned.

[0063] The cleaning fluid supply can be configured to provide a continuous delivery of cleaning fluid to the surface to be cleaned. For example, this continuous delivery can be provided while a negative pressure generator applies suction to the back of the backing member.

[0064] The cleaning fluid supply and negative pressure generator can be configured, for example, such that the flow rate of the cleaning fluid delivered to the surface to be cleaned is equal to or lower than the flow rate provided by the negative pressure generator. This may help ensure that the surface to be cleaned is not overly wetted by the cleaning fluid. For example, the flow rate of the cleaning fluid can be 20 cm. 3 / minute to 100 cm 3 The flow rate is within the range of / minute, and the flow rate provided by the negative pressure generator can reach 40cm. 3 / minute to 2000 cm 3 Within the range of / minute, 80cm is preferred. 3 / minute to 750cm 3 / minute, or even better, 100cm 3 / minute to 300cm 3 / minute, with an optimal value of 150cm. 3 / minute to 300 cm 3 / minute.

[0065] More generally, wet cleaning equipment may include, for example, mopping devices, window cleaners, sweepers, or wet vacuum cleaners, such as can, stick, or upright wet vacuum cleaners. In some examples, wet cleaning equipment may include robotic wet vacuum cleaners or robotic wet mopping devices configured to autonomously move their cleaning heads over surfaces to be cleaned, such as floor surfaces. Mopping devices are of particular interest.

[0066] In a specific, non-limiting example, the wet cleaning device is a battery-powered (or battery-powerable) wet cleaning device, such as a battery-powered (or battery-powerable) wet mopping device, wherein the negative pressure generator (e.g., a pump) is powered (or powered) by a battery electrically connected (or connectable) to it. This example is specifically mentioned because porous cleaning materials that apply suction to the negative pressure generator can reduce power consumption.

[0067] According to another aspect, there is provided the use of a porous cleaning material comprising a backing member having a back side and a protrusion side, the protrusions including protrusions projecting from the backing member such that at least some of the protrusions can contact a surface to be cleaned, the protrusions including assembled fibers such that movement of the fibers relative to each other is restricted within each protrusion, wherein capillary paths extend continuously from the protrusions to the back side of the backing member, the capillary paths being at least partially defined by the space between the fibers whose movement relative to each other is restricted, and wherein the use includes arranging a negative pressure generator to apply suction to the back side of the backing member.

[0068] The porous cleaning material in this regard can be any porous cleaning material according to any embodiment described herein, such as the porous cleaning material described above with respect to wet cleaning equipment.

[0069] In some embodiments, the use also includes operating a negative pressure generator to apply suction to the back side of the backing member.

[0070] These and other aspects of the invention will become apparent and will be elucidated with reference to the embodiments described below. Attached Figure Description

[0071] To better understand the invention and to more clearly show how the invention can be practiced, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings by way of example only, wherein:

[0072] Figure 1 The sequence of liquid transport states, intermediate conditions, and final conditions of a porous cleaning material is schematically described when liquid and suction are applied to it.

[0073] Figure 2 The diagram schematically illustrates a testing apparatus used to test the performance of porous cleaning materials when liquid and suction are applied to them.

[0074] Figure 3 Provided for use Figure 2 The graph shows the change of negative pressure over time based on the data obtained from the test device shown.

[0075] Figure 4 A wet cleaning device according to a comparative example is schematically described, wherein the porous cleaning material comprises dispersed clusters for contacting the surface to be cleaned;

[0076] Figure 5 A wet cleaning apparatus according to an example of this disclosure is schematically depicted;

[0077] Figure 5A A wet cleaning apparatus according to another example of this disclosure is schematically depicted;

[0078] Figure 6A Photographs of a porous cleaning material are provided, which includes ridged protrusions;

[0079] Figure 6B Provided Figure 6A An enlarged view of the porous cleaning material shown;

[0080] Figure 7A and Figure 7B Photographs of porous cleaning materials, including those with protrusions in the form of twisted yarns, are provided; and

[0081] Figures 8 to 10 Photographs are provided for further examples of porous cleaning materials including protrusions in the form of plied yarns. Detailed Implementation

[0082] The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0083] It should be understood that while the detailed description and specific examples indicate exemplary embodiments of the devices, systems, and methods, they are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the devices, systems, and methods of the present invention will be better understood from the following description, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the drawings are merely schematic and not drawn to scale. It should also be understood that the same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to denote the same or similar parts.

[0084] A wet cleaning device comprising a porous cleaning material is provided. The porous cleaning material includes a backing member having a back side and a protruding side. The protruding side includes protrusions projecting from the backing member. A negative pressure generator may be arranged to apply suction to the back side of the backing member.

[0085] Further, uses of this porous cleaning material are provided, including the arrangement of a negative pressure generator to apply suction to the back side of the backing member.

[0086] Figure 1 The working principle of a wet cleaning device 100, including a negative pressure generator 102 and a porous cleaning material 104, is schematically illustrated. The negative pressure generator 102 is arranged to apply suction to the back side 106 of the porous cleaning material 104. The front side 108 of the porous cleaning material 104 can face the surface to be cleaned during use. Figure 1 (Not visible in the middle).

[0087] The wet cleaning device 100 may include a cleaning head 110, in which a dust inlet structure 112 is defined, the dust inlet structure 112 being arranged to apply suction generated by a negative pressure generator 102 to the back side 106 of a porous cleaning material 104.

[0088] The liquid pickup area of ​​the porous cleaning material 104 can be defined by the sealing attachment of the porous cleaning material 104 around the dust inlet structure 112.

[0089] The sealing attachment of the cleaning material layer 104 around the dirt inlet structure 112 helps maintain negative pressure in the dirt inlet structure 112, regardless of whether the negative pressure generator 102 included in the wet cleaning device 100 applies flow.

[0090] Sealing attachment can be achieved in any suitable manner, such as by attaching or welding porous cleaning material 104 around dust inlet structure 112, for example by attaching and / or welding porous cleaning material 104 around one or more tubes or channels defining dust inlet structure 112.

[0091] Still refer to Figure 1 The cleaning head 110 may include a support substrate 114. The support substrate 114 may be regarded, for example, as the body of the cleaning head 110.

[0092] The support substrate 114 can be, for example, a flexible support substrate 114. Such a flexible support substrate 114 can help the cleaning head 110 follow the contours of the surface to be cleaned. Optionally or additionally, the plasticity of the flexible support substrate 114 can help clean the cleaning head 110 after use, for example, by squeezing liquid from the cleaning head 110 and / or washing the cleaning head 110 in the user's washing machine.

[0093] This flexible support substrate 114 can be formed from any suitable malleable material. For example, the malleable material forming the flexible support substrate 114 may include polymeric materials and / or elastic materials.

[0094] Specifically mentioned are silicone rubber and ethylene-vinyl acetate (in other words, copolymers of ethylene and vinyl acetate), used as malleable materials.

[0095] Other polymeric and / or elastic materials, such as polydiene (e.g., polybutadiene), thermoplastic elastomers, etc., may also be considered for use in shaped materials.

[0096] Optionally or additionally, the malleable material may be less than 50 Shore A, preferably less than 20 Shore A, and most preferably less than 10 Shore A.

[0097] In a non-limiting example, the malleable material is 4 Shore A silicone rubber.

[0098] The flexible support substrate 114 can be formed, for example, from a closed-cell foam material, such as ethylene-vinyl acetate closed-cell foam material.

[0099] This closed-cell foam material facilitates an efficient (and inexpensive) manufacturing / assembly process for the cleaning head 110. Furthermore, the closed-cell structure of the foam material helps retain liquid within the waste inlet structure 112.

[0100] When the cleaning head 110 includes a support substrate 114 (e.g., a bendable support substrate 114), the dust inlet structure 112 may be recessed and / or protruded on the bottom surface of the support substrate 114, which faces the surface to be cleaned during use.

[0101] When the dust inlet structure 112 is recessed into the bottom surface of the support substrate 114, the dust inlet structure 112 may include, for example, a groove defined in at least a portion of the bottom surface and extending across the bottom surface.

[0102] When the waste inlet structure 112 is protruding on the bottom surface of the support substrate 114, the waste inlet structure 112 may include a protruding element arrangement, such as a protruding element defined by the protruding element arrangement, the protruding element protruding from the bottom surface and extending across at least a portion of the bottom surface, the path for the dirty liquid being defined between the protruding elements of the protruding element arrangement.

[0103] like Figure 1 As shown, the waste conduit 116 can fluidly connect the waste inlet structure 112 to the negative pressure generator 102. At least a portion of the waste conduit 116 may be defined in a connector, for example, for connecting the cleaning head 110 to the negative pressure generator 102.

[0104] Figure 1 The pores 118 of the porous cleaning material 104 are schematically depicted. When the porous cleaning material 104 is dry, it can be considered to be in an "air transport state" in which air is transported through each of the dry pores 118 of the porous cleaning material 104. Figure 1 The "liquid transport state" shown in a) corresponds to the transport of liquid (e.g., water) through all the (wet) pores 118 of the porous cleaning material 104; however, note that the (sufficient) liquid below the pores is not visible in a). The "liquid transport state" ends at... Figure 1 As shown in b), the intermediate operating condition is Figure 1 As shown in c), the end condition is... Figure 1 As shown in d).

[0105] Each pore 118 (e.g., a micropore) can have a different "rupture pressure". This is in Figure 1 The numbers below each hole 118 are used to represent the information. For simplicity, each number is rounded to one digit.

[0106] A porous cleaning material 104 in the form of a fabric made of fibers and yarns is used as an illustrative example. The fibers and yarns are woven together into a fabric sheet. The pore size present in the porous cleaning material 104 is defined across all the fibers and yarns; therefore, the pore size present in the fabric is not fixed to a precise size, but rather varies statistically. This variation occurs in… Figure 1 The numbers in the middle are represented by different numbers under each hole 118.

[0107] When the negative pressure generator 102 (e.g., a pump) is activated, all liquid (e.g., water) is drawn from the surface to be cleaned, and the required pressure is the liquid delivery pressure, set to "1" in this example. The negative pressure in the dust inlet structure 112 behind the porous cleaning material 104 is correspondingly "1".

[0108] In b), the negative pressure begins to rise. When all liquid (e.g., water) has been removed from the surface to be cleaned, all the holes 118 can be blocked by the surface tension of the residual liquid within them. In the exemplary example shown, the negative pressure generator 102 is a fixed-flow pump, so continuous operation of the pump can increase the negative pressure. At some point, the negative pressure in the dust inlet structure 112 may rise to the level of the rupture pressure of the “weakest” hole 118, for example, “4”, and exceeding the rupture pressure of these holes 118 means that air begins to be transported through them. Since the pressure in the dust inlet structure 112 behind the porous cleaning material 104 may already be high when these first holes 118 “rupture”, a significant amount of air may be transported through these holes 118 at this point. Therefore, Figure 1 Step c) in the diagram can be seen as a schematic representation of an intermediate operating condition.

[0109] In intermediate operating conditions, orifice 118 may become blocked, while other orifices 118 continue to supply liquid from other areas (further away from dust inlet structure 112), thus generating more negative pressure near dust inlet structure 112. This can cause the negative pressure to rise relatively slowly until all free liquid disappears. This may all be affected by the pumping rate, and in at least some examples, the nature of the dirt inlet structure 112 and the flexibility of all components deform when negative pressure is applied.

[0110] This process can continue until the delivered air equals the pumping rate in this exemplary embodiment, and the negative pressure in the dust inlet structure 112 behind the porous cleaning material 104 is lower than the rupture pressure of the remaining "unruptured" holes 118 with the lowest rupture pressure. Therefore, Figure 1 Step d) in the diagram can be seen as a schematic representation of the end condition.

[0111] Figure 2 An exemplary testing apparatus 120 for testing the burst pressure characteristics of a porous cleaning material 104 is schematically depicted. The porous cleaning material 104 is clamped between a clamping member 122 and a substrate 124. The clamping member 122 defines a hole for a bolt 126, which is received in a threaded hole in the substrate 124. Rotating the bolt 126 in the appropriate direction can clamp / release the porous cleaning material 104.

[0112] In this specific example, the clamping member 122 is an aluminum ring with a thickness of 10 mm, and the substrate 124 is made of poly(methyl methacrylate) with a thickness of 10 mm. The sample of the porous cleaning material 104 is a disc with a diameter of 140 mm. The sample is secured using eight bolts 126.

[0113] The dust inlet structure 112 in the test apparatus 120 is provided in the form of a coarse mesh with a diameter of 80 mm. The dirt conduit 116 is partially defined by the opening of the delivery conduit 128 provided in the substrate 124.

[0114] The testing apparatus 120 includes a negative pressure generator 102 for generating negative pressure in the dust inlet structure 112, and a pressure sensor 130, such as a pressure gauge, for measuring the pressure in the dust inlet structure 112.

[0115] In this particular example, pressure sensor 130 includes a pressure gauge combined with a data acquisition unit (LabQuest 2) to monitor pressure as a function of time.

[0116] In this particular example, the negative pressure generator 102 is in the form of a peristaltic pump or a syringe pump, such as a 250 mL syringe pump. A peristaltic pump can provide a pulsed flow of water. It has been found that syringe pumps allow for more accurate measurements than peristaltic pumps.

[0117] The testing apparatus 120 also includes a pressure line filter 132, which is chamber-shaped and arranged to prevent liquid from entering the pressure sensor conduit 134 connecting the pressure line filter 132 and the pressure sensor 130. Downstream of the pressure line filter 132 and the negative pressure generator 102 is a collection container 136 for collecting liquid pumped through the porous cleaning material 104.

[0118] The testing procedure includes clamping a sample of porous cleaning material 104 between clamping member 122 and substrate 124, and then setting up negative pressure generator 102 to deliver 100cm 3 The flow rate is [value missing]. Check the pressure line filter 132 to ensure it is empty, and zero and reconnect the pressure sensor 130 gauge before each measurement. Then, [missing information - likely a measurement unit or unit]. 3Water was poured onto the sample of porous cleaning material 104, leaving a layer of water approximately 4 mm deep. A rinsing operation was then initiated by activating the negative pressure generator 102, which forced the water through the sample in the porous cleaning material 104. After the rinsing operation, the negative pressure generator 102 was stopped, and the water level was reduced to 25 cm. 3 Water is poured onto the sample of porous cleaning material 104, and the measurement operation is carried out by triggering the data acquisition unit to start data acquisition and starting the negative pressure generator 102.

[0119] Figure 3 The diagram provides a typical graph of negative pressure changing over time from data acquisition and a schematic diagram of the porous cleaning material 104. Initially, the "liquid transport state" 138 described above is used, where liquid 140 (water in this example) is transported through the (pre-wetted) holes 118. In this case, the recorded "transport pressure" corresponds to the pressure difference required to transport liquid 140 through the porous cleaning material 104 and the dust inlet structure 112.

[0120] The governing equations describing the "liquid transport state" 138 can be the following Poiseuille equations:

[0121]

[0122] Where ΔP is the pressure difference across orifice 118; η is the dynamic viscosity of the liquid; L is the length of orifice 118; φ is the volumetric flow rate; and r is the radius of orifice 118.

[0123] For example, assuming the pore diameter is 20 µm, and the pore 118 extends through a porous cleaning material 104 with a thickness of 0.8 mm, the estimated volumetric flow rate of each pore 118 is approximately 4.96. 10 -14 m 3 / second (typical fluid flow rate is 100 cm) 3 / minute), and η 水 1 10 -3 Pa·second, ΔP = 10.1 Pa.

[0124] Following the "liquid transport state" 138, an intermediate condition 142 is adopted, in which almost all of the liquid 140 has been removed from the sample surface of the porous cleaning material 104, leaving most of the pores 118 in the aforementioned "liquid blockage state," where the surface tension of the (residual) liquid 140 retained in the wet pores 118 of the porous cleaning material 104 prevents air 144 from transporting through the pores 118. In intermediate condition 142, a decreasing number of pores 118 may be in the "liquid transport state." The "fluid blockage state" allows for significantly higher negative pressures, and therefore, during intermediate condition 142, the negative pressure increases relatively rapidly, as shown in the figure.

[0125] The governing equations describing the "fluid blockage state" can be the following droplet dP equation:

[0126]

[0127] Where P i and P O Where R is the internal and external pressure, and R is the radius of the fluid droplet, as shown in the figure. Figure 3 As shown schematically. t is the surface tension.

[0128] For example, assuming a typical 20µm diameter hole 118, R is 10µm, T water The value is 0.073 N / m, P i -P O =ΔP= 14600 Pa.

[0129] When detergent is added to water, the ΔP in the above droplet dP formula, which is 14600 Pa, can increase to 18000 Pa. The surface tension of water decreases (T) when detergent is added. 泡沫水 (0.045 N / m), the bubble above pore 118 creates two surfaces: the inside and the outside of the bubble. Therefore, when detergent is added to the water, the burst pressure may be approximately twice the burst pressure of a single-layer surface.

[0130]

[0131] Following intermediate condition 142, final condition 146 is adopted, in which all free water has been removed from the surface of porous cleaning material 104, and all pores 118 are initially in a "fluid blockage state." As the negative pressure generator 102 continues to draw water through the porous cleaning material 104, the negative pressure is increased, which may cause some fluid blockages to rupture, allowing air 144 to be transmitted through the corresponding pores 118 in an "air transport state." The associated air inflow can be balanced in final condition 146, where the applied flow results in a negative pressure that does not cause further fluid blockage rupture. The latter corresponds to the "rupture pressure" of the porous cleaning material 104 under investigation.

[0132] The governing equations describing the "air transport state" can be the Poiseuille equations provided above for the "liquid transport state." For example, assuming the orifice diameter is 20 µm, orifice 118 extends through a porous cleaning material 104 with a thickness of 0.8 mm, the estimated volumetric flow rate per orifice 118 is approximately 4.96. 10 -14 cubic meters per second (typical fluid flow rate is 100 cubic centimeters per minute), and η 空气 It is 18.1 10-6 Pa·second, ΔP = 0.18 Pa.

[0133] In general, the air delivery pressure (e.g., 0.18 Pa) and water delivery pressure (e.g., 10.1 Pa) are likely much smaller than the pressure difference generated by surface tension (e.g., 14,600 Pa), and can be neglected.

[0134] Therefore, a porous cleaning material 104 can be selected to provide a relatively large difference between the burst pressure and the water transfer pressure. A significant advantage of this is that the porous cleaning material 104 can be "pre-tensioned" by the negative pressure generator 102. The wet porous cleaning material 104 (e.g., a pickup pad) can be set to a pressure of, for example, 14,600 Pa. When this state is reached, power may no longer be required. Whenever a droplet (e.g., water) is added to the porous cleaning material 104, the gas-liquid surface disappears, and the function of transferring liquid is suddenly enabled at a pressure difference of, for example, 10 Pa.

[0135] Therefore, the wet cleaning device 100 can be highly energy efficient. Liquids (such as water) can only be supplied where they are delivered to the porous cleaning material 104. Once no liquid is supplied for transport, the wet cleaning device 100 can return to its "pre-tensioned" state.

[0136] The pore size, or pore diameter, of the porous cleaning material 104 pore 118 can be selected to balance the relatively high negative pressure and the relatively low resistance to liquid transmission through the porous cleaning material 104.

[0137] However, achieving this balance may not be the only consideration given the properties of the porous cleaning material 104. It is desirable for the porous cleaning material 104 to contact the surface to be cleaned, so that it can additionally function as a surface interaction layer. The porous cleaning material 104 (e.g., a tightly woven fabric) is well-suited for maintaining negative pressure and drawing liquid from the surface to be cleaned, and for loosening stains when coarse dirt (e.g., sand) is present on the surface.

[0138] For example, if sand particles are trapped between the surface to be cleaned and the porous cleaning material 104, the particles may experience high normal forces toward the surface to be cleaned because they are compressed between the relatively dense porous cleaning material 104 and the surface to be cleaned. This can lead to very undesirable scratching of the surface to be cleaned.

[0139] Now for reference Figure 4In principle, this surface scratching problem can be mitigated by providing protrusions 148 (e.g., clusters) to the porous cleaning layer 104, as the protrusions 148 can provide space between them to accommodate process dirt. By providing space in the porous cleaning material 104 for receiving coarse dirt, coarse dirt may be less likely to be squeezed between the porous cleaning material 104 and the surface 150 to be cleaned. The risk of the surface 150 to be cleaned being scratched can be reduced accordingly.

[0140] However, increasing such protrusions 148 may reduce the liquid pickup performance of the porous cleaning material 104. The inventors have found that the poor liquid pickup performance of this porous cleaning material 104 with protrusions may be due to the pores 118 (e.g., micropores) of the porous cleaning material 104 not reaching the surface 150 to be cleaned. This can apply to protrusions 148 in the form of, for example, clusters, because the (cut) fibers constituting such clusters can define capillary paths that are less capable of transporting liquid to the pores 118 defined in the body 151 of the porous cleaning material 104 (e.g., chamois material). This is thought to be due to poor spatial definition between these clusters 148, resulting in uncontrolled dimensions of these spaces. This may impair the ability of the porous cleaning material 104 to pick up liquid from the surface 150 to be cleaned.

[0141] Now for reference Figure 5 Accordingly, this disclosure proposes the use of a porous cleaning material 152 comprising a backing member 154, the backing member 154 including a back side 156 and a protrusion-containing side 158, the protrusion-containing side 158 including protrusions 160, such as flexible protrusions 160, protruding from the backing member 154 such that at least some of the protrusions 160 can contact the surface 150 to be cleaned, and the protrusions 160 including fibers, which are assembled such that relative movement between the fibers within each protrusion 160 is restricted.

[0142] Note that not only the end 162 of the protrusion 160 can contact the surface 150 to be cleaned, but other parts of the protrusion 160 (e.g. along the length direction) can also contact the surface 150 to be cleaned.

[0143] Capillary path 164 extends from the protrusion to reach the back side 156 of the backing member 154, wherein capillary path 164 is at least partially defined by the space between the fibers, and the relative movement between the fibers is restricted. For example, capillary path 164 extends continuously along the protrusion 160 from the end 162 of the protrusion 160 and passes through the backing member 154 to reach the back side 156 of the backing member 154.

[0144] Implicit in each protrusion 160 protruding from the backing member 154 is that the points where the protrusion 160 engages with the backing member 154 are spatially separated from each other.

[0145] Therefore, coarse dirt (such as sand) can be contained in the space 166 between the protrusions 160, thereby reducing the risk of scratching the surface 150 to be cleaned.

[0146] Furthermore, since the capillary path 164 is at least partially defined by the space between the fibers, the relative movement between the fibers is restricted within each protrusion 160, and the capillary path 164 extends to reach the back side 156 of the backing member 154, thus enabling efficient pickup of liquid from the surface 150 to be cleaned.

[0147] In other words, the working principle of the porous cleaning layer 104 (e.g., chamois material) as described above can be extended to the surface 150 to be cleaned via protrusions 160 (e.g., flexible protrusions 160). Picking up liquid from the surface 150 to be cleaned (e.g., floor) can be as effective as with porous cleaning material 104 without protrusions (e.g., chamois material), but with additional benefits, including the aforementioned advantage of reduced scratches.

[0148] It should also be noted that the protrusion 160 can better adapt to the unevenness of the surface 150 to be cleaned. Note that a single protrusion 160 can enter pits, cracks, etc. in the surface 150 to be cleaned and can also remove dirty liquids from them.

[0149] These benefits can further include reduced resistance to movement of the porous cleaning layer 152 on the surface 150 to be cleaned. The chamois-type porous cleaning material 104 tends to generate relatively high friction with the surface 150 to be cleaned, largely depending on the contact area between the chamois and the surface 150. Liquid in the chamois is continuously removed from the surface 150 to be cleaned, which continuously results in a relatively thin liquid layer forming between the chamois and the surface 150 to be cleaned, leading to relatively high viscous friction. The flat surface of the chamois allows it to adhere to the surface 150 to be cleaned like a suction cup.

[0150] Both properties of the chamois-type porous cleaning material 104 can be offset by the porous cleaning material 152 with protrusions. In the latter case, the contact area with the surface to be cleaned 150 can be significantly reduced, providing a path for air to move between the porous cleaning material 152 with protrusions and the surface to be cleaned 150, thereby helping to minimize or prevent the aforementioned suction phenomenon.

[0151] Additionally, the inclusion of protrusions 160, such as flexible protrusions, in the porous cleaning material 152 can, in some embodiments, eliminate the need for additional cleaning material to apply the cleaning fluid to the surface 150 to be cleaned. Since the same porous cleaning material 152 can provide both liquid pickup and cleaning fluid wetting functions, the manufacture of the wet cleaning device 100 can be simplified and made less expensive.

[0152] The porous cleaning material 152 containing protrusions can be constructed in various ways to provide a continuous capillary path 164. For example, the porous cleaning material 152 can have a structure in which densely packed fiber groups are surrounded by bags having a lower fiber density. Alternatively, refer to... Figure 6A and Figure 6B The backing member 154 may include a knitted structure, liquid delivery is provided by yarn, and open air pockets may be provided inside the backing member 154 and between the ridge protrusions 160 that contact the surface to be cleaned 150.

[0153] More generally, the backing member 154 may include a backing fabric, such as a woven or knitted backing fabric. Such a backing member 154 can be manufactured relatively simply and can be provided with a suitable porous structure for conveying liquid to or at least to the back side 156 of the backing member 154.

[0154] In some embodiments, for example Figure 5A As shown, in addition to the layer 154B including the protruding side 158, the backing member 154 also includes a porous layer 154A. In these embodiments, the back side 156 of the backing member 154 may be provided by the porous layer 154A.

[0155] For example, a porous layer 154A may be arranged on a layer 154B in the form of a backing fabric, with the back side 156 of the backing member 154 provided by the porous layer.

[0156] This porous layer can help maintain negative pressure at the back side 156 of the backing member 154, especially in embodiments where the backing fabric includes relatively large pores (and spaces between fibers that at least partially define capillary paths).

[0157] As briefly described above, please refer to... Figure 6A and Figure 6B The protrusion 160 may include a ridge defining the backing member 154, for example, it may be defined by a ridge defining the backing member 154. In such an embodiment, the space 166 may take the form of a groove defined between the ridges.

[0158] The pitch of a ridge, in other words, the distance between the centers of adjacent ridges measured perpendicular to the direction of the ridge's extension, can be, for example, 1 to 5 millimeters, such as about 2 millimeters. This pitch can be adapted to accommodate coarse dirt, such as sand, between the ridges.

[0159] As an alternative or addition to the ridge-including protrusion 160, the protrusion 160 may include clusters, such as microfiber clusters, protruding from the backing member 154. Such clusters may provide protrusions 160 that contribute to capillary paths through defined spacing between the fibers and / or yarns constituting each cluster.

[0160] More generally, the fibers can be assembled in any suitable manner to restrict movement between the fibers within each protrusion 160. In some embodiments, the protrusion 160 comprises fibers assembled at least partially by twisting. In such embodiments, the space between the twisted fibers may at least partially define the capillary path 164.

[0161] Optionally or additionally, the protrusion 160 may include fibers assembled at least partially by woven fibers and / or yarns formed from fibers. In such embodiments, the spaces between textile fibers, the spaces between textile yarns, and / or the spaces between the fibers of the yarns (e.g., twisted fibers) may at least partially define the capillary path 164.

[0162] Optionally or additionally, the protrusion 160 may include fibers assembled at least partially by knitted fibers and / or yarns formed from fibers. In such embodiments, the spaces between knitted fibers, the spaces between knitted yarns, and / or the spaces between the fibers of the yarns (e.g., twisted fibers) may at least partially define the capillary path 164.

[0163] In at least some embodiments, the protrusion 160 includes uncut fibers. In such embodiments, the fibers may be in the form of loops extending from and returning to the backing member 154.

[0164] Such rings can confine fibers, for example, relative to cut fibers without such rings (see...). Figure 4 ), and the space defined by such a ring can at least partially define the capillary path 164.

[0165] In some embodiments, the protrusion 160 comprises a ply yarn formed by twisting yarn, and the capillary path 164 is defined at least partially by the space between the fibers of the twisted yarn. The twisting of the yarn helps to hold the fibers present in each ply yarn together, thereby providing a well-defined capillary path 164 from the backing member 154 to the end 162 (in other words, the tip) of the ply yarn.

[0166] In these embodiments, the backing member 154 may include a textile structure formed by weaving or knitting the ply yarn. For example, the backing member 154 includes a textile structure and a porous layer 154A disposed on the textile structure, the back side 156 of the backing member 154 being provided by the porous layer 154A.

[0167] In some embodiments, for example Figure 7A and Figure 7BIn the illustrated embodiment, the protrusion 160 comprises a ply yarn formed by twisting two or more single yarns together, and the capillary path 164 is at least partially defined by the space between the single yarns.

[0168] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 7A and Figures 8 to 10 The protrusion 160 includes an uncut cluster of twisted microfibers. It has been found that such uncut clusters of twisted microfibers are particularly effective in providing a well-defined capillary path 164 extending from the end 162 (in other words, the tip) of the cluster.

[0169] It is worth noting that "terry knitting" is a term used for the process of knitting uncut twisted tufts.

[0170] It should also be noted that terry knit fabrics (such as...) Figure 8 (As shown) sometimes has relatively large pores in its knitted backing. In this case, an additional layer in the form of the aforementioned porous layer 154A can be added to allow a suitable negative pressure to be provided on the back side 156, for example, a negative pressure in the range of 3000 Pa to 13500 Pa.

[0171] More generally, regardless of the precise construction of the porous cleaning material 152, the pressure difference between the interior of the wet cleaning device 100 and the atmospheric pressure used to extract fluid through the porous cleaning material 152 can be in the range of 3000 Pa to 13500 Pa.

[0172] The pressure differential can be directly and definitively verified in a given wet cleaning device 100 by, for example, drilling a hole in the pipe of the wet cleaning device 100 in fluid communication with the waste inlet structure 112 and connecting a pneumatic pressure sensor, which itself has a tube with a membrane-covered end, through this hole; the sensor is connected via an airtight connection. The sensor can be arranged to avoid interfering with the flow, so the technician will arrange the sensor to avoid, for example, bypass flow. No flow should flow into or out of the sensor: only pressure is transmitted. In this way, the flow rate of the device may never be affected (therefore, even with the sensor installed, it may remain at the set level).

[0173] The pressure sensor is connected between the porous cleaning material 152 and the negative pressure generator 102, and is placed as close as possible to the porous cleaning material 152 to minimize the influence of other factors such as flow resistance on the sensed pressure difference.

[0174] The sensing element / membrane of the pressure sensor / gauge is ideally arranged / positioned in the pressure sensor so that the sensing element can be placed directly in the tube (without needing a connecting tube) or placed in the cavity behind the porous cleaning material 152.

[0175] As those skilled in the art will understand, measurement errors can be minimized by positioning the diaphragm of the pressure sensor (in other words, the diaphragm pressure gauge) at the tube wall, or in other words, flush with the tube wall (or exposed to the chamber).

[0176] Please note that air bubbles within the capillary tube may create resistance (capillary / surface tension effect), which could therefore affect the measurement. Therefore, those skilled in the art will further understand that it should also be noted that air bubbles (water-air surface) do not inappropriately affect pressure difference measurements.

[0177] It should also be noted that the water column between the pressure sensor and the porous cleaning material 152 should be subtracted from the measurement results (if the water column is present during the measurement) to compensate for the static pressure generated by the water column.

[0178] Once the pressure sensor is arranged as described above, it can be determined that the negative pressure is maintained by the porous cleaning material 152 rather than by certain other components, such as valves. Any of these elements that affect the negative pressure presented to the porous cleaning material 152 should become inoperable during measurement.

[0179] When performing a pressure differential measurement, the component that dispenses the cleaning fluid (if the wet cleaning device 100 is configured to deliver the cleaning fluid) is separated.

[0180] The wet cleaning device 100 is turned on (in the desired settings), which activates the pickup system, including the negative pressure generator 102. Data recording from the pressure sensor begins.

[0181] The pickup area of ​​the cleaning head 110 is suspended in a water layer up to 5 mm deep.

[0182] Then, without tilting in any way, the pickup area is lifted out of the water (keeping the cleaning head 110 in the cleaning position, as if it were positioned to clean the floor), so that the water no longer contacts the porous cleaning material 152. At this point, "free water" will be removed from the porous cleaning material 152, all pores 118 will enter their "clogged state," and the rupture pressure will be determinable. The measurement results will be similar to... Figure 3 The diagram shown again highlights the equilibrium established in end condition 146, where the applied flow results in a negative pressure that does not lead to further fluid blockage and rupture.

[0183] The burst pressure obtained from this measurement (see End Condition 146) is "the pressure difference between the interior of the wet cleaning device 100 and the atmospheric pressure used to draw liquid through the porous cleaning material 152". Verify that the range of 3000 Pa to 13500 Pa is met based on the measurement results.

[0184] Note that the porous cleaning material 152 can be arranged to contact the liquid on the surface 150 to be cleaned, as previously described. Therefore, the porous cleaning material 152 can be defined from the protruding side 158 of the porous cleaning material 152 that is exposed to the liquid on the surface 150 to be cleaned to the back side 156 exposed to the dust inlet structure 112.

[0185] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6A As best shown, the backing member 154 may include a textile structure formed by woven or knitted ply yarns, such as twisted microfiber clusters. This helps ensure that capillary paths extend from the end 162 of the ply yarns (e.g., twisted microfiber clusters) constituting the protrusion 160 to the back side 156 of the backing member 154.

[0186] Figure 6A The woven structure shown may be too "spread out" to provide adequate negative pressure on the back side 156. In this case, an additional layer in the form of the aforementioned porous layer 154A can be added to achieve adequate negative pressure.

[0187] More generally, at least a portion of the backing member 154 and the protrusion 160 may be formed of a common fibrous material. Forming the backing member 154 and at least a portion of the protrusion 160 from this common fibrous material in this way helps to ensure that the capillary path 164 extends continuously from the end 162 of the protrusion 160 along the protrusion 160 and through the backing member 154 to reach or at least toward the back side 156 of the backing member 154.

[0188] In terms of water transport within the porous cleaning material 152, it is particularly advantageous for at least a portion of the protrusions 160 (e.g., clusters) and the backing member 154 to be formed of the same fibers, since common fibers can mean that there is a tight liquid connection between the backing member 154 and the protrusions 160, and there is no liquid-gas interface between the protrusions 160 and the backing member 154.

[0189] In some embodiments, both the backing member 154 and the protrusion 160 comprise polyester fibers and / or polyamide fibers. These polyester fibers and / or polyamide fibers may constitute the common fibrous material forming the backing member 154 and the protrusion 160.

[0190] The wettability of polyesters and polyamides (such as nylon), especially after plasma treatment, makes these fibers particularly suitable for picking up water-based cleaning solutions from the surface to be cleaned 150.

[0191] The porous cleaning material 152 and the wet cleaning device 100 including the porous cleaning material 152 and the negative pressure generator 102 can be used for, for example, floor cleaners (e.g., wet mopping devices), surface treatment applications, and potential medical applications, such as medical applications in which the porous cleaning material 152 is arranged to continuously receive bodily fluids from the skin, for example, through soft fibers contained in the porous cleaning material 152.

[0192] When practicing the claimed invention, those skilled in the art can understand and implement variations of the disclosed embodiments by studying the accompanying drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" does not exclude a plural.

[0193] The fact that certain measures are enumerated in mutually different dependent claims does not mean that a combination of these measures cannot be used advantageously.

[0194] If the term “adapted” is used in the claims or description, it should be noted that the term “adapted” is intended to be equivalent to the term “configured to”.

[0195] Any reference marks in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.

Claims

1. A wet cleaning device (100), comprising: A porous cleaning material (152) includes a backing member (154) comprising a back side (156) and a protrusion-containing side (158), the protrusion-containing side including protrusions (160) projecting from the backing member such that at least some of the protrusions can contact the surface to be cleaned (150), the protrusions (160) comprising assembled fibers such that movement of the fibers relative to each other is restricted within each protrusion, wherein a capillary path (164) extends from the protrusions to the back side of the backing member, the capillary path being at least partially defined by the space between the fibers whose movement relative to each other is restricted; and A negative pressure generator (102) is arranged to apply suction to the back side of the backing member.

2. The wet cleaning equipment (100) according to claim 1, wherein, The protrusion (160) includes clusters and / or ridges protruding from the backing member (154).

3. The wet cleaning equipment (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The fibers are assembled at least in part by twisting them.

4. The wet cleaning equipment (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The fibers are assembled at least in part by weaving the fibers and / or weaving yarns formed from the fibers.

5. The wet cleaning equipment (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The fibers are assembled at least in part by knitting the fibers and / or knitting yarns formed from the fibers.

6. The wet cleaning device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the fibers comprise uncut fibers.

7. The wet cleaning equipment (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The protrusion (160) comprises a ply yarn formed by twisting yarn, the capillary path (164) being at least partially defined by the space between the fibers of the twist yarn; optionally, the backing member (154) comprises a textile structure formed by weaving or knitting the ply yarn.

8. The wet cleaning equipment (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, The protrusion (160) comprises uncut twisted microfiber clusters.

9. The wet cleaning equipment (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, At least a portion of the backing member (154) and the protrusion (160) are formed of a common fiber material.

10. The wet cleaning apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, The backing member (154) and the protrusion (160) each comprise polyester fibers and / or polyamide fibers.

11. The wet cleaning apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, The backing member (154) includes a porous layer (154A) in addition to a layer (154B) containing a protruding side (158), and the back side (156) of the backing member is provided by the porous layer.

12. The wet cleaning apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein, The backing member (154) includes a backing fabric; optionally, the backing fabric is a woven or knitted backing fabric.

13. The wet cleaning device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, comprising a cleaning head (110) having a dust inlet structure (112) defined therein, the dust inlet structure being arranged to apply suction generated by the negative pressure generator (102) to the back side (156) of the backing member (154).

14. The wet cleaning apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein, The negative pressure generator (102) is configured to generate a flow rate of up to 2000 cubic centimeters per minute through the porous cleaning material (152); and / or wherein the negative pressure generator is configured to provide a pressure difference between the interior of the wet cleaning device and atmospheric pressure for drawing fluid through the porous cleaning material, the pressure difference being in the range of 3000 Pa to 13500 Pa.

15. Use of a porous cleaning material (152) comprising a backing member (154) including a back side (156) and a protrusion-containing side (158), the protrusion-containing side including protrusions (160) projecting from the backing member such that at least some of the protrusions can contact a surface (150) to be cleaned, the protrusions (160) comprising assembled fibers such that movement of the fibers relative to each other is restricted within each protrusion, wherein a capillary path (164) extends from the protrusion to the back side of the backing member, the capillary path being at least partially defined by the space between the fibers whose movement relative to each other is restricted, and wherein said use includes arranging a negative pressure generator (102) to apply suction to the back side of the backing member.

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