Wiping media carrier and wet cleaning device or wet cleaning attachment

Abstract

The invention relates to a wiping media carrier (11) for a wet cleaning device or a wet cleaning attachment, wherein the wiping media carrier (11) comprises: - a wipe media carrier element (1) for receiving a wipe medium, - an enclosure (100), - a magnet (3) or a magnetizable material, - a cone (200), ◯ which is arranged in the housing (100) in a rotationally fixed manner, ◯ which has a first pin section (201) designed to receive the magnet (3) or the magnetizable material, and ◯ which has a second pin section (202) with a contour designed to introduce and transmit a torque along a longitudinal axis of the pin (200). Furthermore, the invention relates to a wet cleaning device or a wet cleaning attachment, comprising a wiping device or a wiping attachment (10) and the wiping media carrier, which can be coupled together.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a wiping media carrier and a wet cleaning device or a wet cleaning attachment. In particular, the invention relates to a wiping media carrier designed to receive a wiping medium, as well as a wet cleaning device comprising a wiping device and the wiping media carrier, or a wet cleaning attachment comprising a wiping attachment and the wiping media carrier.

[0002] Wet cleaning devices and attachments, used in combination with a dry cleaning device such as a vacuum cleaner, allow the user to wet clean hard floors with either the wet or dry cleaning device. The cleaning pad serves as a carrier for a cleaning medium, such as a cleaning cloth, which absorbs and / or traps dirt during the wet cleaning process. When this medium becomes dirty, the user must replace or clean it. A detachable hook-and-loop fastener is typically used to attach the cleaning medium to the wet cleaning device or attachment.

[0003] Furthermore, it is known to use, in addition to the hook-and-loop fastener of the wiping medium, a wiping medium carrier that can be detached from the device. This carrier, in turn, has a device-side clip or magnetic connection that interacts with a hub of the wet cleaning device or attachment and holds the wiping medium components even when lifted. If magnets are used as a coupling element between the hub and the wiping medium carrier, the magnet on the wiping medium carrier side is generally housed in a protruding section in the form of a pin. This pin must engage with a device-side magnet in a corresponding recess in the hub and is designed to be fixed in place.

[0004] The pre-positioned location of, for example, pre-moistened cleaning cloths relative to the hub of the wet cleaning device or attachment must be quite precise, otherwise a misalignment between the pin and the hub will occur, making coupling difficult. Furthermore, the protruding pin presents an obstacle. For coupling, the wet cleaning device or attachment must be safely lifted over the pins, as otherwise the pin and the device or attachment will collide, or the pin may come into contact with any recess on the underside of the device, further hindering coupling. A geometrically determined gap between the magnets to be coupled, before they are fully coupled, also reduces the effective magnetic forces, making it difficult or impossible to couple / lift the cleaning cloth for coupling.Furthermore, the pin can be damaged by collision with other components of the wet cleaning device or attachment during cleaning or storage of these parts.

[0005] The invention thus addresses the problem of providing a wiping media carrier, a wet cleaning device, or a wet cleaning attachment that facilitates docking by reducing the number of permanently protruding interference contours that could cause collisions during coupling and uncoupling, and by placing lower demands on the positional accuracy of the pre-positioned wiping media carrier before coupling with the wet cleaning device or the wet cleaning attachment. Furthermore, the invention aims to protect the comparatively vulnerable torque transmission structure from damage while the wiping media carrier is not coupled to the wet cleaning device or the wet cleaning attachment.

[0006] According to the invention, this problem is solved by a wiping media carrier with the features of claim 1 and a wet cleaning device or a wet cleaning attachment with the features of claim 8. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are set forth in the following dependent claims.

[0007] The advantages achievable with the invention, besides providing a connection point via a retractable pin for the wiper media carrier for easier coupling of the wiper media carrier to the wet cleaning device or wet cleaning attachment, are that a limited radial and wobbling clearance is provided for the retractable pin, which is helpful in compensating for positional inaccuracies. The pin, which rises under slight magnetic force, facilitates the alignment of the wiper media carrier and the wet cleaning device or attachment, resulting in a more robust coupling process. The retractable pin protects the torque transmission structure from damage when the wiper media carrier is not coupled to the wet cleaning device or attachment. Furthermore, a flatter design of the wiper media carrier is achieved, which is advantageous for the coupling process and handling.

[0008] The invention relates to a wiping media carrier for a wet cleaning device or a wet cleaning attachment, wherein the wiping media carrier comprises: - a wipe media carrier element for holding a wipe medium, - an enclosure, - a magnet or a magnetizable material, - a cone, ◯ which is arranged in the housing in a rotationally fixed manner, ◯ which has a first pin section designed to receive the magnet or the magnetizable material, and ◯ which has a second pin section with a contour designed to introduce and transmit a torque along a longitudinal axis of the pin.

[0009] The first section of the pin comprises the receptacle for the integrated magnet or a component made of a magnetizable material, e.g., steel. The second section of the pin comprises the contour, e.g., a toothed section for introducing and transmitting torque along the longitudinal axis of the pin.

[0010] Preferably, the pin has a third pin section that guides the pin along its longitudinal axis within the housing. Furthermore, it is preferred that the pin has a fourth pin section designed to introduce an externally applied torque along a longitudinal axis of the pin and transmit it to the housing. In a preferred embodiment, the third pin section guides the pin along its longitudinal axis within the housing and prevents unwanted tilting or play-out. Preferably, a fourth pin section includes a contour, e.g., similar to a toothed section, for transmitting the externally applied torque and transferring it to corresponding sections of the housing.The pin is recessed into the housing and thus, in a decoupling state of the wiper media carrier (where the wiper media carrier is not coupled to the wet cleaning device or attachment), can be recessed into the wiper media carrier in such a way that it is protected from external influences. The geometric design of the pin and the housing provides a rotationally fixed connection with only minimal play in the relative angles to each other. In the decoupling state, the pin lies within the housing and does not protrude. The geometric design is preferably configured to allow a vertical stroke movement along the central axis of the wiper media carrier, which is preferably limited in its path by appropriate stops.

[0011] Preferably, the pin can be raised and / or lowered from the housing by means of an external magnetic attraction via the magnet or magnetizable material. Under the influence of external magnetic attraction, the pin rises from the housing into a protruding position to couple with the wet cleaning device or attachment. The wet cleaning device or attachment has a corresponding additional magnet or magnetizable material at a predetermined location to provide the magnetic attraction force for raising the pin and establishing the coupling state in which the cleaning media carrier is coupled to it. The wet cleaning device or attachment preferably further includes a mechanism for releasing the magnetic attraction force upon activation, thus lowering the pin and establishing the decoupling state.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the pin has a fifth pin section configured to limit axial stroke movements by means of a geometric stop against a corresponding section of the housing. The fifth pin section preferably limits the axial stroke movements under acting magnetic forces by means of a geometric stop against a corresponding housing section.

[0013] Preferably, the housing is geometrically designed such that a first housing section is formed to ensure the axial guidance of the pin, a second housing section is formed to limit the axial lifting movement, a third housing section is formed to absorb and transmit an introduced torque, and / or a fourth housing section is formed to limit the axial lowering movement of the pin, so that the housing at least partially or completely encloses the lowered pin.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, sections of the wiper media carrier adjoining the housing are designed to provide additional support for the wiper media carrier against a housing underside of the wet cleaning device or wet cleaning attachment, or against a pickup geometry of the wet cleaning device or wet cleaning attachment. This support surrounds the pin in the coupled state, in which the wiper media carrier is coupled to the wet cleaning device or wet cleaning attachment. This further stabilizes the wiper media carrier in the coupled state, particularly during operation.

[0015] The invention further relates to a wet cleaning device or a wet cleaning attachment, comprising a wiping device or a wiping attachment and a wiping media carrier according to one or more of the embodiments described above, wherein the wiping device or the wiping attachment can be coupled to the wiping media carrier.

[0016] Preferably, the wiping device or wiping attachment has an interchangeable design with the wiping media carrier. This ensures good coupling between the two parts.

[0017] The wet cleaning device can be designed as a mop. Alternatively, it can be designed as a dry cleaning device that can be coupled with the mop attachment to function as a mop.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment, the wiping device or wiper attachment has a driven shaft with a contour designed to transmit the driven torque to the second pin section of the pin. Preferably, the driven shaft has a contour suitable for transmitting the driven torque to the counter contour in the form of a toothed section of the pin. Preferably, the shaft is designed as a hollow shaft with a engagement contour that facilitates engagement between the pin and the hollow shaft. The engagement contour is preferably designed as funnel-shaped lead-in chamfers. This further ensures good coupling of the wiping device or wiper attachment with the wiper media carrier.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the wiping device or wiper attachment has a further magnet or further magnetizable material arranged in the shaft, wherein the magnet or magnetizable material of the wiper media carrier is arranged in the region of the shaft, so that adhesive forces for holding and coupling the wiper media carrier and the wiping device or wiper attachment are effected by the magnetic attraction between the magnet or magnetizable material of the wiper media carrier and the further magnet or magnetizable material of the wiper device or wiper attachment. This maintains a coupled state permanently until the user initiates a release of the coupling, e.g., by means of an ejection mechanism of the wiper device or wiper attachment.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, the wiping device or wiper attachment comprises a sensor configured to detect whether the magnet or magnetizable material of the wiper media carrier and the other magnet or magnetizable material of the wiping device or attachment are fully connected or disconnected, and an output device configured to output a status message regarding complete connection or disconnection based on information received from the sensor. The wiping device or wiper attachment preferably includes a correspondingly configured control unit to control this process.

[0021] The mopping device can be a handheld unit or a robot. The mopping attachment can be permanently integrated into the device or robot, or it can be attached to it. For example, the device could be a vacuum cleaner or robotic vacuum cleaner that can be attached to the mopping attachment for wet cleaning.

[0022] When the wet cleaning device is operated, a coupling process begins between the mop and one or more waiting mop media carriers, whose pin(s) are in the recessed position. As the mop, with its integrated additional magnets or a component made of a magnetizable material, approaches the mop media carrier(s), the recessed pin is lifted by the magnetic forces. Due to the low mass of the "loose" pin, the lifting occurs even at a greater distance between the attracting magnets or components made of a magnetizable material compared to the higher overall mass of rigidly connected pins. The lifted pin, which has slight radial and wobbling play, preferentially finds its way, through the magnetic forces, to the contour, e.g., the funnel-shaped entry chamfer of the drive shaft.Under the increasingly strong magnetic force, the entire wiper media carrier is lifted, thereby aligning it with the wiper device and finally holding it in place. The contours for torque transmission have now been established.

[0023] As a result of the decoupling process, e.g., via an ejection mechanism, the adhesive forces of the attracting magnets or components made of magnetizable material are overcome. Once a certain distance is reached between the magnets or components made of magnetizable material, the weight of the wiper media carrier causes them to fall to the ground when the wiper is sufficiently raised and / or tilted. The retractable pin sinks into the housing, and the final decoupling of the wiper media carrier and the wiper is facilitated because there are no interfering contours. The wiper attachment can also be used instead of the wiper itself.

[0024] An embodiment of the invention is shown schematically in the drawings and is described in more detail below. The drawings are schematic and not to scale. Fig. 1 a perspective view of a wet cleaning attachment according to the invention; Fig. 2 a side view of the in Fig. 1 shown wet cleaning attachment; Fig. 3 a bottom view of the in Fig. 1 shown wet cleaning attachment; Fig. 4 a perspective partial view of the in Fig. 1 shown wet cleaning attachment; Fig. 5 a partial exploded view of the in Fig. 1 shown wet cleaning attachment; Fig. 6 a perspective partial view of the in Fig. 1 shown wet cleaning attachment; Fig. 7 a side view of the in Fig. 6 shown of the in Fig. 1 shown wet cleaning attachment; Fig. 8 a cross-sectional view of the in Fig. 7 shown wet cleaning attachment along line CC; Fig. 9 a side view of a wipe media carrier according to the invention; Fig. 10 a cross-sectional view of the in Fig. 9 wipe media carriers shown along line AA; Fig. 11 another side view of the in Fig. 9 shown wipe media carriers; Fig. 12 a cross-sectional view of the in Fig. 12 wipe media carriers shown along line BB; Fig. 13 a partial side view of the in Fig. 1 shown wet cleaning attachment; Fig. 14 a cross-sectional view of the in Fig. 13 shown wet cleaning attachments along line BB; Fig. 15 another partial side view of the in Fig. 1 shown wet cleaning attachment; Fig. 16 a cross-sectional view of the in Fig. 15 wet cleaning attachments shown along line AA.

[0025] Fig. Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a wet cleaning attachment according to the invention. The wet cleaning attachment has a mop head 10 with a housing 4 and a connecting element 12 for connection to a device (not shown) such as a vacuum cleaner. Furthermore, the wet cleaning attachment has mop media carriers 11, each with a mop media carrier body 1, which are coupled to the mop head 10.

[0026] Fig. 2 shows a side view of the in Fig. 1. The wet cleaning attachment shown. The mop attachment 10 stands on a base U. For movement, the mop attachment 10 has rollers 16.

[0027] Fig. Figure 3 shows a bottom view of the in Fig. 1. The wet cleaning attachment shown. The wet cleaning attachment has two wiping media carriers 11 and optional suction channels 15.

[0028] Fig. Figure 4 shows a perspective partial view of the in Fig. Figure 1 shows a wet cleaning attachment. The mop attachment 10 has a housing underside 4, a further magnet 5, and a drive gear 6 in the form of a hub. The wet cleaning attachment also includes the mop media carrier 11 with the mop media carrier body 1.

[0029] Fig. Figure 5 shows a partial exploded view of the [unclear text]. Fig. Figure 1 shows a wet cleaning attachment. The mop attachment 10 includes the additional magnet 5, the drive gear 6, and the underside of the housing 4. The mop media carrier 11 includes the mop media carrier body 1, a housing 100, a pin 200, and a magnet 3. The mop attachment 10 is detachably coupled to the mop media carrier 11 via the two magnets 3 and 5. The pin 200 is rotationally fixed in the housing 100. The pin 200 also has a pin body 2. The pin 200 further comprises a first pin section 201, a second pin section 202, a third pin section 203, a fourth pin section 204, and a fifth pin section 205.

[0030] The first pin section 201 is designed to receive the magnet 3. The second pin section 202 has a contour designed to introduce and transmit a torque along a longitudinal axis of the pin 200. The third pin section 203 guides the pin 200 along its longitudinal axis within the housing 100. The fourth pin section 204 is designed to introduce an externally applied torque along a longitudinal axis of the pin 200 and transmit it to the housing 100. The fifth pin section 205 is designed to limit axial stroke movements by means of a geometric stop against a corresponding section (not shown) of the housing 100.

[0031] Fig. Figure 6 shows a perspective partial view of the in Fig. 1. The wet cleaning attachment shown. Shown is a part of the wiper attachment 10 with the underside of the housing 4, the additional magnet 5 and the drive gear 6, which has a finding contour 61 in the form of funnel-shaped inlet chamfers for the magnet (not shown) of the wiper media carrier (not shown) and a drive contour 62 of the wet cleaning device side.

[0032] Fig. Figure 7 shows a side view of the in Fig. 6 shown of the in Fig. 1. The wet cleaning attachment shown. The magnet 5, the drive gear 6 and the underside of the housing 4 are arranged one above the other.

[0033] Fig. Figure 8 shows a cross-sectional view of the in Fig. The wet cleaning attachment shown in Figure 7 is located along line CC. The finding contour 61 for the magnet (not shown) of the wiper media carrier (not shown) tapers towards the further magnet 5.

[0034] Fig. Figure 9 shows a side view of a wiping media carrier according to the invention. The wiping media carrier 11 is shown in a decoupling state in which it is not coupled to a wiping device or attachment (not shown).

[0035] Fig. Figure 10 shows a cross-sectional view of the in Fig. The wipe media carrier 11, shown in Figure 9, has a wipe media carrier element 1 for receiving a wipe medium, a housing 100, a magnet 3, and a pin 200 with a pin body 2, which is arranged in the housing 100 in a rotationally fixed manner.The pin 200 has a first pin section 201, which is configured to receive the magnet or the magnetizable material; a second pin section 202 with a contour configured to introduce and transmit a torque along a longitudinal axis of the pin 200; a third pin section 203, which guides the pin 200 along the longitudinal axis in the housing 100; a fourth pin section 204, which is configured to introduce an externally applied torque along a longitudinal axis of the pin 200 and transmit it to the housing 100; and a fifth pin section 205, which is configured to limit axial stroke movements by means of a geometric stop against a corresponding section of the housing 100. The pin 200 is recessed in the wiper media carrier body 1.The housing 100 has, in addition to three housing sections (not shown) which are described below, a fourth housing section 104 which is designed to limit the axial lowering movement of the pin 200, so that the housing 100 at least partially or completely encloses the lowered pin 200.

[0036] Fig. 11 another side view of the in Fig. The wiping media carrier shown in Figure 10. The pin (not shown) with its second pin section 202 and its third pin section 203 protrudes from the wiping media carrier body 11. In this state, it is coupled to a wiping device or wiping attachment (not shown), i.e., in a coupled state. The pin is raised by an externally acting magnetic attraction force.

[0037] Fig. 12 a cross-sectional view of the in Fig. 12 wipe media carrier shown along line BB. The housing 100 is geometrically designed such that a first housing section 101 is formed to ensure the axial guidance of the pin (not shown), a second housing section 102 is formed to limit the axial stroke movement with the fifth pin section 205 of the pin, and a third housing section 103 is formed to receive and transmit an introduced torque.

[0038] Fig. Figure 13 shows a partial side view of the in Fig. Figure 1 shows the wet cleaning attachment. The underside of the housing 4, the magnet 5, the drive gear 6 of the wiper attachment 10, and the wiper media carrier 11 with the wiper media carrier body 1 are shown in a decoupling state, in which the wiper attachment 10 and the wiper media carrier 11 are not coupled.

[0039] Fig. Figure 14 shows a cross-sectional view of the in Fig. Figure 13 shows the wet cleaning attachment along line BB. The pin 200 is recessed in the wiper media carrier body 1. The two magnets 3, 5 are not connected by a force-fit connection via magnetic attraction.

[0040] Fig. Figure 15 shows another partial side view of the in Fig. Figure 1 shows the wet cleaning attachment. The underside of the housing 4, the magnet 5, the drive gear 6 of the wiper attachment 10, and the wiper media carrier 11 with the wiper media carrier body 1 are shown in a coupled state in which the wiper attachment 10 and the wiper media carrier 11 are coupled.

[0041] Fig. Figure 16 shows a cross-sectional view of the in Fig.Figure 15 shows the wet cleaning attachment along line AA. The pin 200 is arranged in the wiper media carrier body 1 in a raised position. The two magnets 3, 5 are attracted to each other and connected by a force-fit connection. Reference symbol list Underground 1 wipe media carrier body 2 cone bodies 3 Magnet 4 cases 5 more magnets 6 Drive gear 10 mop attachments 11 Wipe media carriers 12 Connecting element 15 Suction channel 16 roller 61 Finding outline 62 Drive contour 100 enclosures 101 First enclosure section 102 second enclosure section 103 third enclosure section 104 fourth enclosure section 200 cones 201 first cone section 202 second cone section 203 third cone section 204 fourth cone section 205 fifth cone section

Claims

[1] Wiping media carrier (11) for a wet cleaning device or a wet cleaning attachment, wherein the wiping media carrier (11) comprises: - a wipe media carrier element (1) for receiving a wipe medium, - an enclosure (100), - a magnet (3) or a magnetizable material, - a cone (200), ◯ which is arranged in the housing (100) in a rotationally fixed manner, ◯ which has a first pin section (201) designed to receive the magnet (3) or the magnetizable material, and ◯ which has a second pin section (202) with a contour designed to introduce and transmit a torque along a longitudinal axis of the pin (200). [2] Wipe media carrier according to claim 1, characterized by , that the pin (200) has a third pin section (203) which guides the pin (200) along the longitudinal axis in the housing (100). [3] Wipe media carrier according to claim 2, characterized by , that the pin (200) has a fourth pin section (204) which is designed to introduce an externally applied torque along a longitudinal axis of the pin (200) and transmit it to the housing (100). [4] Wiping media carrier (11) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the pin (200) can be raised and / or lowered from the outside by means of the magnet (3) or the magnetizable material in the housing (100) by means of magnetic attraction. [5] Wipe media carrier (11) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the pin (200) has a fifth pin section (205) which is designed to limit axial stroke movements by means of a geometric stop against a corresponding section of the housing (100). [6] Wipe media carrier (11) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the housing (100) is geometrically designed such that a first housing section (101) is formed to ensure the axial guidance of the pin (200), a second housing section (102) is formed to limit the axial lifting movement, a third housing section (103) is formed to receive and transmit an introduced torque, and / or a fourth housing section (104) is formed to limit the axial lowering movement of the pin (200), so that the housing (100) at least partially or completely encloses the lowered pin (200). [7] Wipe media carrier (11) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by, that sections of the wipe media carrier (11) adjoining the housing (100) are formed to provide additional support for the wipe media carrier (11) to a housing underside (4) of the wet cleaning device or wet cleaning attachment or to a pickup geometry of the wet cleaning device or wet cleaning attachment, which surrounds the pin (200) in a coupling state in which the wipe media carrier (11) is coupled to the wet cleaning device or wet cleaning attachment. [8] Wet cleaning device or wet cleaning attachment comprising a wiping device or a wiping attachment (10) and the wiping media carrier according to one of the preceding claims, which are connectable to each other. [9] Wet cleaning device or wet cleaning attachment according to claim 8, characterized by, that the wiping device or wiping attachment (10) has a driven shaft which has a contour (62) designed to transmit the driven torque to the second pin section (202) of the pin (200). [10] Wet cleaning device or wet cleaning attachment according to claim 9, characterized by , that the shaft is preferably designed as a hollow shaft which has a finding contour preferably funnel-shaped inlet chamfers (61) that provides the finding of the journal (200) and the hollow shaft. [11] Wet cleaning device or wet cleaning attachment according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized by, that the wiping device or wiping attachment (10) has a further magnet (5) or further magnetizable material which is arranged in the shaft, wherein the magnet or magnetizable material (3) of the wiping media carrier (11) is arranged in the region of the shaft, so that adhesive forces for holding and coupling the wiping media carrier (11) and the wiping device or wiping attachment (10) are effected by magnetic attraction of the magnet (3) or the magnetizable material of the wiping media carrier (11) and the further magnet (5) or the further magnetizable material of the wiping device or attachment (10). [12] Wet cleaning device or wet cleaning attachment according to claim 11, characterized by, that the wiping device or wiping attachment (10) has a sensor configured to detect whether the magnet (3) or the magnetizable material of the wiping media carrier (11) and the further magnet (5) or the further magnetizable material of the wiping device or attachment (10) are fully coupled or decoupled, and has an output device configured to output a status message regarding complete coupling or decoupling based on information obtained from the sensor.

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