US3896518A - Impregnated laminated pad for mops - Google Patents

Abstract

A pad or cloth for cleaning floors comprises a narrow rectangular pad folded about and fastened to a holder at the lower end of a handle. The pad comprises two outer layers and at least one intermediate layer, one of said outer layers being intended to abut the floor and consisting of a layer of synthetic fibre material such as non-woven rayon, and the other outer layer consisting of a film of plastics material such as polyethylene. The intermediate layer or layers consist of a cellular material which is premoistened with a liquid such as water and optionally admixed with a waxed emulsion.

Description

United States Patent 11 1 Von Post et al.

[ July 29, 1975 IMPREGNATED LAMINATED PAD FOR MOPS [75] Inventors: Jan Ake Von Post, Sollentuna', Giista Erik Mauritz Petersson, Aneby, both of Sweden [73] Assignee: Landstingens lnkopscentral, Solna,

Sweden [22] Filed: Mar. 16, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 342,208

3,333,293 8/1967 Skurdelis 15/231 X 3,416,522 12/1968 Yeremian 128/296 X 3,455,302 7/1969 Liloia 161/147 X 3,523,536 8/1970 Ruffo 128/296 X 3,620,894 11/1971 Oates l6l/l47 X 3,674,613 7/1972 Lavigne 161/147 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 646,075 1l/1950 United Kingdom 15/209 R 664,694 1/1952 United Kingdom 15/231 Primary ExaminerDaniel Blum Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Arthur B. Colvin [57] ABSTRACT A pad or cloth for cleaning floors comprises a narrow rectangular pad folded about and fastened to a holder at the lower end of a handle. The pad comprises two outer layers and at least one intermediate layer, one of said outer layers being intended to abut the floor and consisting of a layer of synthetic fibre material such as non-woven rayon, and the other outer layer consisting of a film of plastics material such as polyethylene. The intermediate layer or layers consist of a cellular material which is premoistened with a liquid such as water and optionally admixed with a waxed emulsion.

1 Claim, 8 Drawing Figures SHEET FIG. 3

SHEET PATENTEI] JUL 2 9 I975 FIG 1 FIG 5 FIGS FlG7

IMPREGNATED LAMINATED PAD FOR MOPS The present invention relates to a pad for mops of the type used for cleaning floors and the like, and particularly for such pads for use in hospitals and similar establishments where it is endeavoured to prevent the spread of bacteria from one ward to another.

It is known to the art to use such pads or cleaning cloth of moisture absorbing material, which is folded around a holder located at the lower end of the mop handle. The pad is intended to be passed over the floor, to collect dust and similar contaminants thereon together with any moisture which might be present. The holder is nonnally lined with a foam rubber plate arranged on the face of the holder turned towards the floor, so that the pad can be applied to the floor with a soft and conforming pressure. Since the known mop cloth or pad solely comprises moisture absorbing or moisture permeable layers, bacteria is able to penetrate the cloth and to reach the undersurface of the holder, wherewith the bacteria remain in the foam rubber when the pad is changed. This means that the bacteria can be transferred to the new pad when placed in position on the mop, with the result that the bacteria present in the foam rubber can be transferred to the next ward. Another disadvantage associated with known mop structures resides in the fact that when the pad is to be changed, it is necessary to manually handle the contaminated pad and since the bacteria may have penetrated through the pad there is a risk of such bacteria being transferred to the hands of the person handling the mop and from the hands of said person to the new pad when it is placed on the mop holder. If bacteria are transferred from one patient to another there is an extreme risk of the thus contaminated persons becoming extremely ill. Such illnesses if not fatal considerably extend the time during which such persons are hospitalized, thereby considerably increasing hospital costs.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the aforementioned disadvantage and to provide a mop pad which, in addition to eliminating said disadvantages, is also much stronger than mop pads of known fabrication. The mop pad of the present invention is mainly characterized in that it comprises two outer layers and at least one intermediate layer, wherewith one outer layer, which when in use is intended to lie in contact with the floor, comprises a layer of synthetic fibre material such as non-woven rayon and the outer layer comprises a film of plastics material, such as polyethylene, while the intermediate layer or layers comprises or comprise a cellular material which is premoistened with liquid such as water, optionally having a wax emulsion admixed therewith. The three different materials incorporated in the mop pad of the present invention co-act with each other in a manner which is particularly advantageous for the purpose in question. The layer of synthetic fibre, which is intended to abut the floor, is resistant to moisture and extremely resistant to wear. It therefore protects the inwardly positioned intermediate layer or layers of cellular material, which is or are impregnated with moisture and which shall retain a certain degree of moisteness when the pad is stored before use and which shall be able to discharge and take up further moisture when passed over the floor. The layer or layers of cellular material, however, have but small mechanical strength and are succeptable to wear when moist. As beforementioned,

however, with the pad of the present invention, the cellular material is protected by the layer of synthetic fibre, and hence the failures of the cellular material in the aforementioned connection do not affect the efficiency of the mop pad. Finally, the other outer layer of plastics material completely insulates against bacteria and moisture between the layer of cellular material and the holder and between the hands of the user when the pad is removed from the holder. The tensile and tear strength of the pad is also considerably increased by the plastics films, this increased strength being of particular importance when the pad is folded around the holder and secured thereto. It is also important that the pad is strong enough to resist wear when rubbed against the floor. It is also important that the pad is strong enough to remain in position at its point of attachment to the holder. A further advantage afforded by the plastics films is that it can be used to retain the moisture in the pad when the mop pad is stored. As beforementioned, the pad is preferably moistened with a wax-wateremulsion, whereafter the pad is folded double and the plastics film forms a partially open casing around the cellular material. The casing is highly efficient in preserving the moisture in the mop pad, this preserving effect being still greater when a number of pads according to the invention are folded double and packed together in a hermetically sealed carrier bag of plastics foil material. It has been found in practice, that mop pads constructed in accordance with the invention retain their moisture content at room temperature for approximately one week subsequent to the bag being opened.

According to a preferred embodiment of the mop pad according to the invention, the body of cellular material is divided into two layers which overlap each other and which are narrower than the width of the pad, the two layers of cellular material being attached to respective longitudinal edges of the pad. By means of this arrangement, the greatest thickness of the cellular material is obtained at the centre portion of the pad, where the properties of the cellular material shall be utilized, while only a single layer of cellular material is located at the edge portions of the pad, where the layers of cellular material are attached and fixed in position relative the layer of synthetic fibre and plastics film. The edge portions of the pad are thus somewhat thinner than the centre portion of the pad, whereby a higher degree of smoothness is obtained when folding the pad about the edges of the holder and attaching the pad thereto.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, other features of and advantages associated with the invention being apparent therefrom.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 illustrates a pad holder on which a mop pad is intended to be attached,

FIG. 2 illustrates the pad when unfolded,

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view through the line 33 in FIG. 2,

FIGS. 4 to 6 illustrate the manufacture of the preferred embodiment of the pad,

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic perspective view of another embodiment of the pad holder, and

FIG. 8 is an end view thereof.

The pad 10 is adapted to be mounted on any form of pad holder, such as a mop assembly including a mop handle 1, pad holder base 2, fastener means (not shown) being provided to grip the marginal edges of the pad and maintain the latter over a resilient pressure pad 3 fixed to the lower edge of the base 2. The mop assembly forms no part of the present invention and it will be readily recognized that many suitable forms of assemblies are known.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the reference numeral illustrates a mop pad comprising two outer layers 12, I4 having about the same width as the pad in its entirety, and two narrower overlapping intermediate layers 16, 18, which at one edge thereof coincide with respective edges of the pad. The other edge of the intermediate layer is free. The dimensions of the cloth in the illustrated embodiment are 25 cm. by 60 cm.

The outer layer 12 comprises a layer of synthetic fibre material, such as non-woven rayon, having a gram weight of l525/m The layer 12 is thus moisture resistant and moisture permeable and is pre-moistened with a liquid as before mentioned. Thus, the layer 12 serves as a thin, dust-collecting protective layer for the two intermediate layers 16, 18 which comprise a cellular material having a gram weight of 15-25/m and which absorb moisture and store the moisture therein.

As will be seen from FIG. 3, the width of the layers of cellular material 16, 18 is approximately three quarters the width of the pad, which means that the centre portion of the pad formed by the overlapping portions of the cellular material layers 16, 18 will be relatively thick, while the edge portions of the pad have one layer less and are therefore thinner and easier to fold.

The width of the layers of cellular material 16, 18 is suitably two thirds to four fifths the total width of the pad.

The second outer layer 14 comprises a film of plastics material, such as polyethylene, and serves to repel moisture and to insulate against bacteria. The layer also enhances the overall mechanical strength of the pad. As previously mentioned, it has been found in practice that the pad of the present invention when doubled in a premoistened state is able to retain its moisture content over long periods of time, that it can readily be mounted to the holder of a floor cleaning mop. The pad is particularly resistant to wear when moved over the floor and can withstand high tensile forces. It further prevents bacteria from being transferred to the housing and it also reduces the risk of transferring bacteria to the hands of the user when a used pad is changed for a new pad.

Premoistened pads constructed in accordance with the invention are stored in stacks of double-folded pads, where the plastic film forms the outer surfaces of the folded pads. A stack normally comprises from to 50 mop pads placed in a hermetically sealed plastic bag. The plastic bag is constructed so as to enable it to be resealed subsequent to being opened, although the resealing means need not be such as to hermetically seal the bag.

In FIG. 4 is shown a portion of a web of plastics film which shall form the outer layer 14a in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6. A number of glue lines 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 have been applied to the web. The two glue lines 20, 25 are located near the side edges of the web.

In FIG. 5 the two overlapping layers 16a, 18a of moisture absorbing material or a corresponding single layer have been laid upon the layer 14a, and on top thereof is the synthetic fiber layer 12a. The plastics film layer. I4a of.FIG. 5 is then folded at its side edge portion around the edges of the layer 12a and sealed therewith by means of the glue lines 20, 25. The layer 18a is secured in its position by being secured to the layer 14a by means of the glue lines 22, 23, 24. The layer 16a is secured to the layer 14a by means of the glue line 21. Thus, there will be little relative movement of the layers when the pad is used which means that the layers will remain in their most effective positions.

In FIGS. 7 and 8 is shown a holder 26 which is intended to detachably support a mop pad or cloth, for example of the type shown in FIGS. 3 or 6.

The holder 26 comprises a longitudinal bottom plate 27 which on its upper side is provided with ridges 28 at the side edges of the plate.

In the side edges of the plate are slots 29, and on the inside of the ridges 28 are slots 30.

The holder 26 is made of flexible foam plastics having closed cells. The slots 29 may be elastically opened to receive the edge portions of a mop pad or cloth and clamp them to secure the pad or cloth to the holder as indicated in FIG. 8.

In FIG. 7 is also shown a frame 31 of metal wire which is pivotally carried by a handle 32. The longitudinal portions 33, 34 of the frame may be easily snapped into the slots 30 of the holder 26. Thus, the holder 26 can easily be detached from the frame 31 and sterilized and may thereafter be easily mounted to the frame 31 again.

What we claim is:

l. A pad or cloth for cleaning floors comprising a rectangular pad member adapted to be fastened to a holder located at the lower end of a handle, the pad comprising first and second outer layers and at least one intermediate layer, said first outer layer which, in use, is intended to abut the floor, being comprised of a sheet of moisture permeable, wear resistant, synthetic, non-woven fiber, such as a mat of non-woven rayon, said second outer layer being comprised of a moisture impervious film of plastic material, such as polyethylene, said intermediate layer comprising cellular material, a dust binding liquid carried by said intermediate layer and adapted to be discharged through said first outer layer to floor surfaces when said floor surface and first layer are brought into contact so as to bind dust to the liquid and surface of said first layer, said second outer layer being sealed to the edges of said first layer, said intermediate layer being secured to said second layer by a number of mutually spaced, longitudinally extending glue lines at spaced transverse positions between the extremities of said intermediate layer to prevent displacement of said intermediate layer relative to said second outer layer, said intermediate layer being comprised of first and second discrete sheets, one said sheet extending from a position immediately adjacent a said marginal edge of said pad across the longitudinal center line of said pad member, the second said discrete sheet extending from the opposite marginal edge of said pad across the longitudinal center line, the width of said sheets being less than the width of said pad whereby there is defined a double thickness of said sheets in a central area of said pad and a single thickness of said sheets adjacent said marginal edges, said longitudinally extending glue lines bonding said second outer layer to the one of said discrete sheets of said intermediate layer nearest said second outer layer to prevent relative shifting movement between said one of said discrete sheets and said second outer layer.

Claims (1)

1. A PAD OR CLOTH FOR CLEANING FLOORS COMPRISING A RECTANGULAR PAD MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE FASTENED TO A HOLDER LOCATED AT THE LOWER END OF A HANDLE, THE PAD COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND OUTER LAYERS AND AT LEAST ONE INTERMEDIATE LAYER, SAID FIRST OUTER LAYER WHICH, IN USE IS INTENDED TO ABOUT THE FLOOR, BEING COMPRISED OF A SHEET OF MOISTURE PERMEABLE, WEAR RESISTANT, SYNTHETIC, NON-WOVEN FIBER, SUCH AS A MAT OF NON-WOVEN RAYON, SAID SECOND OUTER LAYER BEING COMPRISED OF A MOISTURE IMPERVIOUS FILM OF PLASTIC MATERIAL, SUCH AS POLYETHYLENE, SAID INTERMEDIATE LAYER COMPRISING CELLULAR MATERIAL, A DUST BINDING QUID CARRIED BY SAID INTERMEDIATE LAYER AND ADAPTED TO BE DISCHARGED THROUGH SAID FIRST OUTER LAYER TO FLOOR SURFACES WHEN SAID FLOOR SURFACE AND FIRST LAYER ARE BROUGHT INTO CONTACT SO AS TO BIND DUST TO THE LIQUID AND SURFACE OF SAID FIRST LAYER, SAID SECOND OUTER LAYER BEING SEALED TO THE EDGES OF SAID FIRST LAYER, SAID INTERMEDIATE LAYER BEING SECURED TO SAID SECOND LAYER BY A NUMBER OF MUTUALLY SPACED, LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING GLUE LINES AT SRPACED TRANSVERSE POSITIONS BETWEEN THE EXTREMITIES OF SAID INTERMEDIATE LAYER TO PREVENT DISPLACEMENT OF SAID INTERMEDIATE LAYER RELATIVE TO SAID SECOND OUTER LAYER, SAID INTERMEDIATE LAYER BEING COMPRISED OF FIRST AND SECOND DISCRETE SHEETS, ONE SAID SHEET EXTENDING FROM A POSITION IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT A SAID MARGINAL EDGE OF SAID PAD ACROSS THE LONGITUDINAL CENTER LINE OF SAID PAD MEMBER, THE SECOND SAID DISCRETE SHEET EXTENDING FROM THE OPPOSITE MRGINAL EDGE OF SAID PAD ACROSS THE LONGITUDINAL CENTER LINE, THE WIDTH OF SAID SHEETS BEING LESS THAN THE WIDTH OF SAID PAD WHEREBY THERE IS DEFINED A DOUBLE THICKNESS OF SAID SHEETS IN A CENTRAL AREA OF SAID PAD AND A SINGLE THICKNESS OF SAID SHEETS ADJACENT SAID MARGINAL EDGES, SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING GLUE LINES BONDING SAID SECOND OUTER LAYER TO THE ONE OF SAID DISCRETE SHEETS OF SAID INTERMEDIAT LAYER NEAREST SAID SECOND OUTER LAYER TO PREVENT RELATIVE SHIFTING MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID ONE OF SAID DISCRETE SHEETS AN SAID SECOND OUTER LAYER.

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