EP2330956B1 - Wiper device for even surfaces - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a squeegee for a smooth surface, designed to be connected to a reservoir of liquid and / or vapor, and comprise means for projecting liquid and / or vapor onto a working surface through at least one an orifice, and a scraping body provided with at least one resilient scraping element comprising at least one edge constituted by the intersection of a edge and a face projecting from said scraping body, which ridge is designed to scrape off said work surface during a movement prints to said squeegee.

The invention also relates to a domestic or industrial cleaning device for smooth surfaces, comprising at least one such scraper.

The invention relates to the field of cleaning devices for the maintenance of smooth surfaces, including flat, wall or the like, and in particular the field of window squeegees.

To perform quality scraping, it is necessary to give a certain angle of incidence to the resilient scraper element with respect to the work surface. Known glass scraper devices all have the same disadvantage of poor scraping in the end-of-race zones, near the frames, in height and near the ground, and generally in all the remote areas of the road. user or difficult to access from his working position. Indeed these devices must then be inclined at angles unsuitable for the user for a good scraping.

The scraping of windows, in particular, has given rise to devices such as that described by the document FR 2,746,625 which comprises means for emitting vapor and detergent, and means for collecting the residual cleaning liquid, incorporating a capillary substrate. It comprises means for pressurizing or depressurizing the circuits, respectively vapor emission and collection of the residual liquid. It has a scraper body in a fixed position relative to the rest of the device, which does not allow its handling in all positions. The recovery of the residual liquid is done by depression, which requires a dedicated circuit for this purpose. We still know, by the document WO9424920 , a household vacuum cleaner equipped with a squeegee, and a fan generating a vacuum for the evacuation of residual liquid, resulting in noise, space, overhead, and limited maneuverability.

It is also known from the document CH 681 209 According to the preamble of claim 1 a portable steam cleaner, the particularity of which is that the vapor is produced in the vicinity of the area to be treated so that it is liquid that is transported and not steam, in order to avoid the risk of burns. This document also proposes to collect the residual liquid, resulting from the cleaning operation, through, however, a single circuit that does not allow simultaneous projection and recovery of liquid, which is a drawback in its use.

The present invention aims to overcome the problems of the state of the art by providing a lightweight and manageable device to prevent digoulinures and traces on the cleaned surfaces, and allowing scraping quality in any area of the surface working, with great ergonomics of use that allows its use in all the usual working positions, including both at the top and bottom of a vertical surface. The invention proposes to provide a device of reduced size allowing its easy use of one hand, manual, very low cost, reduced number of components, used alone or in combination with another household or industrial cleaning device.

To this end, the invention relates to a squeegee for a smooth surface, designed to be connected to a reservoir of liquid and / or vapor, and having means for projecting liquid and / or steam onto a work surface through at least one orifice, and a scraping body provided with at least one resilient scraping element comprising at least one edge formed by the intersection of a edge and a projecting face of said scraping body, which edge is designed to scrape said working surface during a printed movement to said squeegee, said squeegee is also designed capable of collecting washing residues and for this purpose said scraping body comprises, in the vicinity of said scraping element and at least to or on one side of the latter, means for collecting residual liquid on at least one absorbent substrate and conductive residual liquid connected to a reservoir by a pipe, said liquid collection means res iduel having a designed end surface adapted to come into contact with or near said face of said scraper element, characterized in that said liquid collection tank is located at an end opposite to said scraping body, and comprises backflow prevention means to prevent any backflow of liquid when the squeegee is tilted, and which comprise an inlet oriented towards the body of the scraper, scraping or / and a non-return valve.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, said means for collecting residual liquid are movable pivotally or / and in translation, or with respect to said scraping head to which they are connected by elastic return means and by means of pivoting means, either with respect to an end of said gripping blade by the user or designed adapted to be connected to a device handled by the user,

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, said face and said end surface are spaced from each other under the effect of said resilient return means and said pivoting means, and, under a displacement action and / or pressure by the user of said squeegee on a working surface, said face and said end surface are brought closer to one another. 'other.

According to another embodiment of the invention, said scraping body constitutes a pivoting head or is mounted on such a pivoting head, which is designed capable of pivoting between two extreme positions and tends to be brought back to an equilibrium position by pressure means.

The invention thus ensures that, whatever the inclination of the squeegee relative to the surface to be cleaned, or at least relative to a locally tangent plane to this surface if it is left, the surface Absorbent is always in contact with the surface to be cleaned. That is why it has been chosen to make residual liquid collection means movable relative to a scraping head or with respect to one end of the scraper.

• la figure 1 représente, de façon schématisée et en coupe, une raclette dans une première variante d'un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention, dans une position de fermeture où les moyens de recueil du liquide résiduel sont en contact avec l'élément de raclage;
• la figure 2 représente, de façon schématisée et en coupe, la raclette de la figure 1, dans une position d'ouverture où les moyens de recueil du liquide résiduel sont éloignés de l'élément de raclage;
• la figure 3 représente, de façon schématisée et en couple, la raclette de la figure 1, dans une position d'ouverture où les moyens de recueil du liquide résiduel sont en retrait de l'arête de l'élément de raclage;
• la figure 4 représente, de façon schématisée et en coupe, une raclette dans une seconde variante d'un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention, dans une position de fermeture:
• la figure 5 représente, de façon schématisée et en coupe, une raclette à vitres dans une troisième variante d'un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention, dans une position de fermeture ;
• la figure 6 représente, de façon schématisée et en coupe, une raclette à vitres dans une quatrième variante d'un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention, dans une position de fermeture ;
• la figure 7 représente, de façon schématisée et en coupe, une raclette à vitres dans une cinquième variante d'un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention, dans une position de fermeture
• la figure 8 représente, de façon schématisée et en coupe, une raclette à vitres dans un second mode de réalisation de l'invention ;
• la figure 9 représente, de façon schématisée et en perspective vue de dessous, la raclette de la figure 8, dans une position d'ouverture;
• la figure 10 représente, de façon schématisée, partielle et en coupe, un détail d'un corps de raclage équipant la raclette de la figure 8 ;
• la figure 11 représente, de façon schématisée, un détail de la figure 8 dans une position en cours de travail de raclage d'une surface de travail
• la figure 12 représente, de façon schématisée et en vue de dessus, la raclette de la figure 8 ;
• la figure 13 représente, de façon schématisée et en coupe, un réservoir à deux compartiments conçu apte à équiper une raclette selon l'invention, dans une première répartition de ces compartiments ;
• la figure 14 représente, de façon schématisée et en coupe, le réservoir de la figure 13, dans autre première répartition de ces compartiments ;
• la figure 15 représente, de façon schématisée et en coupe, un appareil de nettoyage à vapeur incorporant la raclette de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 16 représente, de façon analogue à la figure 15, une variante de réalisation ;
• la figure 17 représente, de façon schématisée et en coupe, un substrat absorbant rotatif utilisable dans l'invention ;
• la figure 18 représente, de façon schématisée, en perspective et en transparence, un moyen de chauffe de liquide ou/et de gaz utilisable dans l'invention.

Other advantages of the invention will emerge clearly from the description which is given hereinafter, by way of indication and in no way limiting, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

• the figure 1 shows schematically and in section, a squeegee in a first variant of a first embodiment of the invention, in a closed position where the means for collecting the residual liquid are in contact with the scraping element;
• the figure 2 represents, schematically and in section, the raclette of the figure 1 in an open position where the means for collecting the residual liquid are remote from the scraping element;
• the figure 3 represents, schematically and in pairs, the raclette of the figure 1 in an open position where the means for collecting the residual liquid are set back from the edge of the scraping element;
• the figure 4 represents, schematically and in section, a squeegee in a second variant of a first embodiment of the invention, in a closed position:
• the figure 5 shows, schematically and in section, a window squeegee in a third variant of a first embodiment of the invention, in a closed position;
• the figure 6 shows schematically and in section, a window squeegee in a fourth variant of a first embodiment of the invention, in a closed position;
• the figure 7 represents, schematically and in section, a window squeegee in a fifth variant of a first embodiment of the invention, in a closed position
• the figure 8 shows, schematically and in section, a window squeegee in a second embodiment of the invention;
• the figure 9 represents, schematically and in perspective seen from below, the squeegee of the figure 8 in an open position;
• the figure 10 represents, schematically, partially and in section, a detail of a scraping body equipping the squeegee of the figure 8 ;
• the figure 11 represents, in a schematic form, a detail of the figure 8 in a working position of scraping a work surface
• the figure 12 represents, schematically and in a view from above, the squeegee of the figure 8 ;
• the figure 13 represents, schematically and in section, a reservoir with two compartments designed adapted to equip a squeegee according to the invention, in a first distribution of these compartments;
• the figure 14 represents, schematically and in section, the reservoir of the figure 13 in other first distribution of these compartments;
• the figure 15 represents schematically and in section, a steam cleaning apparatus incorporating the squeegee of the figure 1 ;
• the figure 16 represents, in a similar way to figure 15 an alternative embodiment;
• the figure 17 represents schematically and in section, a rotatable absorbent substrate for use in the invention;
• the figure 18 represents schematically, in perspective and in transparency, a liquid heating means and / or gas used in the invention.

The invention relates to the field of cleaning apparatus for the maintenance of smooth surfaces, especially flat surfaces, and in particular the field of window squeegees.

• dans une version autonome, un réservoir 2 de liquide, détergent ou eau propre ou similaire, ou/et de vapeur, et des moyens de pulvérisation pour vaporiser ce liquide, ou/et des moyens de génération ou de transmission de vapeur 3, notamment vapeur générée à partir du liquide contenu dans ce réservoir 2 ;
• ou, dans une version où la raclette 1 est l'accessoire d'un autre appareil ménager ou industriel, des moyens de transport 30 de liquide ou/et encore de vapeur produite en amont de la raclette 1.

The invention relates to a squeegee 1 with smooth surfaces, which can in particular be declined in the form of a squeegee with steam windows. This squeegee 1 comprises, as the case may be:

• in a standalone version, a tank 2 of liquid, detergent or clean water or the like, and / or steam, and spraying means for vaporizing this liquid, and / or means for generating or transmitting vapor 3, in particular steam generated from the liquid contained in this tank 2;
• or, in a version where the squeegee 1 is the accessory of another household or industrial appliance, transport means 30 of liquid or / and still of steam produced upstream of the squeegee 1.

The squeegee 1 comprises means for spraying liquid or / and steam injection 4 on a working surface S, by ejection through at least one orifice 41 as visible on the figure 1 , for example at the level of at least one endpiece 49.

In the stand-alone version, the advantage of the existence of integrated steam generation means 3 is to guarantee, especially when the squeegee 1 is manual and portable, a certain limitation of the heating power , imposed by the sizing and the weight. , and thus to guarantee a saving of energy.

In the present description, clean water is defined as a solution free from dirt and impurities, composed for example of water and / or a detergent or washing product. Residual liquid or dirty water here means a solution comprising the dirt or / and impurities of the surface to be cleaned, which is collected to eliminate them.

According to the variant of the apparatus used, clean water and dirty water may either be mixed in a single filtration tank, or remain separate in the case of separate tanks, or in the case of a single tank with separation of volumes devolved to clean water and dirty water, which will be presented later.

The squeegee 1 comprises at least one scraping body 5, which is provided with at least one resilient scraping element 6. The latter comprises at least one edge 7 constituted by the intersection of a song 8 and a face 9 protruding from said scraping body. The edge 7 is designed capable of scraping the work surface during a movement printed on the squeegee 1.

In a preferred version, the squeegee 1 is manual, and the movement that is printed to it is a movement of the arm or wrist of the user.

According to the invention, the squeegee 1 is designed capable of collecting washing residues, solid and / or liquid. For this purpose the scraper body 5 comprises, near the scraper element 6 and at least towards or on a face 9 of the latter, means for collecting residual liquid 10 on at least one absorbent substrate and liquid conductor residual 11, which is connected to a liquid collection pipe 20, which can itself be connected to a tank, in particular to a liquid collection tank 12, and advantageously through a check valve 195. This pipe 20 may be reduced, as the case may be, to a single communication port. These collection means 10 allow a perfect collection of the residual liquid at the working surface S, and scraping without trace.

The absorbent substrate and residual liquid conductor 11 has the function of recovering the residual liquid by capillarity before being discharged into a pipe 20. It is also useful for retaining, in its thickness, and thus without smearing or scratching the working surface S, dirt or / and impurities that includes it. Also it is useful to provide a very easy exchange of the absorbent substrate 11. An effective and inexpensive means of attachment is the use of velvet hook, as visible on the figures 4 and 5 . It is also advantageous to use volumes such as mushroom spikes or the like injected directly into this substrate, designed to cooperate with complementary volumes to ensure their maintenance. The absorbent substrate 11 may, again, result from the weaving of natural, synthetic, micro-fiber or similar yarns, permitting the absorption of a liquid. It can also be fixed by pinching.

Preferably, the collection of residual liquid to the liquid collection tank 12 is carried out by gravity. For this purpose, the latter is in the lower part of the apparatus, that is to say under the hand of the user, located at one end of the squeegee 1 opposite to the scraping body 5, when the squeegee 1 is a manual squeegee in the preferred use shown in the figures. In an advantageous variant, this collection tank 12 can constitute the gripping handle of the apparatus, or be incorporated in the latter. Naturally, it is also possible to connect the pipe 20 for collecting liquid to suction means.

To perform quality scraping, it is necessary to give a certain angle of incidence to the resilient scraping element 6 with respect to the work surface. Also, in an innovative way, the squeegee 1 according to the invention is arranged in such a way as to allow quality scraping in any area of the working surface, and in particular both at the top and bottom of a large vertical surface, like a French window whose glass is to be cleaned in a single operation.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the residual liquid collection means 10 are movable in pivoting or / and in translation, or with respect to the scraping head 5, to which they are connected by elastic return means 44 and by means of pivoting 45, or with respect to an end 42 of the squeegee 1, which is designed for gripping by the user or which is designed to be connected to a device handled by the user.

In a simple and economical version of the invention, these elastic return means 44 and these pivoting means 45 can be constituted by the same component, for example an elastic connecting element 47 as visible on the figure 1 . This may be, as the case may be, fixed to the scraper body 5, or mounted pivotably mounted relative thereto around at least one pivot axis 48.

According to the invention, the residual liquid collection means 10 comprise an end surface 40 designed capable of coming into contact with or near the face 9 of the scraper element 6, so as to eliminate as much as possible the quantity of residual liquid. on the surface to be cleaned.

The invention is concerned that, whatever the inclination of the squeegee 1 with respect to the surface S to be cleaned, or at least with respect to a plane locally tangent to this surface S if it is left, the absorbent surface is always in contact with the surface to be cleaned. That is why it has been chosen to make the means for collecting residual liquid movable relative to the scraping head or with respect to one end of the scraper.

Advantageously, the invention is designed to implement an absorbent substrate fixed directly under the scraper element 6 in the fixed position. The crushing of the scraping element 6 then allows this substrate absorbent to come into contact with the surface S to be cleaned, and to directly absorb the solid residues and / or liquid washing.

• l'articulation de la partie raclante par rapport à la surface à nettoyer, pour autoriser une ergonomie maximale et un grand confort d'utilisation ;
• l'absorption des résidus par des moyens disposés, selon le cas, de façon fixe sous l'élément de raclage, au-dessus des moyens de pulvérisation de liquide ou/et de génération ou de transmission de vapeur, et/ou sur ces derniers, mobiles entre l'élément de raclage et ces derniers, ou encore disposés sur ces derniers ;
• la récupération des résidus, dans une zone de récupération, les guidant vers un réservoir, avec des moyens de séparation entre d'une part les résidus solides qui doivent être isolés par un arrêt constitué par le substrat absorbant qui est conçu apte à les retenir, et d'autre part les résidus liquides, qui, dans certains modes de réalisation, sont recyclables pour le lavage ; l'invention s'attache à disposer les moyens de recueil et les moyens de stockage des liquides pour permettre le travail dans différentes positions.

In sum, the invention implements, according to its variants, all or part of the means allowing:

• the articulation of the scraping part relative to the surface to be cleaned, to allow maximum ergonomics and comfort of use;
• the absorption of the residues by means arranged, as the case may be, fixedly under the scraper element, above the liquid spraying means and / or the generation or transmission of steam, and / or on these movable between the scraper element and these, or arranged on them;
• the recovery of the residues, in a recovery zone, guiding them towards a reservoir, with means of separation between, on the one hand, the solid residues which must be isolated by a stop constituted by the absorbent substrate which is designed capable of retaining them, and on the other hand liquid residues, which in some embodiments are recyclable for washing; the invention is to arrange the collection means and the liquid storage means to allow work in different positions.

A first embodiment is shown, according to various variants, on the Figures 1 to 7 and 15 . A second embodiment is shown on the Figures 8 to 12 . These two embodiments may, again, be combined with each other.

In the first embodiment as visible on the Figures 1 to 7 and 15 according to the invention, in the free state, the face 9 of the resilient scraping element on the one hand, and the end surface 40 of the absorbent and residual liquid conducting substrate 11 on the other hand, are discarded one another under the effect of the elastic return means 44 and the pivot means 45. Under the effect of a displacement action and / or pressure by the user of the squeegee 1 on a surface S work, the face 9 and the end surface 40 are close to one another. They may, in a preferred embodiment, come to contact one another. The approximation of the absorbent substrate 11 and the scraper element 6 provides a high quality finish, and avoids the maintenance of dirty water on the surface S to clean.

In either embodiment, the absorbent substrate 11 is positioned, or above or below, but preferably in front of at least a portion of the projection orifice (s) 41 that the projection means 4 comprise. , so as to be traversed by the projected liquid or gaseous flow, thus avoiding the projections of condensed vapor droplets or cleaning product on the ground.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, at least a portion of the projection orifices 41 that the projection means 4 comprise are positioned between the face 9 and the end surface 40, so as to project a flow of liquid or gas between these rear preferably when they are spaced apart from each other in a channel 46 formed by their spacing. Advantageously at least a portion of the projection orifices 41 is located under the absorbent substrate 11, that is to say so that the last is crossed by the projection of the jet of gas or liquid controlled by the user.

The invention makes it possible to continuously perform the simultaneous projection and recovery of liquid. It thus provides a significant advantage over the prior art, by providing a permanent clean cleaning fluid, and allowing a projection at high temperature on a cold cleaning surface S. The permanent abundance of cleaning liquid makes it possible to push back the solid particles, to maintain the cleanliness of the surface S to be cleaned, to degrease the latter very effectively. An additional decoupling advantage of this permanent circulation is the longevity of the absorbent substrate, which can be cleaned periodically for removal of the solid residues it has captured, and reused.

The absorbent substrate and residual liquid conductor 11 is constituted by at least one spongy body designed to collect residual liquid, and to transmit it, by gravity, in a collection chamber 19 and then through a pipe 20 to a reservoir, in particular a liquid collection tank 12.

The Figures 1 to 3 illustrate a first embodiment variant. The figure 2 shows a squeegee 1 according to the invention, in the free state, the face 9 of the resilient scraping element 6 on the one hand, and the end surface 40 of the absorbent substrate 11 and residual liquid conductor 11 of on the other hand, are separated from one another under the effect of the elastic return means 44 and pivoting means 45. The support of the absorbent substrate 11 is then angularly spaced by an angle α relative to its position of the figure 1 , where the face 9 and the surface 40 are in contact.

The substrate 11 is preferably made in the form of a foam. Advantageously, the residual liquid collection means 10 are mounted on a removable removable support by simple extraction, in particular with the substrate 11 incorporated in a removable cartridge for a quick and easy exchange. If the absorbent is fixed mounted, foam and / or textile substrates may be used.

The figure 3 illustrates a cleaning start phase in an elevated position relative to the user. The collection means are in contact with the scraper element, but with a position of the squeegee 1 more inclined than in the figure 1 . The end 40 is positioned along the working surface S, under the edge 7, during the downward movement printed by the user. The elastic return means 44 and the pivoting means 45 allow a pivoting movement or / and translation of the absorbent substrate 11 relative to the scraper element 6, and thus allow an offset D between the edge 7 of the scraper element 6 and the end surface 40. This allows the cleaning in good conditions, ensuring a constant contant according to the inclination of the device relative to the surface S. It is understood that, depending on the angle of the incidence β of the scraper element 6 with respect to the working surface 7, the offset D can be on one side or the other with respect to the edge 7, and thus the end surface 40 can to be reentrant with respect to the scraping edge 6 as on the figure 3 at the top of a vertical surface, or protruding at the bottom of the same vertical surface near the ground. It is understood that the articulation of the support of the absorbent substrate 11 has the advantage of allowing the latter to remain in contact with the surface S to be cleaned, without having to maintain too much pressure on the scraper element 6. This articulation makes it possible to orient the scraper 1 much wider and much easier than the prior art, depending on the user's positioning constraints, in height and away from the surface S.

The figure 4 illustrates a second variant, comprising a movable or removable drawer 50, which allows easy access to the substrate 11 for maintenance. The substrate 11 is shown attached by velvet-hook 53 on a support 52, which is connected by an elastic connecting element 47, to the scraping head 5. The residual liquid collected by the substrate 11 flows into a chamber 51 that includes the drawer, before flowing into a chamber 19 that includes the scraping head 5, and then in the pipe 20. The spray or liquid or vapor injection orifice 41 communicates with at least one outlet port 54, preferably positioned beyond the substrate absorbent 11 from the edge 7. The slide 50 preferably has an abutment surface 55 limiting the movement path of the substrate relative to the scraping head 5, and guiding the liquid collected in the chamber 51.

The figure 5 illustrates a third variant, relating to another embodiment of the elastic return means 44 and the pivoting means 45, presented in the form of pistons 56 and pivot 57.

The figure 6 illustrates a fourth variant, wherein the substrate 11 is constituted by a block of foam 59 constituting in itself, by its flexibility, the pivoting means 45 of the end 40, the elastic return means 44 tending to project this end being constituted by a spring 58 or by the foam block 59 itself.

To facilitate maintenance, exchange or cleaning of the substrate 11, the squeegee 1 advantageously comprises at least one cover 60, for example pivoting about an axis 61, according to the fifth variant visible in FIG. figure 7 allowing easy change of the absorbent substrate, either velvet-hook or the like, or incorporated in a removable cartridge.

Advantageously, the scraping body 5 is isolated from the rest of the scraper 1 by a bulkhead 22 which is traversed by at least one liquid or vapor supply pipe 23 and at least one liquid collection pipe 20.

The articulated support of the absorbent substrate provides the ergonomics and quality of work desired, in all the usual positions and even on surfaces remote from the user.

Naturally, the characteristics of these various variants can be combined with each other, and are not limiting embodiments of the invention. The presented variants lend themselves well to a mass production, to achieve a reliable and inexpensive product.

In the second embodiment as visible on the Figures 8 to 12 , the scraping body 5 constitutes a pivoting head 13 with respect to the end 42, or is mounted on such a pivoting head 13, which is designed to pivot about an axis A between two extreme positions and tends to be brought to an equilibrium position by means of pressure 14. It is then the articulation of the pivoting head 13 itself, and the flexibility of the absorbent substrate 11, which facilitate the contact of the latter with the surface S according to the position of the user. To ensure an optimal finish, the absorbent substrate 11 is advantageously, at the scraping portion, disengaged in a V-shaped profile or gutter, so as to avoid, in the rest position, any interposition between the scraping portion and the surface to clean.

According to the position of the user, the scraping body 5 is more or less inclined from top to bottom with respect to a body 24 that includes the scraper 1, which body 24 preferably incorporates in its upper part 16 at least one reservoir of liquid or clean water 2, and in its lower part 17 at least one liquid collection tank 12, provided with a draining means such as a plug 31, which can also be used to connect a flexible hose. evacuation or the like. Thus, the residual liquid or the dirty water collected descends by gravity, from the absorbent and residual liquid conducting substrate 11, by a rear zone 25 of the scraper body 5, through at least one liquid collection pipe. to reach the liquid collection tank 12, as the user moves.

The pivoting head 13 makes it possible to accomplish the scraping of desired quality , and the rotary effect makes it possible to maintain the effect of gravity, together with perfect ergonomics, in any working position of the user. It also guarantees the quality of the work done, regardless of the area of the work surface to be scraped.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the pressure means 14 are resilient return means, and in particular may consist of one or more springs, metal or plastic.

The scraper 1 may be, in particular according to the type of tasks to be performed, configured in different ways: in a first variant embodiment, the equilibrium position of the pivoting head 13 is one of the extreme positions between which it is designed able to rotate. In a second variant embodiment, the equilibrium position is an intermediate position between these extreme positions. In another variant yet embodiment, the squeegee 1 comprises means for adjusting the equilibrium position of the pivoting head 13, for example by means of a toothed wheel or the like.

Whether in the first or the second embodiment of the invention, the scraping element 6 may comprise several faces 9A, 9B, protruding from the scraping body 5. In this embodiment, and on each such face 9A 9B, it advantageously comprises means for collecting residual liquid 10 on at least one absorbent and conductive liquid-conducting substrate 11 connected to a liquid collection tank 12, preferably a single one.

The scraper element 6 advantageously comprises a scraping edge shaped as a V on one side of which grooves or channels designed to guide the liquid towards the collection means.

Whether in the first or the second embodiment of the invention, the absorbent substrate and residual liquid conductor 11 is preferably constituted by at least one spongy body designed to collect the residual liquid or dirty water and to transmit it, by gravity, to the liquid collection tank 12. Preferably, the absorbent substrate and residual liquid conductor 11 is made of a textile material of natural or synthetic materials, or a compact material such as natural sponge or synthetic sponge made of microfiber, PP, EPP, PU, PVA, "nylon", silicone, polyester, cellulose, phenolic foam, or the like. This substrate 11 is preferably chosen with shape memory.

The absorbent and residual liquid conducting substrate 11 may be in direct contact with the resilient scraping element 6, which preferably consists of a seal, which makes it possible to avoid the formation of a water line between them , which would remain on the working surface S during the removal of the squeegee 1. The substrate 11 can be protruding and projecting beyond the resilient scraping element 6. When it is applied to the working surface S, it is then compressed, and all the better follows the deformations of the resilient scraping element 6.

The scraping element 6 advantageously comprises, according to the patent application FR 2 909 275 of the same depositor, a scraping edge shaped as a V deformable V, on one side of which lean grooves or channels designed suitable, on the one hand to guide the liquid or gas to the contact zone with the surface to be cleaned, or / and secondly to facilitate drainage in the absorbent substrate 11 by adding air. It is then possible to add an absorbent substrate directly under this scraping element, which is then held in front of the surface S to be cleaned by the angle or shape of the profile of this scraping edge. This system is particularly well suited for very small devices, very compact and lightweight, designed to be held at arm's length.

The ergonomics of the squeegee 1 according to the invention is designed so that, in a preferred manual version of the squeegee 1, its center of gravity is located at the user's hand or below it. In particular, the squeegee 1 preferably comprises a handle 15 in the upper part 16. This handle 15 advantageously comprises at least a portion of the clean water tank 2 and / or the collection tank 12.

The liquid collection tank 12 is preferably located in the lower part 17 of the squeegee 1, and advantageously comprises backflow prevention means to prevent any backflow of water when rocking the apparatus. These backflow prevention means comprise an inlet 18 towards the top of the latter or / and a non-return valve, or similar.

Advantageously, the scraper 1 comprises an accumulation chamber 19 between the absorbent substrate and the residual liquid conductor 11 and the liquid collection pipe 20.

In a particular version, the squeegee 1 comprises at least one rolling means, such as a roller or the like, designed capable of rolling on the work surface. Advantageously, the scraping body 5 constitutes a pivoting head 13 by counterweight, thus avoiding the use of a return mechanism. The conjugation of this rolling means and this counterweighted swivel head allows a low cost manufacturing version.

Such rolling means may be constituted by a roller lined with absorbent substrate, placed under the scraper element 6, this roller also having anti-slip and non-slip surfaces, for example sufficiently compressible rubber, so as to roll while descending along the surface to be cleaned, and collecting the residues which are also expressed towards the liquid collection pipe 20 under the effect of the compression of this roller during its inverted rolling movement.

The figure 17 shows a rotating substrate 111 about an axis of rotation 112, subjected to the action of elastic return means 44 and pivoting means 45 not shown in the figure. The fluid injection is made under the rotating substrate 111, and / or between the rotating substrate and the scraping member. The means for collecting residual liquid 10 are constituted by a pipe 20. During its rotation, the movement of the scraper element downwards rotates the rotary substrate 111 in the opposite direction, which causes the residues under the element This embodiment is also very suitable for connection to suction means at the level of the latter: the liquids are sucked continuously in the case of an ejection under the absorbent substrate. This principle shows its effectiveness for cleaning horizontal S surfaces. It is then possible to combine a double scraping with spraying on the center of the rotating substrate 111, which is combined with at least two scrapers located on either side of its axis of rotation, and which can then work in the vault. comes, while ensuring a flawless finish due to the proximity between the scraper element and the absorbent substrate mounted on articulation, unlike systems of the prior art that can not evacuate the liquid retained by capillarity at the surface to clean.

Preferably, the squeegee 1 comprises means for pumping liquid or clean water 21 manual or electrical designed able to put under pressure the steam from the steam generating means 3, the latter preferably having at least one body of heated.

Preferably, the pivoting head 13, or the scraping body 5 that it may comprise, is isolated from the rest of the scraper 1 by a septum 22 which is traversed by at least one liquid or vapor supply line. 23 and at least one liquid collection pipe 20.

The invention also relates to a household or industrial cleaning device for smooth surfaces comprising at least one such scraper. If the present description has a manual squeegee, particularly useful for cleaning glass surfaces or the like, it is understood that the features of the invention are also applicable to mobile cleaning devices, such as motorized trolleys for scraping dirty water after washing surface soil, or the like. On such devices, the evacuation of dirty water can not be to be done by gravity, is then performed by means of residual liquid suction that includes the device.

In an alternative embodiment, the squeegee 1 thus comprises means for connection to another household appliance of which it constitutes an accessory, for example at the level of a pipe or a hose. This other home appliance, portable or not, may consist of a vacuum cleaner. It may also consist of, or include, a non-aspirating steam generator, it is sufficient that the squeegee 1 comprises means 30 for transporting this steam.

Another home appliance, the squeegee 1 is the accessory, can, again, simply provide additional capacity of clean water or liquid collection for this squeegee 1. The squeegee 1 according to the invention is then portable, manual. It is interesting that the squeegee 1 comprises an onboard liquid collection tank 12.

Indeed, if the user handles the squeegee 1 below another home appliance which it is an accessory, it is thus certain to collect dirty water without the effect of discharge or siphon. The squeegee 1 may, again, comprise only means for generating steam 3, but no clean water tank, the latter then being remote and incorporated into the other household appliance whose squeegee 1 is the accessory, that it comprises only pumping means 21 to bring the clean water 1 to these means 3.

These pumping means 21 may be manual or electrical, and in particular, in the latter case, permanently pressurized clean water, and release by a simple trigger.

In a particular embodiment, whether in the first or the second embodiment of the invention, the apparatus incorporating the squeegee 1, or the squeegee 1 if it constitutes an integrated device as visible on the figures 8 and 15 , comprises a liquid collection reservoir 12 located at an end opposite to the scraper body 5, and comprises backflow prevention means to prevent any backflow of liquid when tipping the scraper 1. These include an inlet 18 oriented towards the body scraper 5 or / and a check valve.

Advantageously a manual squeegee 1 comprises a handle which integrates a reservoir, the liquid of which is extracted, or by simple pressure on the body of this tank, or by means of spraying or injecting liquid or vapor 41, or by a simple nozzle.

The squeegee 1, or the head 13 as the case may be, can be attached to a mast, in particular a telescopic mast, or to a tube of the same type which incorporates the cleaning fluid conducting means and / or the means 20 for collecting dirty water. to the body, comprising at least one liquid reservoir, a household appliance or industrial disposed on the ground or worn by the user. This telescopic tube can be attached to a hose, or be constituted by at least one hose, or can be placed between the body and the head of the appliance, and / or integrate into the tank, in order to reduce the total space while maintaining the space required for a heating body. In an advantageous variant embodiment, the cleaning fluid conducting means and / or the collecting means 20 are in the form of an expandable spiral. In a preferred version, the apparatus thus comprises a mobile body on the ground or worn by the user, for example at the waist or shoulder strap, connected by a hose and / or such a telescopic duct to the scraper member proper . In the case of a mobile body on the ground, it is possible to add suction means, which are separated from the manual squeegee for weight issues, and naturally the squeegee then comprises specific sealing means to this suction circuit which complements the means of gravity collection. It is then possible to scrape soil surfaces. In case of use of suction means, their connection can be advantageously carried out at a suction box receiving the absorbent substrate and the scraping body.

Whether in the first or the second embodiment of the invention, the squeegee 1 may advantageously comprise a single reservoir 67 for the clean liquid and the residual liquid collected. In a version of great simplicity, made possible by the good quality of filtration of the impurities at the absorbent substrate 11 of the squeegee according to the invention, the residual liquid is simply mixed with the clean liquid, a single fluid is circulating. in the apparatus, with filtering of the mixture before expulsion, for example at the level of filtration means, or of a filtering intermediate partition designed to filter the residual liquid, separating a first inlet chamber from this residual liquid and a second chamber of recycled liquid.

In a version where the circuits remain separate, the single tank 67 comprises, as visible on the Figures 13 and 14 , a chamber 65 of clean liquid served by a pipe 63, ending for example with a tube provided with holes or holes including radial, and a chamber 66 of residual liquid served by a pipe 64 connected to the pipe 20 or constituted by she. The chambers 65 and 66 are separated by a deformable flexible partition 62, such as a balloon, fixed around the pipe 63, and in particular fixed to the wall of the tank 67. The losses of liquid are very small, and the total volume constituted by both rooms is almost constant. The figure 13 shows a state at a time previous to that of the figure 14 . This type of tank allows work in all positions, and allows any type of device architecture, including a broom vacuum or sled, the fluid generating tank being positioned closer to the ground.

The figure 16 shows filtration means 190 implanted at such a tank with recycling of the liquid by filtration.

The simplified alternative variant of a single tank without water recycling allows work in all positions.

Advantageously, the electrical appliance comprises means for generating steam which incorporate at least one heating means 180, which comprises a long-armored resistance developed and for example in the form of double U as visible on the figure 18 , so as to surround a chamber 181 which comprises at least one tube 182 traversed by the fluid to be heated, preferably water. The shielded resistor may comprise a shield consisting of a coating and / or a ceramic sheath, or, in a preferred embodiment, powdered ceramic packed around an electrical filament, inside a tube especially metallic.

This heating means 180 advantageously incorporates all or part of the features that can be read in the patent application. FR 2 909 275 , or / and demand FR 2 924 322 both of the same depositor. The tube 182 may be surrounded by another ceramic tube or a ceramic-coated shape, the assembly is overmoulded, in particular in a shell of light alloy, aluminum or the like, or any other suitable material, for example a resin or a plastic material. The tube 182 is preferably inclined to achieve maximum volume reduction.

This tube 182 is advantageously a stainless steel tube, or even light alloy or copper-resistant corrosion-resistant, welded and sealed, and seamless, preventing any corrosive attack of water or liquid on the light alloy shell, containing this shielded resistance, and preventing any leakage that could be related to defective joints or screwing in the light alloy.

The use of welds prevents any problem of tightness in the fluid circulation.

The double insulation, provided on the one hand by a tube or a ceramic sheath, and on the other hand by the insulation itself of the armored resistance, gives the whole of this heating body the possibility of classification in double insulation, said class 2, which makes it possible, by avoiding a grounding conductor, to minimize the constraints related to the power supply cable: cost, flexibility, weight. In a preferred embodiment, there is thus both a seamless stainless steel armor, and a double ceramic shield, and therefore a high reliability and a large secure use, at an economical cost.

The invention has many advantages. The use of steam allows a temperature maintenance in the vicinity of the cleaning zone. The circulation of fluids, especially with their reuse, ensure a renewal of the cleaning flow, and high efficiency. These provisions also make it possible to prevent any fouling of the absorbent substrate used by the invention.

The invention is very simple and provides a very light and maneuverable device. Circulations make it possible to use the laws of gravity for the collection of residues. The invention can do without suction means, which does not prevent it can be coupled to such means, within devices having a movable body on the ground.

Claims (15)

1. Wiper device (1) for a smooth surface, designed capable of being connected to a liquid and/or steam tank (2), and including means for projecting (4) liquid and/or steam onto a work surface through at least one orifice (41), and a wiper body (5) provided with at least one resilient wiper element (6) including at least one ridge (7) formed by the intersection of an edge (8) and a face (9) protruding out of said wiper body (5), which ridge (7) is designed capable of wiping said work surface during a movement imparted to said wiper device (1), said wiper device (1) being also designed capable of collecting washing residues and to this end said wiper body (5) includes, proximate said wiper element (6) and at least at or on a face (9) of the latter, means for collecting residual liquid (10) onto at least one absorbent and residual-liquid conducting substrate (11) connected to a tank (12) by a conduit (20), said means for collecting residual liquid (10) including an end surface (40) designed capable of entering into contact with or in the vicinity of said face (9) of said wiper element (6), wherein said liquid-collecting tank (12) is located at an end opposite said wiper body (5), and includes anti-discharge means for preventing any discharge of liquid when the wiper device (1) is tilted, and which include an inlet (18) facing the wiper body (5) or/and a check valve (195).
2. Wiper device (1) according to claim 1, wherein said means for collecting residual liquid (10) are movable in rotation or/and in translation, either with respect to said wiper head (5), which they are connected to by elastic restoring means (44) and by pivoting means (45) or with respect to an end (42) of said wiper device (1) for gripping by the user or designed capable of being connected to an appliance manipulated by the user.
3. Wiper device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, in the free state, said face (9) and said end surface (40) are spaced apart from each other under the action of said elastic restoring means (44) and said pivoting means (45), and that, under an action of displacement and/or pressure by the user of said wiper device (1) on a work surface, said face (9) and said end surface (40) are brought close to each other.
4. Wiper device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said absorbent substrate (11) is positioned in front of at least a portion of the projection orifice or orifices (41) said projecting means (4) include, so as to be traversed by the liquid or gas flow being projected.
5. Wiper device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said absorbent substrate (11) is positioned above at least a portion of the projection orifice or orifices (41) said projecting means (4) include, so as to be traversed by the liquid or gas flow being projected.
6. Wiper device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said absorbent substrate (11) is positioned below at least a portion of the projection orifice or orifices (41) said projecting means (4) include, so as to be traversed by the liquid or gas flow being projected.
7. Wiper device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least a portion of the projection orifice or orifices said projecting means (4) include are positioned between said face (9) and said end surface (40), so as to be capable of projecting a flow of liquid or gas between the latter.
8. Wiper device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said wiper body (5) includes, in the vicinity of said wiper element (6) and on each face (9A, 9B) of the latter projecting out of said wiper body (5), means for collecting residual liquid (10) onto at least one absorbent and residual-liquid conducting substrate (11) connected by a conduit (20) to a liquid collecting tank.
9. Wiper device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said absorbent and residual-liquid conducting substrate (11) is formed of at least one spongy body designed capable of collecting residual liquid and of transmitting it, by gravity, through a conduit (20) to a liquid collecting tank (12).
10. Wiper device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said absorbent substrate is a substrate (111) rotatable about an axis of rotation (112), subjected to the action of elastic restoring means (44) and pivoting means (45).
11. Wiper device (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said rotary substrate (111) is combined with at least two wiper devices located on both sides of said axis of rotation (112).
12. Wiper device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein it includes an accumulation chamber (19) between said absorbent and residual-liquid conducting substrate (11) and said liquid collecting duct (20).
13. Wiper device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein it includes at least one absorbent substrate (11) directly under a wiper element (6) including a not very deformable V-shaped wiping front edge, on one face of which rest grooves or channels designed capable, on the one hand, of guiding the liquid or the gas to the area of contact with a surface (S) to be cleaned or/and, on the other hand, of facilitating the draining into said absorbent substrate (11) by addition of air, said absorbent substrate (11) being held in front of said surface (S) by the angle or the shape of the profile of said wiping front edge.
14. Wiper device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said conduit (20) is connected to a liquid collecting tank (12), which is a single tank (67) for clean liquid and the collected residual liquid and which includes a clean-liquid chamber (65) served by a conduit (63) provided with orifices, and a residual-liquid chamber (66) served by a conduit (64) connected to said conduit (20) or formed by the latter, said chambers (65) and (66) being separated from each other by a deformable flexible wall (62), such as a membrane, fastened to the wall of said tank (67) around said conduit (63).
15. Wiper device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 14, wherein said conduit (20) is connected to a liquid collecting reservoir (12), which is a single tank (67) for clean liquid and collected residual liquid, the latter being filtered through filtering means or a filtering intermediate partition separating a first chamber for the entering of this residual liquid and a second chamber for recycled liquid.

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