EP2623012B1 - Maintenance item and cleaning device including such a maintenance item - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to the technical field of maintenance articles for cleaning floor surfaces as well as cleaning devices for the implementation of such maintenance articles.

When it is desired to clean a floor surface, it is known to use cleaning articles comprising, according to their lower cleaning surface, a textile consisting of loops and / or microfibre bristles and fibers having a titration greater than 1 dtex, also referred to as scraping fibers. Microfibers are known to form an extremely dense capillary network which gives them excellent liquid absorption and good recovery of smaller particles such as dust. Microfibers in the present text include all fibers whose titration is less than 1 dtex.

The loops or bristles formed by fibers having a titration greater than 1 dtex confer an abrasive or scratching power to said maintenance article in order to detach any dirt disposed on the surface to be cleaned.

The microfibres have an absorbing power such that if they constitute the entire cleaning surface, the maintenance article handled remotely using the tray of a broom adheres so strongly on the floor to be cleaned, especially when the maintenance item is wet, that the user no longer manages to move the article (it speaks of "suction effect" generated by the capillary network).

To overcome this drawback, scraping fibers having a titration greater than 1 dtex are alternately arranged with said microfibers. Scraping fibers having a higher titration than microfibres are stiffer and form fulcrums according to the so-called cleaning surface on which the maintenance article can slide on the floor surface to be cleaned.

Generally, such maintenance articles comprise according to their lower surfaces - intended to form the so-called cleaning surface coming into contact with the ground - about 50% by weight of microfibers with respect to the proportion by weight of fibers on said lower faces, the remainder being fibers having a titration greater than 1 dtex.

These maintenance articles may be laminated with a foam or comprise other absorbent textile panels disposed on their upper faces.

Such maintenance articles are thus limited in the amount of microfibers that their cleaning surfaces may have as well as in their fineness (or titration in dtex). In fact, the finer the microfibers (i.e., the lower their titration (dtex)), the better they absorb liquids and recover the dust present on the ground, but the more they tend to adhere to the floor cleaning surface.

Moreover, since microfibers have a higher absorption and recovery capacity than scratching fibers, there is therefore an interest in seeking the optimization of their quantity and / or fineness according to the cleaning surface of the articles. interview.

DE 103 27 584 discloses a cleaning article comprising on one of its faces two parts. The fibers coating these sections have a fineness ranging from 0.1 to 10 dtex, and preferably between 0.1 and 3 dtex. EP 0.925.399 discloses a textile structure comprising a support material which is projected fibers having different fineness can thus form up to three different zones repeating on the surface of said support. The present invention overcomes all or part of the aforementioned problems in that it has for its object, in a first aspect, a maintenance article for cleaning a floor surface comprising a front portion and a rear portion in the extension l one of the other and having respective upper and lower faces, said lower faces defining a so-called cleaning surface. The front part comprises projecting on its underside microfibers and scraping fibers having a titration greater than 1 dtex, the rear part comprises projecting on its underside microfibers, and optionally scraping fibers having a titration greater than 1 dtex. The average T1 (dtex) titration of microfibers and scraping fibers on said lower face of the front part is greater than or equal to 0.5 dtex, while the average T2 (dtex) titration of the microfibers, and possibly scraping fibers, on said lower face of the rear part is less than or equal to 2 dtex. The average titration T1 (dtex) is different from the average titration T2 (dtex).

It is understood by average titration of the fibers present on the so-called cleaning surface, the weight average of the titrations of the various fibers.

Fiber means a fiber or filament.

The lower faces of the front and rear parts are in the extension of each other also.

The microfibres and the scraping fibers are preferably chosen from the following polymers, alone or in combination: polyamide 6, polyamide 6-6, polyamide 4-6 or 12, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene and polyethylene.

The microfibers preferably have a titration of less than 1 dtex, preferably less than or equal to 0.87 dtex. Preferably, the microfibers have a titration of 0.56 dtex or 0.2 dtex. Preferably, when the microfibers have a titration of 0.2 dtex, they comprise a blend of polyethylene terephthalate and polyamide 6 or 6-6 fibers. This mixture is in particular due to their manufacturing process of extruding filaments having a structure of orange quarters, which quarters are subsequently separated (the quarters being polyethylene terephthalate, the interface between two adjacent quarters being made of polyamide ).

The scraping fibers preferably have a titration greater than 1 dtex, preferably greater than or equal to 4 dtex. Even more preferably, the scraping fibers have a titration of 10 dtex or 30 dtex.

• NF G01-001 : Expression de la masse linéique - Système TEX ;
• NF EN ISO 1973 : Détermination de la masse linéique : méthode gravimétrique et méthode au vibroscope ;
• ISO 7211-5 : 1984 : Tissus. Construction. Méthode d'analyse. Partie 5 : détermination de la masse linéique d'un fil prélevé dans un tissu.

The calculation of the titration of a fiber is well known to those skilled in the art, there are numerous standards which make it possible to calculate it, of which including the following non-exhaustive standards:

• NF G01-001: Linear mass expression - TEX system;
• NF EN ISO 1973: Determination of linear density: gravimetric method and vibroscope method;
• ISO 7211-5: 1984: Fabrics. Construction. Method of analysis. Part 5: Determination of the linear density of a yarn taken from a fabric.

The values given in this text are indicated at plus or minus 10%.

Advantageously, the capillary network between the front and rear parts is differentiated, the maintenance article has a power of adhesion on the different floor cleaning surface between the lower face of the front part and the lower face of the rear part. , and therefore a capacity for recovery and absorption of different soils between these parts.

The titration intervals specified for each of the parts give the lower face of the front part the slip function on the floor surface to be cleaned. The lower face of the front part thus forms the "attack" face, that is to say the face from which the user slides the maintenance item on the ground surface.

The inventors have thus surprisingly observed that the underside of the front part takes off the stains and recovers them thanks to the microfibres which it comprises and that the lower face of the rear part recovers even more dust and other soils than that of the front part. This finding is made visually.

In addition, the user has no difficulty in sliding the maintenance item on the ground surface as it begins the movement of said article according to its so-called cleaning surface by the underside of the front portion.

The rear and front parts are joined according to one of their edges longitudinal, by any means of joining known from the state of the art. The front and rear parts can be secured for example by sewing (for example overlocking), ultrasonic welding or heat sealing.

The front and rear portions are made of a common textile panel or preferably each of at least one textile panel, which may be a fabric or a knit, preferably a fabric or knit with loops or bristles projecting into the fabric. less of their lower surfaces forming the lower surface called cleaning.

The values specified for the average titrations or the proportions by weight of fibers are calculated in relation to the fibers present on the lower surfaces of the front and rear parts.

The article of maintenance preferably comprises an intermediate layer, for example in one or more textile panels comprising microfibers or in a foam, disposed on the upper faces of the front and rear parts then forming a lower layer. The maintenance article may also comprise an upper layer disposed on the intermediate layer, comprising fastening means adapted to cooperate with complementary fastening means arranged on the plate of a broom.

Alternatively, the average titration T1 (dtex) is greater than the average titration T2 (dtex).

Advantageously, the lower face of the rear part comprises more microfibers than the lower face of the front part, and therefore has absorption and dirt recovery properties greater than those of the front part.

The maintenance article according to the invention thus makes it possible to improve the cleaning efficiency.

In a variant, the lower face of the rear part comprises a proportion by weight of microfibers with respect to the total weight of the fibers projecting from the underside of the rear portion which is greater than the proportion by weight of microfibers of the lower face of the front portion relative to the total weight of the fibers projecting from the underside of the front portion.

The rear portion comprises on its underside finer fibers than the fibers of the underside of the front part, which allows the latter to provide a more developed capillary network than that of the front part.

In a variant, the microfibers and the scraping fibers on the lower face of the front part are alternated repeatedly in at least one first given pattern, and the microfibers, and possibly the scraping fibers, on the lower face of the part are alternately repeated in at least a second given pattern, the first pattern being different from the second pattern.

This arrangement promotes the slipperiness of the maintenance article on the floor surface to be cleaned.

The term "pattern" refers to any particular arrangement, particularly geometric, repeated according to the underside of the maintenance article.

A first pattern may be different from a second pattern although the arrangement of the loops is the same, as long as these two patterns are visually different (the differentiation is possible because of the titration of the fibers, their color and their arrangement on the underside of the front or rear part). In this case, lines of microfiber loops will be visually different from lines of scraping fiber loops because of the different titration between the fibers in question.

In a sub-variant, the front portion and / or the rear portion may have, on their lower faces, microfibers and / or scraping fibers arranged in at least two patterns.

For example, the front part may comprise, according to its underside, a first band of continuous lines of loops and / or first scratch fiber bristles constituting a first pattern, then a second strip of continuous lines of loops and / or microfibre bristles alternated with continuous lines of loops and / or scraping fiber bristles forming a second pattern.

In this case, the rear portion preferably comprises a band of continuous lines of loops and / or microfiber bristles forming a second pattern.

In a variant, the first and second patterns are chosen from: alternating continuous or discontinuous lines of microfibers and / or scraping fibers, microfiber zigzags and / or scraping fibers, islands or localized zones of fibers scratching or microfiber.

In a variant, the lower faces of the front and rear portions comprise loops and / or bristles free of microfibers and / or scraping fibers.

In a variant, the lower face of the rear portion comprises at least 80%, preferably at least 90%, by weight of microfibers relative to the total weight of the fibers projecting from its lower face.

The lower faces of the front and rear portions of the maintenance article according to the invention thus make it possible to present a large amount of microfibers by weight optimizing the capacity of absorption and recovery of soiling of the article of maintenance.

In a variant, the underside of the front portion comprises at least 50% by weight, preferably at least 60% by weight, of microfibers relative to the total weight of the fibers projecting from its lower face.

In the state of the art, a maintenance article for cleaning a floor surface generally comprises about 50% by weight of microfibres projecting on its underside, or sometimes 30% by weight relative to the total weight of the fibers projecting from his face lower.

The lower faces of the front and rear parts according to the invention thus preferably comprise at least 50%, preferably at least 60%, by weight of microfibers with respect to the total weight of the fibers projecting from said lower faces. This arrangement thus considerably improves the efficiency of the cleaning.

In a variant, the maintenance article comprises fastening means capable of cooperating with complementary fastening means arranged on the plate of a broom.

These attachment means may be lateral pockets adapted to cooperate with the lateral ends of the tray of a brush, or tabs disposed on the lateral edges of the maintenance article and projecting on the upper faces of the front parts and back for their cooperation with eyelets, or other equivalent means disposed on the lateral ends of the tray of a broom. The fastening means may also be a system of complementary magnets reported on tabs disposed on the maintenance article and on the broom plate or fasteners of the type of loops and hooks adapted to cooperate together for their removable attachment.

Alternatively, the upper faces of the front and rear portions are coated with a textile panel, including a three-dimensional knit, having loops with which hooks can cooperate for their attachment. In particular, hooks supported by the tray of a broom.

In a variant, the maintenance article comprises a foam or a textile panel, comprising microfibres, disposed on the upper face of the rear part, and possibly the front part.

The said textile panel may be a fabric or a knit. Preferably, the foam or the textile panel thus forms an intermediate layer disposed on the upper face of the front part and possibly the rear portion, and between the latter and an outer layer, said outer layer is preferably a three-dimensional knit and / or has attachment means adapted to cooperate with those reported on the tray of a broom.

The subject of the present invention is also, according to a second aspect, a cleaning device comprising a maintenance article according to one of the preceding embodiments comprising a broom equipped with a handle provided at its distal end with a plate, of which the dimensions are of the order of those of the maintenance article according to the invention.

The maintenance article and therefore the tray that is intended for it may have a rectangular or trapezoidal shape.

The present invention will be better understood on reading three non-limiting examples of embodiment. In the following exemplary embodiments, the percentage by weight of fibers of the lower face of the front or rear portion is given relative to the total weight of the fibers projecting from said lower face of the front or rear part.

The first example of a maintenance article comprises a front portion and a rear portion in the extension of one another and having respective upper and lower faces, said lower faces defining a so-called cleaning surface, the front portion comprises according to its underside of the microfibers and scraping fibers having a titration greater than 1 dtex, the rear portion comprises on its underside microfibres. The average T1 (dtex) titration of the microfibers and scraping fibers on said lower face of the front portion is greater than or equal to 0.5 dtex, the average T2 titer (dtex) of the microfibres on said lower face of the rear portion is less than or equal to 2 dtex and the average titration T1 (dtex) is greater than the average titration T2 (dtex). Indeed, the front part is a velvet warp and weft including an alternation of microfibers and scratching fibers projecting from his face lower and each arranged in a first pattern, for example the microfibers and scraping fibers are alternated in the form of islands. The front part thus includes microfiber bristles and scraping fibers. The lower face of the rear part, in particular a loop chain knit, is made of microfibers, preferably of the 70% / 30% (by weight) proportion of orange-colored polyethylene terephthalate / polyamide blend, having a 0.2 dtex. The microfibers are arranged in continuous lines of loops and thus form a second pattern different from the first pattern.

The front part comprises according to its underside 90% by weight of microfibers. The scraping fibers represent 10% by weight of the surface of the front part. The microfibers of the front part have a titration of 0.56 dtex and are preferably polyethylene terephthalate. The scraping fibers of the front portion have a titration of 30 dtex and are preferably of polyamide. Thus, the average titration (T1) of the front part is equal to (0.9 * 0.56 dtex + 0.1 * 30 dtex =) 3.5 dtex while the average titration (T2) of the rear part is of (1 * 0.2 dtex =) 0.2 dtex.

The rear portion thus has a mean titration (T2) significantly lower than the average titration (T1) of the front portion thus conferring on the front part of the main function of scraping the soil to loosen the dirt and the slipperiness function, and at the rear part the function of absorbing and recovering dirt, partly peeled off and not absorbed by the front part.

The second example of a maintenance article differs from the first example in that the rear part comprises a loop chain knit comprising an alternation of microfibre loops and scraping fiber loops projecting from its lower face and alternating according to a second pattern, for example, intervals comprising several lines of microfibers or scraping fibers, the second pattern being different from said first pattern.

In this specific example, the microfibres and the scraping fibers respectively represent 80% by weight and 20% by weight of the lower surface of the front part, and respectively have a titration of 0.87 dtex and 5 dtex. According to the lower face of the rear part, the proportion by weight of microfibers is greater than that according to the lower face of the front part since it represents 90% by weight of the lower surface of the rear part, thus leaving 10% of scraping fibers. According to the underside of the rear part, the microfibers have a titration of 0.2 dtex and the scraping fibers have a titration of 4 dtex. The average titration (T1) of the fibers according to the lower face of the front portion is thus of the order of 1.69 dtex (= 0.8 * 0.87 dtex + 0.2 * 5 dtex). The average titration (T2) of the fibers according to the lower face of the rear part is 0.58 dtex (= 0.9 * 0.2 dtex + 0.1 * 4 dtex).

The third example of a maintenance article has a front part in a warp and weft knit, having loops and having 50% by weight of microfibers and 50% by weight of scraping fibers. The back is also a warp and weft knit, having loops and having 80% by weight of microfibres and 20% by weight of scraping fibers. In the front and rear parts, the microfibers are preferably of the orange quarter blend type 70% / 30% (by weight) of polyethylene terephthalate / polyamide, and have a titration of 0.2 dtex, while the fibers of scraping are preferably polyethylene terephthalate and have a titration of 4 dtex.

The average of the fiber titration (T1) of the lower face of the front part is thus 2.1 dtex (= 0.5 * 0.2 dtex + 0.5 * 4 dtex). The average fiber titration (T2) of the underside of the back is 1.248 dtex (= 0.8 * 0.2 dtex + 0.2 * 4 dtex).

The three embodiments mentioned above all have the advantage of having a lower face of the rear part with improved properties in terms of absorption of liquids and dirt recovery compared to those provided by the underside of the front portion to improve the quality of cleaning a floor surface while preserving the comfort of the user handling said maintenance item at a distance via the tray of a broom for example.

Claims (10)

1. A maintenance item for cleaning a floor surface, the item comprising a front portion and a rear portion in line with each other, having respective top and bottom faces, said bottom faces defining a "cleaning" surface, the item being characterized in that the front portion includes, projecting from its bottom face, microfibers and scraping fibers of yarn count greater than 1 dtex, and the rear portion includes, projecting from its bottom face, microfibers, and possibly also scraping fibers of yarn count greater than 1 dtex, the mean yarn count T1 (dtex) of the microfibers and of the scraping fibers on said bottom face of the front portion being greater than or equal to 0.5 dtex, and the mean yarn count T2 (dtex) of the microfibers, and optionally of the scraping fibers, on said bottom face of the rear portion being less than or equal to 2 dtex, and in that the mean yarn count T1 (dtex) is different from the mean yarn count T2 (dtex).
2. A maintenance item according to claim 1, characterized in that the mean yarn count T1 (dtex) is greater than the mean yarn count T2 (dtex).
3. A maintenance item according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the bottom face of the rear portion comprises a proportion by weight of microfibers relative to the total weight of fibers projecting from the bottom face of the rear portion that is greater than the proportion by weight of microfibers of the bottom face of the front portion relative to the total weight of fibers projecting from the bottom face of the front portion.
4. A maintenance item according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the microfibers and the scraping fibers on the bottom face of the front portion alternate repeatedly in a first given pattern, and in that the microfibers and the scraping fibers on the bottom face of the rear portion alternate repeatedly in a second given pattern, and in that the first pattern is different from the second pattern.
5. A maintenance item according to claim 4, characterized in that the first and second patterns are selected from: alternating continuous or discontinuous lines of microfibers and/or of scraping fibers, zigzags of microfibers and/or of scraping fibers, and islands or localized zones of scraping fibers or of microfibers.
6. A maintenance item according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the bottom face of the rear portion comprises at least 80%, preferably at least 90%, by weight of microfibers relative to the total weight of fibers projecting from its bottom face.
7. A maintenance item according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the bottom face of the front portion comprises at least 50%, preferably at least 60%, by weight of microfibers relative to the total weight of fibers projecting from its bottom face.
8. A maintenance item according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it includes a foam or a textile panel, comprising microfibers and arranged on the top face of the rear portion, and optionally of the front portion.
9. A cleaning device including a maintenance item according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises a broom fitted with a handle provided with a plate at its distal end of dimensions that are of the same order as the dimensions of the maintenance item.
10. A cleaning device according to claim 9, characterized in that the maintenance item includes attachment means suitable for co-operating with complementary attachment means arranged on the plate of said broom.