US20120151703A1

US20120151703A1 - Steam mop

Info

Publication number: US20120151703A1
Application number: US13/014,529
Authority: US
Inventors: Oscar Chow
Original assignee: XIOTIN IND Ltd
Current assignee: XIOTIN IND Ltd
Priority date: 2010-12-17
Filing date: 2011-01-26
Publication date: 2012-06-21
Also published as: CN201987488U

Abstract

The present invention provides a steam mop including a mop body, a towel cleaning cushion; and a connection member connecting the towel cleaning cushion to the mop body. Wherein the connection member is a hooks & loops fastener or Velcro tape, and the hooks & loops fastener or Velcro tape has a hook portion directly connected with the towel cleaning cushion. The connection member used in the steam mop in the present invention is a special Velcro tape which is very easy to directly adhere to the towel cleaning cushion. Thus, a loop strip attached to the towel cleaning cushion is not needed, thereby avoiding the alignment of the hook portion with the loop strip. Secondly, because no loop strip is attached to the towel cleaning cushion, steam jetted by the steam mop can be fully released in the whole towel cleaning cushion, and the ejection of steam can not be stopped by the loop strip to thus improve the utilization ratio of the steam, thereby influencing the cleaning effect. Finally, a relatively simplified manufacturing process is produced, raw materials are saved, and it is helpful to save cost.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to cleaning tools, and more particularly, to a steam mop.

BACKGROUND

Referring to FIG. 2, a hooks & loops fastener 2 (or Velcro tape) of a conventional steam mop includes a hooks portion 21 configured on a mop body 1 and two pieces of loop strips 22 attached to a towel cleaning cushion 3. The two pieces of loop strips 22 are used to engage with the hooks portion 21 to thereby connect or adhere the towel cleaning cushion 3 to the mop body 1. Specifically, the conventional Velcro tape structure is shown in FIG. 3, including a hook substrate 211, hook necks 212 and hook heads 213 thereof. Each of the hook heads 213 has an inverted cone structure. The hook necks 212 are parallel each another, and two of the hook heads are adjacent each other. The hook heads are inserted into the loop strips by pressing the hook heads to thereby produce a binding force, so the loop strips is enough rough to make the hook heads adhere to the loop strips. More specifically, referring to FIG. 4, when the conventional Velcro hooks portion 21 adheres to the rough loop strip 22, the hook heads 213 are inserted into and engage with the loop strips. This may produce the following questions:
First of all, it is very inconvenient to align the hooks portion 21 with the loop strips 22 to thereby connect a towel cleaning cushion 3 to the mop body 1 before use.
Secondly, because the loop strips 22 are attached to the towel cleaning cushion 3, steam jetted by the steam machine can not be fully released in the whole towel cleaning cushion 3, thus influencing the cleaning effect.
Finally, the loop strips 22 need to be specially configured to increase the process and use of raw materials, thereby increasing production costs.
There is, therefore, a need for a steam mop, which solves the above-mentioned problems.

SUMMARY

A technical problem solved by the present invention is to provide a steam mop which can freely make a hook head of a hook portion engage with or disengage from a towel cleaning cushion without a loop strip attached to the towel cleaning cushion and avoids the alignment of the hook portion with the loop strip in the conventional steam mop.
The above-mentioned technical problems can be solved through the following technical solutions: a steam mop includes a mop body, a towel cleaning cushion; and a connection member connecting the towel cleaning cushion to the mop body. Wherein the connection member is a hooks & loops fastener or Velcro tape, and the hooks & loops fastener or Velcro tape has a hook portion directly connected with the towel cleaning cushion.
Preferably, the hook portion includes a hook substrate and a plurality of hook heads thereon, and a hook portion unit is formed by two hook heads which are crossed each other to form on the hook substrate.
Preferably, the hook head of the hook portion includes a root and a round end located an end of the root, and the diameter of the round end is larger than that of the root.
Preferably, the hook heads are distributed in a matrix arrangement on the hook substrate.
Preferably, the distribution rate of the hook heads is controlled at a range from 60% to 80%.
The steam mop in the present invention provides the following beneficial effects: the connection member used in the steam mop in accordance with the present invention is a special Velcro tape which is very easy to directly adhere to the towel cleaning cushion. Thus, a loop strip attached to the towel cleaning cushion is not needed, thereby avoiding the alignment of the hook portion with the loop strip. Secondly, because no loop strip is attached to the towel cleaning cushion, steam jetted by the steam mop can be fully released in the whole towel cleaning cushion, and the ejection of steam can not be stopped by the loop strip to thus improve the utilization ratio of the steam, thereby influencing the cleaning effect. Finally, a relatively simplified manufacturing process is produced, raw materials are saved, and it is helpful to save cost.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a steam mop in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a conventional steam mop and hooks & loops fastener used in the conventional steam mop;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a hooks portion of the conventional hooks & loops fastener;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a hooks portion of the hooks & loops fastener engaging in loop strips of the conventional hooks & loops fastener;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a steam mop and a hooks & loops fastener used in the steam mop in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a hook portion of the hooks & loops fastener in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a hooks portion of the hooks & loops fastener engaging in the towel cleaning cushion in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Objects, advantages and embodiments of the present invention will be explained below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it is to be appreciated that the following description of the embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.
Referring to FIGS. 1, 5 and 6, the steam mop in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention includes the mop body 1, a towel cleaning cushion 3, and a connection member 2 connecting the towel cleaning cushion 3 to the mop body 1. The connection member 2 may be a hooks & loops fastener or Velcro tape. The hooks & loops fastener has a hook portion 220 directly connected with the towel cleaning cushion 3, instead of a loop strip attached to the towel cleaning cushion 3 corresponding to the hook portion 220.
Compared with the existing technology, the connection member used in the steam mop in accordance with the present invention is a special Velcro tape which is very easy to directly adhere to the towel cleaning cushion. Thus, a loop strip attached to the towel cleaning cushion is not needed, thereby avoiding the alignment of the hook portion with the loop strip. Secondly, because no loop strip is attached to the towel cleaning cushion, steam jetted by the steam mop can be fully released in the whole towel cleaning cushion 3, and the ejection of steam can not be stopped by the loop strip to thus improve the utilization ratio of the steam, thereby influencing the cleaning effect. Finally, a relatively simplified manufacturing process is produced, raw materials are saved, and it is helpful to save cost.
Further, referring to FIG. 6, the hook portion 220 includes a hook substrate 211 and a plurality of hook heads 222 thereon. Each of the hook heads 222 is an arc structure in shape. A hook portion unit is formed by two hook heads 222 which are crossed each other to form on the hook substrate 211. Referring to FIG. 7, the hook portion 220 having the hook head 222 is directly connected to the towel cleaning cushion 3 and the loop strip is not needed. On the one hand, the hook heads 222 is curved to easily hook wool or fabric, on the other hand, the cross-like structure of two hook heads 222 produces a clamping force between the two hook heads 222, thereby making the wool or fabric be clamped. Under the conditions, not only the hook portion is easily inserted in the wool or fabric to adhere to the wool or fabric, but also the adhesion force produced is strong.
Furthermore, also referring to FIG. 6, the hook head 222 of the hook portion includes a root 2221 and a round end 2222 located an end of the root 2221. The diameter of the round end 2222 is larger than that of the root 2221. Thus, a fist-shaped hook head is formed, and the hook head 222 is slightly warped upward to be helpful to clasp the wool-like fabric. Alternatively, the root 2221 is a column in shape, and the root 2221 may be other shape such as be prismatic shape, however it is relatively easy to manufacture for the root 2221 which is a column in shape.
Optimally, the distribution rate of the hook heads 222 of the hook portion should reach a certain high value to effect good adhesion. If the distribution rate is too low, adhesion force produced is too small to meet requirement, in general, the distribution rate which is controlled at a range from 60% to 80% can achieve better bonding effect.
Furthermore, the hook heads 222 are distributed in a matrix arrangement on the hook substrate 211. Subsequently, the uniform bonding force is ensured in a various portion of the Velcro tape to avoid that bonding force of a portion of the Velcro tape is not strong to cause the towel cleaning cushion to easily fall off the Velcro tape. Also, it is more conducive to the production of injection molds.
The Velcro tape used in the steam mop in the present invention, are generally made of plastic materials, and it can be molded via a one-time injection. And, at first, it is often fabricated to a larger area of the plates, and then is cut into different Velcro tapes with various sizes according to the actual requirement.
The present invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit or novel characteristics thereof. The embodiments disclosed in this application are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not limitative. The scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description; and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.

Claims

1. A steam mop comprising:

a mop body;

a towel cleaning cushion; and

a connection member connecting the towel cleaning cushion to the mop body, wherein the connection member is a hooks & loops fastener or Velcro tape, and the hooks & loops fastener or Velcro tape has a hook portion directly connected with the towel cleaning cushion.

2. The steam mop as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hook portion comprises a hook substrate and a plurality of hook heads thereon, and a hook portion unit is formed by two hook heads which are crossed each other to form on the hook substrate.

3. The steam mop as claimed in claim 2, wherein the hook head of the hook portion comprises a root and a round end located an end of the root, and the diameter of the round end is larger than that of the root.

4. The steam mop as claimed in claim 2, wherein the hook heads are distributed in a matrix arrangement on the hook substrate.

5. The steam mop as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distribution rate of the hook heads is controlled at a range from 60% to 80%.

6. A steam mop comprising:

a mop body;

a towel cleaning cushion; and

a hooks & loops fastener connecting the towel cleaning cushion to the mop body, wherein t the hooks & loops fastener has a hook portion directly connected with the towel cleaning cushion, and the hook portion comprises a hook substrate and a plurality of hook heads thereon, and a hook portion unit is formed by two hook heads which are crossed each other to form on the hook substrate.

7. The steam mop as claimed in claim 6, wherein the distribution rate of the hook heads is controlled at a range from 60% to 80%.