AU729688B2 - Process for manufacturing scrubbing mop parts and installation for implementing said process - Google Patents

Description

WO 97/41766 PCT/EP97/01902 1 PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING SCRUBBING MOP PARTS AND INSTALLATION FOR IMPLEMENTING SAID PROCESS

DESCRIPTION

SUBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing scrubbing mop parts which have a plurality of non-woven felt strips which are secured via one of their ends to a small head from which the handle or haft of the mop emerges.

The invention also applies to the installation for implementing said process, which permits complete control and total automation thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The process in most general use currently for assembling the said scrubbing mop parts is a manual one owing to the usual simplicity of the component parts and the high output achieved.

Spanish Patent 452,831 is known and it envisages a process and an apparatus for assembling floor mops in which there are initial stages when a flexible and absorbent material, which forms the floor mop, is cut, said strips later to be grouped together and held in a grouping-together housing of the mop part of the floor mop.

Spanish Patent 477,531 is also known, relating to a machine for the continuous production of floor mops, and it consists basically of a rotary head which has at least three radial arms on which the stages of assembling the floor mop are carried out simultaneously, with an intermediate stage during which the continuous strips of the floor mop are cut, these becoming independent on each element of the floor mop.

Lastly, the Spanish patent with publication number. 8505812 is known, which relates to a machine for WO 97/41766 PCT/EP97/01902 2 producing floor mops of the type made up of bundles of multiple threads. This machine envisages a movable head traversed by the bundle of threads forming the floor mop and this head can adopt two extreme positions at an angle of separation of 90° which permit, with these positions, rolling-up, on the head, of the mop in two perpendicular directions.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The process which the invention proposes is based on a continuous band of non-woven felt, of indefinite length, whose width is double the length envisaged for the strips of the scrubbing mop part and this band may be supplied, for example, in the form of a roll. In this description, as consistent terminology throughout the specification, the scrubbing floorcloth will be used as the unrolled strip forming the scrubbing mop part, before shaping, and the mop part will be used as the scrubbingfloorcloth piece once it has been shaped, by rolling-up, for use. In a first operating stage, said band is subjected to a calendering of its marginal zones with the aim of considerably reducing the thickness of said marginal zones in a non-varying manner. The continuous band is then subjected to a stamping operation during which uniformly distributed transverse cuts are made in the band, spaced apart so as to correspond to the width envisaged for the strips which are to form the floorcloth, this stamping operation mostly affecting the width of the band, specifically with the exception of the calendered marginal zones thereof. The continuous band is then divided into sections of predetermined length, and each one of these undergoes separate processing. More specifically, each of said sections is firstly subjected to a stage during which adhesive is applied to its calendered marginal zones and next subjected to a stage of being rolled up on itself, with controlled pressure on said calendered marginal zones, and, finally, the roll thus obtained is cut transversely through its central WO 97/41766 PCT/EP97/01902 3 zone to obtain two identical scrubbing mop parts which hitherto were opposite each other; a solid core of reduced volume is formed on each one of them, corresponding to the end of the strips where these are joined together via the calendered border to which adhesive has been applied, from which solid core the group of strips forming the actual mop part emerges, expanding radially, its fullness being a function of the length given to the segments during the stage when the continuous band is divided.

To implement this process, provision has been made, at the exit from the reel supplying the non-woven felt band, for there to be a band accumulator with the function of synchronizing and adapting supply speed during changeover operations, a metal detector which prevents possible problems in the line, guaranteeing the integrity of the elements making up the line and which, after a band-centring device, consist of a calender, a transverse cutting die and a splicer for dividing the band. Next there is a conveying line for the band segments, which ends in a discharge tray which, under normal conditions, should be non-operational, as will be seen below, there being a series of branch lines off said conveying line towards respective double mechanisms for applying adhesive which are responsible for impregnating the marginal calendered borders of each band segment with adhesive, there being, beyond said mechanisms for applying adhesive, respective rolling-up mechanisms which convert each continuous-band segment into a body of revolution, with its ends constricted and adhering, there being, immediately beyond these rolling-up mechanisms, a cutting mechanism which divides each body of revolution via its transverse median plane, thereby producing, as aforesaid, two scrubbing mop parts from each of such bodies of revolution.

The existence of these branch lines on the conveying line is due to the fact that the process of applying adhesive, rolling up and cutting the band segments is obviously considerably slower than the WO 97/41766 PCT/EP97/01902 4 initial calendering, stamping and dividing process, various pieces of equipment for applying adhesive, rolling up and cutting being necessary in the installation, assisted by a single calendering, stamping and dividing unit.

The purpose of the abovementioned discharge tray is to collect the continuous-band segments which have been discarded as unusable via means for inspecting the band, on the basis, for example, of the abnormal increase in thickness produced at the join between two continuousband rolls as well as, in addition, a possible excess of continuous-band segments which the equipment for applying adhesive, rolling up and cutting cannot absorb.

This equipment for applying adhesive, rolling up and cutting deposits the scrubbing mop parts obtained on a conveyor, located at a lower level, which in turn discharges the scrubbing mop parts which are oriented in a single line onto another conveyor which connects it with a bagging and boxing line for dispatch, this finishing off the installation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS To supplement the description being given and with a view to assisting better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, the present description is accompanied, as an integral part thereof, by a set of drawings in which the following is shown in an illustrative and non-limiting manner: Figure 1 shows, in a diagrammatic representation in lateral elevation, an installation for implementing the process for manufacturing scrubbing mop parts, which forms the subject of the present invention.

Figure 2 shows, in a diagrammatic representation in plan view, the modifications which the non-woven felt band undergoes during the process.

WO 97/41766 PCT/EP97/01902 5 PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION On examining these figures, it may be seen how the installation which is advocated is based on a continuous band of non-woven felt or of any other material regarded as suitable for producing the scrubbing mop parts in question, and this continuous band may optionally be subjected to the effects of a printer for placing the mark of the final product on it, and in any case is passed through an accumulator which carries out the functions of synchronizing and adapting speeds during changeover operations in the installation.

Next to this accumulator is a metal detector (4) which, in the presence of a foreign body of this type, causes the installation to stop in order to prevent possible damage to the machines which form it, especially the calender, the stamping machine and the splicer, which will be discussed below.

At the exit of the accumulator there is a band-centring device which guarantees correct positioning of said band at the entry of the calender whose heating resistor is assisted by a temperature controller the pressure between the rolls of said calender being set by means of pistonless pneumatic cylinders in order to guarantee complete correspondence between the compressed-air pressure applied and the specific pressure on the material.

This calender generates a pressing action on the two marginal borders of the continuous band as may be seen in Figure 2, thereby considerably reducing the thickness of the borders in said zones.

Immediately afterwards there is a thickness detector (10) formed by a measuring roller, an analogue position sensor and a programmable comparator whose function is to detect the passage of the joins between the end and beginning of rolls of material with the aim of removing them via the discharge tray (11) located at the end of the line.

The continuous band then passes on to a I I WO97/41766 PCTIEP97/01902 6 stamping machine (12) provided with a base roll, corresponding to reference (12) itself, and a stamping roll (13) provided with a plurality of radial cutters which are spaced apart by a distance which is in keeping with the width envisaged for the strips which are to form the scrubbing floorcloth, the length of these cutters being such that they produce cuts (14) in the continuous band which do not affect the marginal zones which are in turn affected by calendering. Next, a splicer makes integral cuts (16) in the continuous band defining in it segments (17) which are dimensionally suitable for producing a pair of scrubbing mop parts, as will be seen below.

Calender stamping machine (12) and splicer (15) are actuated by respective drive units (19) and with suitable supply and control means (21).

At the exit of the splicer (15) there is a conveying line based on two superposed planes of rollers, with segments (23) which tilt with the aid of cylinders (24) so that, via these tilting segments, the conveying line (22) can establish continuity throughout its length, discharging onto the discharge tray (11) or, alternatively, can effect downward deflections towards a series of shaping/cutting mechanisms which, in the practical embodiment shown in Figure 1, are four in number, although this number may vary as a function of the operating speed of said mechanisms compared with the speed of those mechanisms forming the initial part of the machine, i.e. of the calender/stamping machine/splicer line.

More specifically, a conveyor belt with an oblique, downward path, forms part of each of these mechanisms, and it has a mechanism for reducing the width of the band, the latter being faced, from the side, by two mechanisms (25) for applying adhesive which apply a suitable adhesive to the calendered, marginal zones (9) of each segment (17) of the band, there being, beyond these mechanisms (25) for applying adhesive, rolling-up mechanisms (26) which cause the segments (17) to roll up 7 on themselves and, through pressure, the adhering of the end zones of the body of revolution (27) thus obtained, which is shown in Figure 2. This body of revolution (27) is then supplied to a cutting mechanism which is suitably motor-driven just like the rolling-up mechanism whose cutter (29) attacks the body of revolution (27) transversely via its central zone, making in it a cut (30) to separate its two halves, each of which forms a totally finished scrubbing mop part.

Beneath this line of forming mechanisms there is a conveyor (32) which entrains the finished product or scrubbing mop part towards an expulsion unit (33) which conveys the products, in a single line and duly oriented, to the remaining operations of the process, such as 15 bagging, grouping together and boxing for transportation S: and subsequent sale.

It is deemed unnecessary to expand this descrip- S: tion for any expert in the field to understand the scope of the invention and the advantages deriving therefrom.

20 The materials, form, size and arrangement of the elements may be varied provided this does not constitute *a departure from the essential characteristics of the invention.

The terms in which this specification has been drafted must always be taken in their widest and nonlimiting sense.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that that prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in SAustralia.

Claims (7)

1. Process for manufacturing scrubbing mop parts which, based on the use of a non-woven felt band of indefinite length, is essentially characterized in that it comprises the following operational stages: a calendering stage, applied to the marginal zones of the continuous band with the aim of considerably reducing the thickness of said band in said marginal zones in a non-varying manner; V. 10 a stamping stage during which a plurality of transverse cuts (14) are made in the continuous band said cuts being made in said band with the exception of the calendered, marginal zones the gap between these transverse cuts (14) complying with the width envisaged for the strips of the scrubbing mop part to be obtained; dividing the continuous band, by means of total transverse cuts into segments (17) of a length suitable for the volume envisaged for each scrubbing mop part; applying adhesive to the calendered, marginal zones of each segment (17); rolling up each segment (17) on itself, with pressure on its calendered, end zones to which adhesive has been applied, to obtain a body of revolution (27) which is markedly narrowed at its ends; cutting the body of revolution (27) via its transverse median plane (30) to obtain two scrubbing mop parts (31) which are initially opposite each other.

2. Installation for implementing the process for manufacturing scrubbing mop parts of Claim 1, characterized essentially in that it is formed, in operational order, by 9 an accumulator for the continuous band which carries out the functions of synchronizing and adapting speeds during changeover operations, a band-centring device a calendar a stamping machine a splicer and a conveying line which ends in a discharge tray and in which there are a plurality of devices (23) which, upon actuation, deflect downwards towards a series of twin mechanisms, each one of which has an oblique, downward conveyor belt (34) assisted by a mechanism (25) for applying adhesive, a rolling-up mechanism (26) and a cutting mechanism there being, under this unit, a conveying chain (32) which displaces the finished product towards an expulsion unit (33) which supplies the oriented parts in a single line to the bagging and boxing operations prior to 15 their dispatch.

3. Installation for implementing the process for S manufacturing scrubbing mop parts according to Claim 2, •*gS S characterized in that, prior to the accumulator there is a printer for marking the strips which are to form part of the scrubbing mop parts (31).

4. Installation for implementing the process for manufacturing scrubbing mop parts according to Claim 2, characterized in that the calendar assisted by electrical heating resistors has a temperature controlling device and pressure-regulating means based on pistonless pneumatic cylinders.

Installation for implementing the process for manufacturing scrubbing mop parts according to Claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a thickness detector (10)formed by a measuring roller, an analogue position sensor and a programmable comparator, which detects the 10 connections or joins between sectors of the continuous band causing the actuation of the deflecting devices (23) of the conveying line (22) so that the corresponding segments are removed via the end discharge tray (11).

6. Installation for implementing the process for manufacturing scrubbing mop parts according to Claim 2, characterized in that the stamping machine (12) consists of a base roll (12) on which a cutter-carrying roll (13) acts, the cutters of the roll (13) being arranged radially and distributed at equal angles.

7. Installation as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED THIS 28th day of November,

2000. UNILEVER PLC By Its Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE 0 **o *00 0