TODAY’S PATENT – MOP

TheMOP was invented by Uwe Feld (Graben), Michaela Gerstenlauer (Augsburg), Klaus Huber (Kaufering), Klaus Peter Meier (Kelkheim), Richard Schilling (Rimbach), Hans-Jürgen Wendelken (Sinsheim) on the 3^rd of July 2001 , bearing patent number US6253408B1.

This invention relates to a mop fastened to a mop handle, including a holding device to which a number of relatively mobile, absorbent strips made of a textile material are fixed essentially transversely to the axis of the handle. The absorbent strips, which are fixed in the holding device essentially transversely to the longitudinal direction of the handle, are normally made of a formed cotton fabric. They have essentially no elasticity, particularly in the wet state, and hang down in a freely pendulous way similar to yarn strands.

Because of the lack of fullness of the formed cotton fabric from which they are made, the resulting appearance seems meager. In addition, due to the swinging motion during the course of cleaning floors, there is a latent danger of contact between the plastic holding device and furniture or walls which can lead to mutual damage and is not very satisfactory. Main objective of the present invention is to further develop a mop of the type set forth above such a way that, while avoiding any substantial additional costs in manufacturing, achieves a fuller appearance in the wet state, along with a reduction of the danger of damage to the holding device and/or furniture as a result of any unintentional striking contacts.