WO1991016849A1

WO1991016849A1 - Mop and mop holder

Info

Publication number: WO1991016849A1
Application number: PCT/DK1991/000121
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Christian PASBØL
Original assignee: Dit International Hq A/S
Priority date: 1990-05-08
Filing date: 1991-05-08
Publication date: 1991-11-14
Also published as: DK114490D0; AU7861991A

Abstract

A mop or mop pad holder (10) comprises: a support body being of a substantially elongate configuration defining opposite outer ends, said support body defining opposite major side surfaces, a first major side surface constituting a substantially plane outer side surface and a second major side surface being provided with a central connection means for connection to a handle and a pair of fasteners (32, 34) for fastening a mop body or mop pad (30) having opposite free end portions relative to said support body and adjacent to said first major side surface, in which stretched state said free end portions of said mop body or mop pad are arranged enclosing respective opposite outer ends of said support body.

Description

MOP AND MOP HOLDER

The present invention relates to the technical field of mops, mop pad holders, mop bodies and mop pads. In numerous publications, e.g. published British patent application No. 2,204,229, Norwegian patent No. 15687, Norwegian patent No.

145,599, published German patent application No. 22 29 824, published German patent application No. 32 46 161, German utility model application No. G 83 05 881.8, German utility model application No. G 84 34 817.9, German utility model application No. G 84 28 624.5. German utility model application No. G 84 27 537.5, published British patent application No. 2 209 663, US patent No. 3,029,454, US patent No. 3,295,155, US patent No. 3,324,495, US patent No. 4,912,804 and in published international patent application No. PCT/DK88/00093, publication No. WO 89/12419, various mops and mop pad structures are disclosed.

Among these known mop and mop pad structures, some of the mops are collapsible for use in connection with mop wringers or mop squeezing apparatuses, such as the mop wringer disclosed in US patent No.

4,912,804, to which reference is made and which is herewith incorporated in the present specification by reference, and in the corresponding international patent application No. PCT/DK88/00093, publication No. WO 89/12419, as the mops are of a collapsible structure.

From the above and other references, it is known to provide a separate mop body or mop pad, which is fastened to a support body of a mop or a mop pad holder, by means of e.g. snap fasteners, hook-and-loop fasteners, also known as Velcro™ fasteners or the like. The provision of snap fasteners or hook-and-loop fasteners suffer from severe drawbacks. First of all, the provision of fastening means at the mop bodv or mop pad increases the cost of producing the mop body or mop pad. Furthermore, the provision of fastening means constituting separate components of the mop body or mop pad cooperating with corresponding or mating fastening means of the mop or mop pad holder are not totally satisfactory as the mop body or mop pad is often stretched after several periods of use and cleaning resulting in that the used mop body or mop pad mounted on a mop or a mop pad holder is not maintained in the appropriate stretched position relative to the supporting body of the mop or mop pad holder.

The prior art hook-and-loop fasteners suffer from a severe drawback in that the hook-and-loop fasteners themselves have a tendency to be clogged by dirt and dust during the cleaning. Among the above listed references, structures are known according to which the mop body or mop pad is provided with pockets into which the support body of the mop or mop pad holder is introduced and received. These known mop bodies or mop pads provided with pockets are, howewer, not applicable in connection with collapsible mops or mop pad holders, as the mop body or mop pad is simply loosened from the collapsible mop or mop pad holder in case it is attempted to use a mop body or mop pad provided with pockets in connection with a collapsible mop or mop pad holder. Furthermore, the known mop bodies or mop pads provided with pockets suffer from the same drawback as discussed above relating to the maintenance of the mop body or mop pad in a stretched configuration after use and cleaning several times.

An object of the present invention is to provide a mop or mop pad holder and further a mop body or mop pad, which mop or mop pad holder and mop body or mop pad eliminate the above drawbacks and render it possible to provide a mop body or mop pad of an extremely simple structure, yet providing a firm fastening of the mop body or mop pad relative to the mop or mop pad holder and further allowing that a mop body or mop pad which has been stretched due to use and cleaning operations may be arranged in the appropriate stretched arrangement relative to the support body of the mop or mop pad holder. A particular feature of the present invention is that the mop or mop pad holder renders it possible to fix a mop body or mop pad of an extremely simply structure in a reliable manner, which further renders it possible to use the mop or mop pad holder and the mop body or mop pad mounted on the mop or mop pad holder in connection with a mop wringer, such as the mop wringer disclosed in US patent No.

4,912,804.

A particular advantage of the present invention is that the mop body or mop pad may be manufactured from a minimum number of low cost components, such as a looped continuous cloth and a supporting high strength foil, e.g. a foil of woven nylon, which high strength foil in spite of the slipperiness of the material itself may be fastened to the mop or mop pad holder according to the present invention in a reliable manner so as to maintain the mop body or mop pad in a stretched configuration or state relative to the support body of the mop or mop pad holder.

The above object, feature and advantage and further objects, features and advantages which will be evident from the below detailed description of preferred embodiments of the mop or mop pad holder and the mop body or mop pad according to the present invention are obtained in accordance with the teachings of the present invention by a mop or mop pad holder comprising:

a support body being of a substantially elongate configuration defining opposite outer ends, which support body defines opposite major side surfaces, a first major side surface constituting a substantially plane outer side surface and a second major side surface being provided with a central connection means for connection to a handle, and

a pair of fasteners for fastening a mop body or mop pad having opposite free end portions relative to the support body and adjacent to the first major side surface and for maintaining the mop body or mop pad in a stretched state parallel with and supported by the first major side surface, in which stretched state the free end portions of the mop body or mop pad are arranged enclosing respective opposite outer ends of the support body,

a first fastener of the pair of fasteners being arranged at a first end of the opposite outer ends and a second fastener of the pair of fasteners being arranged at a second end of the opposite outer ends, the first and second fasteners being arranged at the second major side surface, each of the fasteners comprising two hinge components constituted by an outer and an inner hinge component, respectively,

the outer hinge component of each of the fasteners comprising an outer hinge component plate defining an outer hinge component end, which outer hinge component plate is hinged to the support body at a respective outer end thereof, the outer hinge component plate being foldable against the second major side surface to a folded position in which the outer hinge component plate is substantially flush with the second major side surface and in which the outer hinge component end is pointing towards the central connection means,

the inner hinge component of each of the fasteners comprising an inner hinge component plate hinged to the support body and being foldable to a locking position in which the inner hinge component plate is folded against the outer hinge component plate for sandwiching the outer hinge component plate between the inner hinge component plate and the second major side surface, each of the inner hinge components further comprising locking means for locking the inner hinge component plate in the locking position,

each of the free end portions of the mop body or mop pad having a first part sandwiched between the outer hinge component plate and the second major side surface and a second part sandwiched between the outer hinge component plate and the inner hinge component plate in the stretched state, in which stretched state the inner hinge component plate is in the locking position. The fasteners of the mop or mop pad holder according to the present invention comprising cooperating inner and outer hinge components render it possible to sandwich the free ends of the mop body or mop pad in a loop between the second major side surface constituting an upper side surface of the support body of the mop or mop pad holder according to the present invention, the outer hinge component plate and further between the outer hinge component plate and the inner hinge component plate which is locked in its locking position.

For increasing the firmness of the maintenance or fixation of the mop body or mop pad relative to the support body of the mop or mop pad holder according to the present invention, the outer hinge component plate of each of said outer components of the pair of fasteners constitutes a two-part foldable hinge component plate comprising a first and a second plate section, which first plate section is hinged to the support body, which second plate section is hinged to the first plate section and defines the outer hinge component end, which second plate section is foldable against the first plate section and is substantially flush with the first plate section in the folded position of the outer hinge component plate, as each of the free end portions of the mop body or mop pad further has a third part sandwiched between the first arid second plate sections of the outer hinge component in the stretched state, and in which stretched state the inner hinge component plate is in the locking position.

The inner hinge component of the fasteners of the mop or mop pad holder according to the present invention may be arranged in any appropriate manner, e.g. hinged to the support body of the mop or mop pad holder at a rim part of the support body, and be foldable transversely relative to the elongate support body. In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the mop or mop pad holder according to the present invention, each of the inner hinge components of the pair of fasteners is, however, preferably hinged to the support body so as to be foldable against a respective outer end of the support body.

The locking means of each of the inner hinge components of the pair of fasteners may be implemented in accordance with numerous locking techniques well known per se , such as snap-fit locking means, cooperating hook locking means, cooperating male and female locking means, pegs and pin locking means, etc. Preferably, the locking means of the inner hinge components of the fasteners of the mop or mop pad holder according to the present invention are, however, preferably implemented as snap-fit locking means and still further preferably implemented comprising a locking hook means supported on the support body and cooperating in the locking position of the inner hinge component with a mating locking part of the inner hinge component plate. The locking part of the inner hinge component plate may in accordance with alternative implementations of the mop or mop pad holder according to the present invention be constituted by a rim part of the inner hinge component plate, which inner hinge component plate preferably in accordance with this particular embodiment or implementation is provided with two rim parts cooperating with respective locking hook means of the support body. Alternatively and preferably, the locking part of the inner hinge component plate is constituted by a rim part of a through-going aperture of the inner hinge component plate.

In order to ensure that the mop body or mop pad is mounted properly and correctly in a stretched state in parallel with the first major side surface or lower side surface of the support body of the mop or mop pad holder according to the present invention, the outer hinge component plate is, further preferably, cranked for providing a stretching of the mop body or mop pad when the outer hinge component is folded to the folded position as the mop body or mop pad is mounted relative to the mop or mop pad holder.

In accordance with the presently preferred embodiment of the mop or mop pad holder according to the present invention, the support body comprises a central hinge component and two wing components, which are hinged to the central hinge component constituting a collapsible structure basically identical to the structure of the mop known from US patent No. 4,912,804. In accordance with the presently preferred embodiment of the mop or mop pad holder according to the present invention, the central connection means is constituted by a ball-and- socket joint or a ball-and-socket like connection between the handle and the support.

The above object, feature and advantage and numerous other obj ects, features and advantages, which will be evident from the below detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the mop or mop pad holder and the mop body or mop pad according to the present invention are further obtained by a mop body or mop pad according to the present invention for use in connection with a mop or mop pad holder according to the present invention, which mop body or mop pad comprises a looped continuous cloth of elongate configuration defining opposite ends, and two foils fastened to respective opposite ends of the looped continuous cloth and extending outwardly from the opposite ends for cooperating with the fasteners of the mop or mop pad holder according to the present invention. In accordance with alternative embodiments of the mop body or mop pad according to the present invention, the two foils constitute two separate components which are fastened to respective opposite ends of the looped continuous cloth and manufactured from high strength foil or sheet material, such as woven nylon.

Alternatively, the foils of the mop body or mop pad according to the present invention may constitute a continuous supporting sheet defining outer side surfaces, and the looped continuous cloth is in accordance with this particular embodiment of the mop body or mop pad according to the present invention fastened to one of the outer side surfaces of the supporting sheet.

As will be readily understood, the mop body or mop pad according to the present invention is of an extremely simple structure which may be manufactured at low cost and still, due to the unique features of the mop or mop pad holder according to the present invention, be fixed to and maintained in the appropriate stretched position relative to the first major side surface or lower side surface of the support body of the mop or mop pad holder irrespective of any stretching or extension of the mop body or mop pad due to numerous cleaning operations.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the drawings, in which

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a mop or a mop pad holder and a mop body or a mop pad implemented in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, the mop or mop pad holder comprising a collapsible supporting structure and two fasteners arranged at opposite ends of the collapsible structure, the mop body or mop pad being arranged at a lower side surface of the mop or mop pad holder,

Figs. 2 and 3 are partly cut away and perspective views of the mop body or mop pad shown in Fig. 1 disclosing a lower side surface and an upper side surface of the mop body or mop pad, respectively, Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the fastener shown in Fig. 1 disclosing a two-part hinge component and a locking component of the fastener and disclosing a lower side surface of the fastener, Fig. 5 is a partly cut away and perspective view of the collapsible structure of the mop or mop pad holder shown in Fig. 1, disclosing a lower side surface of the collapsible supporting structure, and Figs. 6 and 7 partly cut away and perspective views of the mop or mop pad holder shown in Fig. 1 disclosing the operation of arranging and fastening the mop body or mop pad shown in Fig. 1 and in greater detail in Figs. 2 and 3 relative to the mop or mop pad holder shown in Fig. 1 by means of one of the fasteners shown in Fig. 1 and also shown in Fig. 4. In Fig. 1, a mop or mop pad holder implemented in accordance with the present invention is shown designated the reference numeral 10 in its entirety. The mop or mop pad holder 10 is basically of a structure similar to the structure of the mop pad holder described and disclosed in US Patent No. 4,912,804, to which reference is made and which is herewith incorporated in the present specification by reference, and in published international patent application No. PCT/- DK88/00093, published under No. WO 89/12419, and is further preferably used in connection with a mop wringer of the type disclosed in the above mentioned US patent and the above-mentioned international patent application.

The mop or mop pad holder 10 centrally comprises a collapsible support structure comprising two wing components 12 and 14, which are hinged to a central hinge component 16 and which may be swung relative to the central hinge component 16 for collapsing the collapsible support structure. Within a central aperture 18 of the central hinge component 16, a flap component 20 is journalled on a journalling axis not shown on the drawings. The flap component 20 may swing relative to the journalling axis in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the wing components 12 and 14 may swing relative to the central hinge component 16.

To the flap component 20, a tubular component 22 is fixed, which tubular component 22 may further rotate relative to the flap component 20 in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the flap component 20 may rotate relative to the central hinge component 16. As will be readily understood, the flap component 20 provides a journalling of the tubular component 22 relative to the central hinge component 16 similar to a ball-and-socket joint.

To the tubular component 22, a screw cap 24 is mounted, which is provided with an inner thread cooperating and meshing with an outer thread of the tubular component 22. The screw cap 24 serves the purpose of fixing a handle 26, not shown in Fig. 1, however disclosed in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, relative to the tubular component 22. The wing components 12 and 14 are, as mentioned above, hinged to the central hinge component 16 at inner ends thereof. The wing components 12 and 14 are at their outer ends opposite to their inner ends provided with fasteners 32 and 34 for fastening a mop body or mop pad 30 relative to the mop or mop pas holder 10.

The mop body or mop pad 30 is shown in greater detail in Figs. 2 and 3 and comprises a looped continuous cloth 38, which is provided with two foils 36 of a high strength material, such as woven nylon, at each end of the cloth 38. The foils 36 are fixed to the looped continuous cloth 38, e.g. by stitches 40 shown in Fig. 3 or in any other alternative way. The foils 36 shown in Figs. 2 and 3 may, alternatively, constitute a continuous supporting sheet, to which the looped continuous cloth 38 is fastened, e.g. sewn to the continuous sheet by means of stitches. As is evident from Figs. 2 and 3, the mop body or mop pad 30 is of an extremely simple structure comprising three main components, exclusively, viz. two foils 36 and a looped, continuous cloth 38. Contrary to known mop bodies or mop pads, the mop body or mop pad 30 is in accordance with the teachings of the present invention not provided with fastening means, such as the fasteners disclosed in the above mentioned US patent and published international patent application or fasteners such as fasteners of the hook- and-loop type or Velcro™ type. The mop body or mop pad 30 is in accordance with the teachings of the present invention fixed or fastened to the mop or mop pad holder 10 by means of the fasteners 32 and 34.

The mop or mop pad holder 10 shown in Fig. 1 is like the mop or mop pad holder disclosed in the above mentioned US patent and the above mentioned published international patent application collapsible from its position shown in Fig. 1 to a position in which the wing components are collapsed towards one another defining angles of approximately 90° relative to the plane defined by the wing components 12 and 14 shown in Fig. 1 and constituting a continuous extension of the tubular body 22 and further the handle 26. In the collapsed position, the mop body or mop pad 30 defines a loose loop extending from one of the fasteners, e.g. the fastener 32 to the other fastener, e.g. the fastener 34. The mop body or mop pad 30 is maintained in its stretched state adjacent to a continuous lower side surface defined by lower side surfaces of the wing components 12 and 14 by the fasteners 32 and 34, which in accordance with the present invention provide firm grips on the foils 36 of the mop body or mop pad 30 in spite of the slipperiness of the material or the foil itself. thus, e.g. nylon is an extremely slippery material, which is hard to fasten in a surface contact fastener without the provision of separate fasteners such as spikes, snap fasteners, hook-and-loop fasteners, protruding pins or the like.

In order to eliminate any sliding motion of the mop body or mop pad 30 relative to the lower side of the mop or mop pad holder defined by the lower side surfaces of the wing components 12 and 14, the central hinge component 16 is further, as is evident from Fig. 5, provided with outwardly or in the conventional operational mode downwardly protruding pegs 42.

As is evident from Figs. 4 and 5, the fasteners 32 and 34 constitute separate components, which are fastened to the outer ends of the wing components 12 and 14, respectively, by means of cooperating, mating locking means. Thus, each of the fasteners 32 and 34 comprises a central body component 50 with a recess 52 at a lower side surface of the central body component 50. The recess 52 is of a configuration fitting with the outermost end of the wing component 12 or 14, to which the fastener 32 or 34, respectively, is to be fitted or fastened.

As is evident from Fig. 5, the wing component 14 and further the wing component 12 are provided with an aperture 44, in which two bars 46 and 48 are provided. The aperture 44 and the bars 46 and 48 are of a configuration corresponding to and are adapted to interlock or engage with locking components 54 and 56 of the central body 50 of the fastener 34, when the fastener 34 is fitted on the outer end of the wing component 14. The fastener 32 is, as indicated above, of a structure identical to the structure of the fastener 34 and is fitted on and fastened to the outer end of the wing component 12 in a manner identical to the manner in which the fastener 34 is fitted on and fastened to the wing component 14. The central body 50 is further provided with two flaps 58 and 60 for engagement with the lower side surface of the wing component 14 and serving the purpose of further securing the fastener 34 relative to the wing component 14 in its position fitted on and fastened to the outermost end of the wing component 14 as shown in Fig. 1.

As is further evident from Fig. 4, the fastener 34 is in accordance with the teachings of the present invention provided with a two-part hinge component having an outer hinge part 62 and an inner hinge part 64 and further provided with a locking component 66, which two-part hinge component 62, 64 and which locking component 66 extend from opposite ends of the central body part 50 of the fastener 34. The locking component 66 and the identical locking component of the fastener 32, shown in Fig. 1, are at their upper side surfaces provided with an upwardly protruding circumferential wall 68, which encircles an aperture 70 extending through the locking component 66. The wall 68 defines sloping outer surfaces, which serve the purpose of eliminating any risk that a locking hook 72 , which extends through the aperture 70 of the locking component 66, as will be described in greater detail below, meshes with loose electrical cables, data communication cables, telephone wires, etc., which are arranged loosely on a floor to be cleaned by means of the mop or mop pad holder and the mop body or mop pad fastened thereto and consequently for eliminating any risk that the mop or mop pad holder 10 may grip electrical cables and tear an electric apparatus connected to the electrical cable or cables down from a supporting table or the like.

In Figs. 6 and 7, the operation of fastening and fixing the mop body or mop pad 30 relative to the mop or mop pad holder 10 is disclosed. It is to be understood that the mop body or mop pad 30 is fastened to or is about to be fastened to the fastener 34, which is shown in Fig. 1, and which is, however, for the sake of clarity omitted from Figs. 6 and 7. The outer end of the foil 36 shown in Fig. 6 is folded around the outer hinge part 62 of the fastener 32, whereupon the outer hinge part 62 is folded against the inner hinge part 64 whereby the outermost part of the foil 36 is enclosed or sandwiched between adjacent surfaces of the outer hinge part 62 and the inner hinge part 64. The inner hinge part 64 is thereupon folded along its hinged connection with the central body component 50 to a position shown in Fig. 7. Through a cranked portion 74 of the inner hinge part 64, the foil 36 enclosed or sandwiched between the outer and inner hinged parts 62 and 64 is stretched when the inner hinge part 64 - with the outer hinge part 62 folded against the inner hinge part 64 - is folded to the position shown in Fig. 7.

The width of the outer hinge part 62, i.e. the dimension of the outer hinge part 62 measured from the outer end of the outer hinge part to the hinged connection of the outer hinge part 62 with the inner hinge part 64 is somewhat smaller than the width of the inner hinge part 64, the width of which is again smaller than the distance between the locking hook 72 and the hinged connection between the inner hinge part 64 and the central body component 50, the width of the inner hinge part 64 being defined as the dimension of the inner hinge part 64 measured from the hinge connection of the outer hinge part 62 with the inner hinge part 64 to the hinge connection of the inner hinge part 64 with the central body component 50. After the hinged parts 62 and 64 are folded to their positions shown in Fig. 7, the locking component 66, which is provided with reinforcing ribs 76 at its inner or lower side surface is swung from an upright position against the central body part 50 of the fastener 32. As the locking component 66 is brought into intimate contact with an upper exposed side surface 80 of the foil 36, which side surface is shown in Fig. 7, the locking component 66 and its inner reinforcing ribs 76 are forced against the upper side surface 80 of the foil 36 providing a firm grip with the foil 36 and consequently the entire mop body or mop pad. The locking component 56 is fixed in its position gripping and fixing the foil 36 of the mop body or mop pad 30 relative to the mop or mop pad holder 10, as the locking hook 72 engages with and locks with the locking component 66. The locking hook 72 is, as will be readily understood, of a compliant structure which is deformed from its normal position extending substantially perpendicularly outwardly from the upper side surface of the central body component 50, when the locking component 66 is pressed against the upper side surface 80 of the foil 36. The deformation of the locking hook 72 from its normal perpendicular position is provided by a sloping surface 78 of a locking hook 72, which sloping surface 78 is engaging with an aperture defining rim part of the locking component 66 causing the deformation of the locking hook 72 which locking hook 72 eventually is spring biassed to a locking position shown in Fig. 1. As the locking hook 72 locks the locking component 66 in its position shown in Fig. 1, the locking component 66 is resiliently deformed causing a biassed locking of the locking hook 72 relative to the locking component 66 and further of the locking component 66 relative to the foil 36 of the mop body or mop pad 30, which foil 36 has its outer end enclosed or sandwiched between the lower side surface of the locking component 66 and the upper side surface of the central body part 50 and further enclosed or sandwiched between the hinge parts 62 and 64.

It is to be realised that the terms "upper" and "lower" as used in the present context refer to the normal position of the mop or mop pad holder 10 arranged on a substantially horizontal floor. Thus, the term "lower" as referring to surfaces of the mop or mop pad holder and the mop body or mop pad 10 and 30 refer to those surfaces which are normally brought into contact with the floor, while the "upper" surfaces of the mop or mop pad holder 10 and the mop body or mop pad 30 are facing upwardly from the floor and normally not brought into contact with the floor.

Although the mop or mop pad holder, the fastener of the mop pad holder and further the mop body or mop pad according to the present invention have been described above with reference to specific, preferred embodiments thereof, the present specification is by no means to be construed limiting the present invention to the above embodiments, as numerous modifications of the above embodiments are obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and aim of the present invention as defined in the appending claims. Thus, in an alternative or modified embodiment the locking hook 72 described above may be substituted by or implemented by a pair of locking means constituted by snap fasteners provided at the outer edges of the central body part 50 opposite to the flaps 58 and 68 and engaging with rim parts of the locking component 66 when the locking component 66 is in its position shown in Fig. 1.

Claims

1. A mop or mop pad holder comprising:

a support body being of a substantially elongate configuration defining opposite outer ends said support body defining opposite major side surfaces, a f or side surface constituting a substantially plane outer side surface and a second major side surface being provided with a central connection means for connection to a handle, and

a pair of fasteners for fastening a mop body or mop pad having opposite free end portions relative to said support body and adjacent to said first major side surface and for maintaining said mop body or mop pad in a stretched state parallel with and supported by said first major side surface, in which stretched state said free end portions of said mop body or mop pad are arranged enclosing respective opposite outer ends of said support body,

a first fastener of said pair of fasteners being arranged at a first end of said opposite outer ends and a second fastener of said pair of fasteners being arranged at a second end of said opposite outer ends, said first and second fasteners being arranged at said second major side surface, each of said fasteners comprising two hinge components constituted by an outer and an inner hinge component, respectively,

said outer hinge component of each of said fasteners comprising an outer hinge component plate defining an outer hinge component end, which outer hinge component plate is hinged to said support body at a respective outer end thereof, said outer hinge component plate being foldable against said second major side surface to a folded position in which said outer hinge component plate is substantially flush with said second major side surface and in which said outer hinge component end is pointing towards said central connection means,

said inner hinge component of each of said fasteners comprising an inner hinge component plate hinged to said support body and being foldable to a locking position in which said inner hinge component plate is folded against said outer hinge component plate for sandwiching said outer hinge component plate between said inner hinge component plate and said second major side surface, each of said inner hinge components further comprising locking means for locking said inner hinge component plate in said locking position,

each of said free end portions of said mop body or mop pad having a first part sandwiched between said outer hinge component plate and said second major side surface and a second part sandwiched between said outer hinge component plate and said inner hinge component plate in said stretched state, in which stretched state said inner hinge component plate is in said locking position.

2. A mop or mop pad holder according to claim 1, said outer hinge component plate of each of said outer components of said pair of fasteners constituting a two-part foldable hinge component plate comprising a first and a second plate section said first plate section being hinged to said support body, said second plate section being hinged to said first plate section and defining said outer hinge component end, said second plate section being foldable against said first plate section and being substantially flush with said first plate section in said folded position of said outer hinge component plate, each of said free end portions of said mop body or mop pad further having a third part sandwiched between said first and second plate sections of said outer hinge component plate in said stretched state, in which stretched state said inner hinge component plate is in said locking position.

3. A mop or mop pad holder according to any of the claims 1 or 2, each of said inner hinge components of said pair of fasteners being hinged to said support body so as to be foldable against a respective outer end of said support body.

4. A mop or mop pad holder according to any of the claims 1-3, said locking means of each of said inner hinge components of said pair of fasteners comprising a snap-fit locking means.

5. A mop or mop pad holder according to any of the claims 1-4, said locking means of each of said inner hinge components of said pair of fasteners comprising a locking hook means supported on said support body and cooperating, in said locking position of said inner hinge component, with a mating locking part of said inner hinge component plate.

6. A mop or mop pad holder according to claim 5, said locking part of said inner hinge component plate being constituted by a rim part of said inner hinge component plate.

7. A mop or mop pad holder according to claim 5, said locking part of said inner hinge component plate being constituted by a rim part of a through-going aperture of said inner hinge component plate.

8. A mop or mop pad holder cording to any of the claims 1-7, said outer hinge component plate being cranked for providing a stretching of said mop body or mop pad when said outer hinge component is folded to said folded position.

9. A mop or mop pad holder according to any of the claims 1-8, said support body comprising a central hinge component and two wing components, which are hinged to said central hinge component constituting a collapsible structure.

10. A mop or mop pad holder according to any of the claims 1-9, said central connection means constituting a ball-and-socket joint between said handle and said support body.

11. A mop body or mop pad for use in connection with a mop or mop pad holder according to any of the preceding claims, said mop body or mop pad comprising a central looped continuous cloth of an elongate configuration defining opposite ends, and two foils fastened to respective opposite ends of said looped continuous cloth and extending outwardly from said opposite ends for cooperating with said fasteners of said mop or mop pad holder according to any of the preceding claims.

12. A mop body or a mop pad according to claim 11, said foils of said mop body or mop pad constituting a continuous supporting sheet defining outer side surfaces, said loop continuous cloth being fastened to one of said outer side surfaces of said supporting sheet.