Cleaning tool

Abstract

The disclosure provides an effective technique for enhancing a cleaning effect in a cleaning tool having a cleaning element for cleaning an object to be cleaned. According to a representative cleaning tool, a cleaning element includes a plurality of elongate split cleaning parts having respective insert regions for receiving the holding elements. In an inserted state of the holding elements into the insert regions, the fiber assemblies of the adjacent ones of the split cleaning parts overlap each other in the space in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction.

1 . A cleaning tool for use in cleaning an object to be cleaned comprising:
 an elongate cleaning element holder and   a cleaning element to be attached to the cleaning element holder, wherein:   the cleaning element holder includes a grip to be held by a user and a plurality of holding elements extending from the grip in parallel in a longitudinal direction,   the cleaning element comprises a plurality of elongate split cleaning parts having respective insert regions for receiving the holding elements, and the cleaning element has a space into which the object to be cleaned can be inserted between adjacent ones of the split cleaning parts,   each of the split cleaning parts includes a fiber assembly formed by a plurality of fibers extending in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the split cleaning part, and a nonwoven fabric sheet made of nonwoven fabric, the fiber assembly and the nonwoven fabric sheet being overlaid one on the other and bonded together and   in an inserted state of the holding elements into the insert regions, the fiber assemblies of the adjacent ones of the split cleaning parts overlap each other in the space in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction.   
     
     
         2 . The cleaning tool as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning element is designed such that, in the state in which the cleaning element is not yet attached to the cleaning element holder, a center distance between the adjacent insert regions is longer than a center distance between the adjacent holding elements of the cleaning element holder, and when the holding elements are inserted into the insert regions, the fiber assemblies of the adjacent split cleaning parts move toward each other and thus overlap each other in the space in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         3 . The cleaning tool as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven fabric sheet comprises a plurality of split pieces extending in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the split cleaning parts. 
     
     
         4 . The cleaning tool as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the holding elements comprise an elastic material which allows the adjacent holding elements to be elastically deformed away from each other.