CA2285978A1 - Cleaning head of an automatic cleaning device - Google Patents
Cleaning head of an automatic cleaning device Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2285978A1 CA2285978A1 CA002285978A CA2285978A CA2285978A1 CA 2285978 A1 CA2285978 A1 CA 2285978A1 CA 002285978 A CA002285978 A CA 002285978A CA 2285978 A CA2285978 A CA 2285978A CA 2285978 A1 CA2285978 A1 CA 2285978A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- cleaning head
- housing
- struts
- cleaning
- subassembly
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L1/00—Cleaning windows
- A47L1/02—Power-driven machines or devices
Abstract
The cleaning head is connected to the manipulator of an automatic cleaning device via a connecting device so that it has a non-positive fit. Upon impact of the cleaning head, this connecting device permits a relative movement between an interior assembly carrying cleaning elements such as brushes, and the housing, when a predetermined elastic force is exceeded. The deviation is detected by sensors and used as a control signal for the drive device. A
parallel guide arrangement prevents the cleaning head from tilting.
parallel guide arrangement prevents the cleaning head from tilting.
Description
Cleaning Head of an Automatic Cleaning Device The present invention relates to a cleaning head of an automatic cleaning device by means of which window panes, preferably of high buildings, can automatically be cleaned for avoiding labor-intensive, expensive manpower and the exposure to danger.
The cleaning device contains a frame which is movably suspended along the building facade and has arranged thereon a manipulator which e.g. contains carriages that are movable in horizontal and vertical direction, thereby guiding the cleaning head of the cleaning device over a pane to be cleaned. Such a cleaning device is known from DE 195 45 517.7 A1.
The cleaning head may comprise brushes as cleaning means without the invention being restricted thereto. Other cleaning means are also possible; the cleaning head may e.g. be provided with steam nozzles or operate by way of ultrasound.
US-A-3 292 196 discloses an automatic cleaning device containing two horizontal carriers which are movable in vertical guide rails and whose side facing the window pane has attached thereto a strip-like sponge and two strip-like wipers.
Said cleaning means can be pressed by spring-biased plungers onto the pane.
During the cleaning operation the strip-like wipers are first withdrawn against an elastic force, so that only the sponge is guided over the window pane, whereupon at the end of the cleaning operation the wipers are pressed by the plungers against the pane and the cleaning liquid is wiped off from the pane.
AMENDED SHEET
The cleaning device contains a frame which is movably suspended along the building facade and has arranged thereon a manipulator which e.g. contains carriages that are movable in horizontal and vertical direction, thereby guiding the cleaning head of the cleaning device over a pane to be cleaned. Such a cleaning device is known from DE 195 45 517.7 A1.
The cleaning head may comprise brushes as cleaning means without the invention being restricted thereto. Other cleaning means are also possible; the cleaning head may e.g. be provided with steam nozzles or operate by way of ultrasound.
US-A-3 292 196 discloses an automatic cleaning device containing two horizontal carriers which are movable in vertical guide rails and whose side facing the window pane has attached thereto a strip-like sponge and two strip-like wipers.
Said cleaning means can be pressed by spring-biased plungers onto the pane.
During the cleaning operation the strip-like wipers are first withdrawn against an elastic force, so that only the sponge is guided over the window pane, whereupon at the end of the cleaning operation the wipers are pressed by the plungers against the pane and the cleaning liquid is wiped off from the pane.
AMENDED SHEET
It is the object of the present invention to provide an automatic cleaning device whose cleaning head is movable over the surface of a window in such a manner that it performs no undesired pivotal movements relative to said surface and that no problerns will arise upon contact with the window frame.
Under one aspect of the present invention this object is achieved in that the cleaning head is provided within its housing with a subassembly preferably containing the cleaning means, which is movable against elastic force relative to the housing. Such a configuration avoids impact-like forces acting on the housing upon impingement on window frames by dampening the impact in a resilient and elastic manner, preferably after a predetermined elastic force has been exceeded.
Moreover, under a further aspect of the present invention, the relative movement between the inner subassembly of the cleaning head and the approximately cup-shaped housing can be sensed by a sensor means and used as a control signal for the drive of the cleaning head.
When the cleaning head is guided over a free window surface without coming into contact with the edge of the pane, the inner subassembly of the cleaning head is centered by spring means acting in all four directions. The forces of the spring means are so great that the inner subassembly is not deflected from the central initial position, with the cleaning head being guided over the window surface in unhindered fashion.
The invention is not limited to a configuration where the subassembly which is movable relative to the housing contains the cleaning means - though such a configuration is preferred. The subassembly may also be a spring-centered element of a different configuration which is connected to the manipulator either directly or via connection members.
AMENDED SHEET
Under a further aspect of the invention the cleaning head is connected to the manipulator via two pivot struts that are adjacent in the transverse direction (X-direction) and via two pivot struts that are adjacent in the longitudinal direction (Z-direction), the pivot struts of the two pairs of pivot struts converging ih inclined fashion towards each other such that their extended central axes intersect in the plane of the face of the cleaning head. This means that the point of intersection of the compressive and tensile forces to be received by the pivot struts is positioned on the surface of the pane, so that the frictional forces acting on the housing via the plane to be cleaned during movement of the cleaning head will cause not pivotal movements of the cleaning head relative to the pane.
Under one aspect of the present invention this object is achieved in that the cleaning head is provided within its housing with a subassembly preferably containing the cleaning means, which is movable against elastic force relative to the housing. Such a configuration avoids impact-like forces acting on the housing upon impingement on window frames by dampening the impact in a resilient and elastic manner, preferably after a predetermined elastic force has been exceeded.
Moreover, under a further aspect of the present invention, the relative movement between the inner subassembly of the cleaning head and the approximately cup-shaped housing can be sensed by a sensor means and used as a control signal for the drive of the cleaning head.
When the cleaning head is guided over a free window surface without coming into contact with the edge of the pane, the inner subassembly of the cleaning head is centered by spring means acting in all four directions. The forces of the spring means are so great that the inner subassembly is not deflected from the central initial position, with the cleaning head being guided over the window surface in unhindered fashion.
The invention is not limited to a configuration where the subassembly which is movable relative to the housing contains the cleaning means - though such a configuration is preferred. The subassembly may also be a spring-centered element of a different configuration which is connected to the manipulator either directly or via connection members.
AMENDED SHEET
Under a further aspect of the invention the cleaning head is connected to the manipulator via two pivot struts that are adjacent in the transverse direction (X-direction) and via two pivot struts that are adjacent in the longitudinal direction (Z-direction), the pivot struts of the two pairs of pivot struts converging ih inclined fashion towards each other such that their extended central axes intersect in the plane of the face of the cleaning head. This means that the point of intersection of the compressive and tensile forces to be received by the pivot struts is positioned on the surface of the pane, so that the frictional forces acting on the housing via the plane to be cleaned during movement of the cleaning head will cause not pivotal movements of the cleaning head relative to the pane.
This does not mean that the pivot struts must be directly hinged to the manipulator, i.e. to the guiding means connected to the cleaning head, but they may also be force-connected to the manipulator via one or several connecting members:
The two pairs of pivot struts are arranged in the X-plane and the Z-plane, i.e. in symmetry with the point of intersection of the X- and Z-center axes of the cleaning head.
Preferably, all of the pivot struts are arranged at the same angle of inclination.
Said angle may be about 5° to 15°, preferably about 10°, relative to the vertical line.
In a further development of the invention the pivot struts may be hinged with one end to the housing of the cleaning head, e.g. on bearings outwardly projecting from the largely closed rear wall of the housing, while their other end may be hinged to an upper receiving plate. Said receiving plate may be disposed within a frame consisting, for example, of tubes of a rectangular cross-section, with the manipulator being firmly connected via said frame to the subassembly which is arranged within the housing of the cleaning head and is spring-centered in said housing. Preferably, the inner subassembly will only be displaced relative to the housing if a predetermined resilient force is exceeded. This is the case whenever the housing hits against a window frame.
In this development of the invention, the manipulator is firmly connected to the inner subassembly via the frame, which can also be considered as part of the manipulator, so that the inner subassembly is moved by the manipulator, thereby entraining the housing of the cleaning head.
The two pairs of pivot struts are arranged in the X-plane and the Z-plane, i.e. in symmetry with the point of intersection of the X- and Z-center axes of the cleaning head.
Preferably, all of the pivot struts are arranged at the same angle of inclination.
Said angle may be about 5° to 15°, preferably about 10°, relative to the vertical line.
In a further development of the invention the pivot struts may be hinged with one end to the housing of the cleaning head, e.g. on bearings outwardly projecting from the largely closed rear wall of the housing, while their other end may be hinged to an upper receiving plate. Said receiving plate may be disposed within a frame consisting, for example, of tubes of a rectangular cross-section, with the manipulator being firmly connected via said frame to the subassembly which is arranged within the housing of the cleaning head and is spring-centered in said housing. Preferably, the inner subassembly will only be displaced relative to the housing if a predetermined resilient force is exceeded. This is the case whenever the housing hits against a window frame.
In this development of the invention, the manipulator is firmly connected to the inner subassembly via the frame, which can also be considered as part of the manipulator, so that the inner subassembly is moved by the manipulator, thereby entraining the housing of the cleaning head.
However, when the housing impinges on a window frame, a relative movement takes place in the corresponding direction between the inner subassembly and the housing, and it must here be ensured tha the cleaning head will not perform any tilting movements.
To this end a lower bracket means should firmly be connected to the frame, and a parallelogram-type guiding means should be arranged between the lower bracket means and the upper receiving plate to which the pivot struts are secured.
Such a parallelogram-type guiding means may contain four struts that are arranged in parallel with one another and hingedly supported at both sides, said four struts being arranged such that they form the corner points of an imaginary square.
In the non-deflected initial position of the inner subassembly within the housing the struts extend in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the lower bracket means and the upper receiving plate.
The struts may be connected at their ends via universal joints to the bracket means and to the upper receiving plate. However, other joint means may also be used.
Such a parallel guidance makes sure that the frame does not perform any tilting movements during relative movement between the inner subassembly and the housing of the cleaning head, whereby the exertion of tilting forces on the cleaning head is also prevented.
Moreover, according to the invention, two sensor means are arranged between the upper receiving plate and the frame, one of said sensors being operative in the X-direction and one in the Z-direction. These two sensors sense the displacement of the inner subassembly relative to the housing. The relative movement as sensed is used as a control movement for the movement of the cleaning head over the pane, i.e. once for switching off the drive in the direction in which the cleaning head has impinged on the edge of the pane, and once for guiding the cleaning head along the corresponding window edge.
Thanks to the inventive connection between the cleaning head and the manipulator, i.e. the drive unit of the cleaning head, an angular displacement between the cleaning head and a pane to be cleaned can easily be compensated for. Although there may be a great inclination between the pane and the cleaning head with tolerances of e.g. 2 cm over a length of 2 m, the housing will adjust itself to the pane owing to the arrangement of the pivot struts. The pivot struts will only receive tensile and compressive forces, but no bending forces that might cause a tilting movement. Torsional forces, however, will be received.
The connection of the frame to the inner subassembly may be established through openings provided in the rear wall of the housing, said openings being possibly sealed by bellows. For centering the inner subassembly in the center there may be provided two spring means in each direction that will only allow a relative movement between the housing and the inner subassembly after a predetermined force has been exceeded.
Further details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the connection means arranged between a cleaning head and a manipulator of an automatic cleaning device.
Fig. 1 is a partly cut lateral view of a cleaning head with a connection means attached thereto;
Fig. 2 is a top view on the lower part of the housing of the cleaning head and the connection means;
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view through the arrangement of Fig. 1 along line A-A in Fig. 2 on an enlarged scale; and Fig. 4 is a top view on the portion of the upper receiving plate of the arrangement according to Fig. 1.
Figs. 1 to 3 show a cleaning head 1 of an automatic pane cleaning device; what is here of sole interest with respect to said head in convection with the present invention is the generally bell-shaped or cup-shaped housing 2, which is rectangular in ground plan, and a subassembly which is arranged in said housing and generally designated by reference numeral 3, with the subassembly containing cleaning brushes in the illustrated case and being displaceable relative to the housing in all directions by e.g. 18 mm. To this end spring means (not shown in the drawings) which act in the X- and Z-directions are arranged between the subassembly 3 and the housing 2.
The cleaning elements, which need not necessarily be brushes, are attached to a joint carrier 4 which is connected to a manipulator, which will be described further below, for displacing the inner subassembly 3. The cleaning head 1 may e.g. be moved over a window pane by a manipulator which on a frame suspended from a building facade via ropes contains carriages which are movable on rails in the X-direction and the Z-direction and which are e.g. drivable by associated motors by means of belts which are running over rope pulleys mounted at the ends of the rails and are secured with their ends to the carriages. Such a driving or moving means is coupled with the cleaning head 1.
The convection means provided for such a purpose is generally designated in Fig.
1 by the reference numeral 5 and contains a frame 6 which includes two U-shaped tubes 7 of rectangular cross-section that are interconnected via lower brackets 8 whose back wall 9 is attached to the tubes 7, thereby interconnecting the latter, and whose sections 10, which are bent by 90°, hold the lower bearings for parallelogram-type guidance, which will be described further below.
The wall 9 of the two opposite brackets 8 has mounted in the center, e.g. by welding, a respective short support 11 which is passing through the end wall 12 of the housing 2 (at the right side of Fig. 1 ) and is attached, e.g. screwed, welded or the like, to the carrier 4 of the inner subassembly.
To this end the wall 12 has formed therein two openings 13, which are shown in broken line in Fig. 2 (reference numeral 13). These openings permit a displacement of the inner subassembly 3 within the housing 2 of the cleaning head of up to 18 mm in Fig. 2, i.e. upwards and downwards and also to the right and left sides. Hence, the edge of the openings 13 extends at a distance of 18 mm around the outer contour of the supports or tubes 11.
Bellows (not shown in the figures) which tightly surround the supports 11 and permit a movement thereof in the openings 13 are provided for sealing the openings 13.
The U-shaped frames 7 are connected in a manner which is not shown to the manipulator or the drive means of the cleaning head; it is here of course possible that the frames 7 are interconnected by further transverse members or walls.
An upper receiving plate 14, which is shown in a top view in Fig. 4, is connected via four pivot struts 15 to the wall 12 of the housing 2. The lower joints 16 are arranged in crosswise fashion and may be configured in an identical manner -though this is not shown in Fig. 2. The lower joint points may be formed by upwardly (Fig. 3) projecting lugs 17 which are attached to the housing wall and are arranged in pairs side by side, so that one pair of pivot struts 15 is positioned in the Z-plane, while the other pair of pivot struts 15 is arranged in the X-plane, i.e.
each in symmetry with the center point 18 of the cleaning head 1.
The pivot struts 15 of the two pairs of pivot struts are arranged in inclined fashion relative to the vertical at the same angle of about 10° and converge towards each other such that the point of intersection of their center axes 19 rests as an instantaneous pole 20 on the pane 21 (Fig. 3). As a result, the frictional forces that act on the housing 2 while the cleaning head is moving over the pane have not the tendency to initiate a tilting movement of the cleaning head. The pivot struts 15 will only receive tensile and compressive forces, but no bending moments.
Furthermore, the upper receiving plate 14 is connected to the lower brackets 8 via four struts 24 that are provided for parallel guidance. The attachment to the lower brackets 8 and the upper receiving plate 14 is e.g. achieved via universal joints, which are schematically shown in Fig. 2 by way of reference numeral 25.
Furthermore, the upper receiving plate 14 has attached thereto two sensors 26 which are operative between the frame 7 and the receiving plate 14, one of the sensors sensing the relative movement between the inner subassembly 4 and the edge of the housing 2 in the X-direction whereas the other sensor 26 senses the relative movement in the Z-direction. The values sensed are supplied as control signals to the control means of the cleaning head 1.
The apparatus of the invention operates in the following manner: as long as the cleaning head is guided over a window pane to be cleaned without contacting a window frame, the inner subassembly 3 is located in the center position centered by the spring means (not shown). The manipulator transmits the drive force to the inner carrier 4, with the housing being entrained via the spring means which is operative at all sides, as long as the threshold value of the spring means, at which a deflecting movement takes place, is not exceeded. This will only be the case when the housing 2 hits against a window frame.
This state'is shown in Fig. 3. When a peripheral wall 27 of the housing 2 abuts on a pane edge 28, the spring means (not shown) will be deformed, so that the inner subassembly 3 moves towards the associated housing wall 27 up to 18 mm away from the wall, without the invention being limited to such a dimension. Since the frame 5 which is connected to the manipulator or can be regarded as part of the manipulator is firmly connected to the inner subassembly 3, the frame 5 is displaced relative to the housing 2 accordingly, with the frame 5 remaining in a parallel position with respect to itself on account of the parallel guidance of the struts 24 without performing any tilting movements. The displacement between the frame 5 and the upper receiving plate 14 is sensed by the associated sensor 26.
To this end a lower bracket means should firmly be connected to the frame, and a parallelogram-type guiding means should be arranged between the lower bracket means and the upper receiving plate to which the pivot struts are secured.
Such a parallelogram-type guiding means may contain four struts that are arranged in parallel with one another and hingedly supported at both sides, said four struts being arranged such that they form the corner points of an imaginary square.
In the non-deflected initial position of the inner subassembly within the housing the struts extend in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the lower bracket means and the upper receiving plate.
The struts may be connected at their ends via universal joints to the bracket means and to the upper receiving plate. However, other joint means may also be used.
Such a parallel guidance makes sure that the frame does not perform any tilting movements during relative movement between the inner subassembly and the housing of the cleaning head, whereby the exertion of tilting forces on the cleaning head is also prevented.
Moreover, according to the invention, two sensor means are arranged between the upper receiving plate and the frame, one of said sensors being operative in the X-direction and one in the Z-direction. These two sensors sense the displacement of the inner subassembly relative to the housing. The relative movement as sensed is used as a control movement for the movement of the cleaning head over the pane, i.e. once for switching off the drive in the direction in which the cleaning head has impinged on the edge of the pane, and once for guiding the cleaning head along the corresponding window edge.
Thanks to the inventive connection between the cleaning head and the manipulator, i.e. the drive unit of the cleaning head, an angular displacement between the cleaning head and a pane to be cleaned can easily be compensated for. Although there may be a great inclination between the pane and the cleaning head with tolerances of e.g. 2 cm over a length of 2 m, the housing will adjust itself to the pane owing to the arrangement of the pivot struts. The pivot struts will only receive tensile and compressive forces, but no bending forces that might cause a tilting movement. Torsional forces, however, will be received.
The connection of the frame to the inner subassembly may be established through openings provided in the rear wall of the housing, said openings being possibly sealed by bellows. For centering the inner subassembly in the center there may be provided two spring means in each direction that will only allow a relative movement between the housing and the inner subassembly after a predetermined force has been exceeded.
Further details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the connection means arranged between a cleaning head and a manipulator of an automatic cleaning device.
Fig. 1 is a partly cut lateral view of a cleaning head with a connection means attached thereto;
Fig. 2 is a top view on the lower part of the housing of the cleaning head and the connection means;
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view through the arrangement of Fig. 1 along line A-A in Fig. 2 on an enlarged scale; and Fig. 4 is a top view on the portion of the upper receiving plate of the arrangement according to Fig. 1.
Figs. 1 to 3 show a cleaning head 1 of an automatic pane cleaning device; what is here of sole interest with respect to said head in convection with the present invention is the generally bell-shaped or cup-shaped housing 2, which is rectangular in ground plan, and a subassembly which is arranged in said housing and generally designated by reference numeral 3, with the subassembly containing cleaning brushes in the illustrated case and being displaceable relative to the housing in all directions by e.g. 18 mm. To this end spring means (not shown in the drawings) which act in the X- and Z-directions are arranged between the subassembly 3 and the housing 2.
The cleaning elements, which need not necessarily be brushes, are attached to a joint carrier 4 which is connected to a manipulator, which will be described further below, for displacing the inner subassembly 3. The cleaning head 1 may e.g. be moved over a window pane by a manipulator which on a frame suspended from a building facade via ropes contains carriages which are movable on rails in the X-direction and the Z-direction and which are e.g. drivable by associated motors by means of belts which are running over rope pulleys mounted at the ends of the rails and are secured with their ends to the carriages. Such a driving or moving means is coupled with the cleaning head 1.
The convection means provided for such a purpose is generally designated in Fig.
1 by the reference numeral 5 and contains a frame 6 which includes two U-shaped tubes 7 of rectangular cross-section that are interconnected via lower brackets 8 whose back wall 9 is attached to the tubes 7, thereby interconnecting the latter, and whose sections 10, which are bent by 90°, hold the lower bearings for parallelogram-type guidance, which will be described further below.
The wall 9 of the two opposite brackets 8 has mounted in the center, e.g. by welding, a respective short support 11 which is passing through the end wall 12 of the housing 2 (at the right side of Fig. 1 ) and is attached, e.g. screwed, welded or the like, to the carrier 4 of the inner subassembly.
To this end the wall 12 has formed therein two openings 13, which are shown in broken line in Fig. 2 (reference numeral 13). These openings permit a displacement of the inner subassembly 3 within the housing 2 of the cleaning head of up to 18 mm in Fig. 2, i.e. upwards and downwards and also to the right and left sides. Hence, the edge of the openings 13 extends at a distance of 18 mm around the outer contour of the supports or tubes 11.
Bellows (not shown in the figures) which tightly surround the supports 11 and permit a movement thereof in the openings 13 are provided for sealing the openings 13.
The U-shaped frames 7 are connected in a manner which is not shown to the manipulator or the drive means of the cleaning head; it is here of course possible that the frames 7 are interconnected by further transverse members or walls.
An upper receiving plate 14, which is shown in a top view in Fig. 4, is connected via four pivot struts 15 to the wall 12 of the housing 2. The lower joints 16 are arranged in crosswise fashion and may be configured in an identical manner -though this is not shown in Fig. 2. The lower joint points may be formed by upwardly (Fig. 3) projecting lugs 17 which are attached to the housing wall and are arranged in pairs side by side, so that one pair of pivot struts 15 is positioned in the Z-plane, while the other pair of pivot struts 15 is arranged in the X-plane, i.e.
each in symmetry with the center point 18 of the cleaning head 1.
The pivot struts 15 of the two pairs of pivot struts are arranged in inclined fashion relative to the vertical at the same angle of about 10° and converge towards each other such that the point of intersection of their center axes 19 rests as an instantaneous pole 20 on the pane 21 (Fig. 3). As a result, the frictional forces that act on the housing 2 while the cleaning head is moving over the pane have not the tendency to initiate a tilting movement of the cleaning head. The pivot struts 15 will only receive tensile and compressive forces, but no bending moments.
Furthermore, the upper receiving plate 14 is connected to the lower brackets 8 via four struts 24 that are provided for parallel guidance. The attachment to the lower brackets 8 and the upper receiving plate 14 is e.g. achieved via universal joints, which are schematically shown in Fig. 2 by way of reference numeral 25.
Furthermore, the upper receiving plate 14 has attached thereto two sensors 26 which are operative between the frame 7 and the receiving plate 14, one of the sensors sensing the relative movement between the inner subassembly 4 and the edge of the housing 2 in the X-direction whereas the other sensor 26 senses the relative movement in the Z-direction. The values sensed are supplied as control signals to the control means of the cleaning head 1.
The apparatus of the invention operates in the following manner: as long as the cleaning head is guided over a window pane to be cleaned without contacting a window frame, the inner subassembly 3 is located in the center position centered by the spring means (not shown). The manipulator transmits the drive force to the inner carrier 4, with the housing being entrained via the spring means which is operative at all sides, as long as the threshold value of the spring means, at which a deflecting movement takes place, is not exceeded. This will only be the case when the housing 2 hits against a window frame.
This state'is shown in Fig. 3. When a peripheral wall 27 of the housing 2 abuts on a pane edge 28, the spring means (not shown) will be deformed, so that the inner subassembly 3 moves towards the associated housing wall 27 up to 18 mm away from the wall, without the invention being limited to such a dimension. Since the frame 5 which is connected to the manipulator or can be regarded as part of the manipulator is firmly connected to the inner subassembly 3, the frame 5 is displaced relative to the housing 2 accordingly, with the frame 5 remaining in a parallel position with respect to itself on account of the parallel guidance of the struts 24 without performing any tilting movements. The displacement between the frame 5 and the upper receiving plate 14 is sensed by the associated sensor 26.
Claims (12)
1. Automatic cleaning device comprising a cleaning head which is movable by a manipulator over a pane to be cleaned, characterized in that the cleaning head (1) is provided within its housing (2) with a subassembly (3) which is movable against an elastic force relative to the housing (2) in the transverse direction (X-direction) and longitudinal direction (Z-direction) thereof, so that an impact of the housing on a window frame is dampened in a resilient and elastic manner.
2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cleaning head (1) is directly or indirectly connected to the manipulator via two pivot struts (15) positioned in the transverse direction (X-direction) of the head and via two pivot struts (15) positioned side by side in the longitudinal direction (Z-direction) of the head, said pivot struts (15) of the two pairs of pivot struts converging in inclined fashion towards each other in such a manner that the extended center axes thereof intersect in the plane of the face (23) of the cleaning head (1).
3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that all of the pivot struts (15) of the two pairs of pivot struts are arranged at the same angle of inclination.
4. The device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the pivot struts (15) are hinged with one end to the housing (wall 12) of the cleaning head (1) and with the other end thereof to an upper receiving plate (14).
5. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the manipulator is firmly connected via a frame (5) to the inner subassembly (3).
6. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the inner subassembly (3) will only be displaceable relative to the housing (2) if a predetermined elastic force is exceeded.
7. The device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that a lower bracket means (8) is firmly connected to the frame (5) and that a parellogram-type guiding means (24) is arranged between the lower bracket means (8) and the upper receiving plate (14).
8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that the parallelogram-type guiding means contains four struts (24) which are arranged in parallel with one another and hingedly supported at both sides.
9. The device according to claim 8, characterized in that the struts (24) are connected at the ends thereof via universal joints (25) to the bracket means (8) and the upper receiving plate (14).
10. The device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that a sensor (26) which is operative in the X-direction and a sensor (26) which is operative in the Z-direction are arranged between the upper receiving plate (14) and the frame (5).
11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that the relative movement of the inner subassembly (3) as sensed by the sensors (26) is used as a control signal for the movement of the cleaning head (1) over a pane to be cleaned.
12. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the subassembly contains the cleaning means.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE19715564.2 | 1997-04-15 | ||
| DE1997115564 DE19715564C2 (en) | 1997-04-15 | 1997-04-15 | Cleaning head of an automatic cleaning device |
| PCT/DE1998/000963 WO1998046110A2 (en) | 1997-04-15 | 1998-04-04 | Cleaning head of an automatic cleaning device |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2285978A1 true CA2285978A1 (en) | 1998-10-22 |
Family
ID=7826483
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002285978A Abandoned CA2285978A1 (en) | 1997-04-15 | 1998-04-04 | Cleaning head of an automatic cleaning device |
Country Status (5)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0977508A2 (en) |
| AU (1) | AU8009798A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2285978A1 (en) |
| DE (1) | DE19715564C2 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO1998046110A2 (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN105773638A (en) * | 2016-05-17 | 2016-07-20 | 陈映雪 | Robot for cleaning interior architecture based on parallel mechanism |
| CN105881506A (en) * | 2016-05-17 | 2016-08-24 | 朱新科 | Indoor building parallel supporting robot with angle adjustment function |
Families Citing this family (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE19856168C2 (en) * | 1998-12-05 | 2000-12-14 | Dornier Tech Gmbh & Co | Automatic cleaning device |
| DE19861142C2 (en) * | 1998-12-05 | 2002-01-17 | Dornier Tech Gmbh & Co | Automatic cleaning device |
| DE19916820C1 (en) * | 1999-04-14 | 2000-10-05 | Dornier Tech Gmbh & Co | Automatic cleaning unit for building windows and walls has a sensor to detect obstacles and generate a stop signal for the lifting system and a swing mechanism to shift the cleaning head away from the hazard |
| DE19916818C2 (en) * | 1999-04-14 | 2002-01-17 | Dornier Tech Gmbh & Co | Automatic cleaning device |
| JP2003230398A (en) | 2001-12-07 | 2003-08-19 | Daicel Chem Ind Ltd | Method for producing optically active alcohol |
| DE10305611B4 (en) * | 2003-02-11 | 2005-03-17 | Hako-Werke Gmbh | Floor cleaning machine |
Family Cites Families (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3292196A (en) * | 1964-06-22 | 1966-12-20 | Betty J Windorf | Automatic window washer devices |
| JPS5221823B2 (en) * | 1974-02-27 | 1977-06-13 | ||
| JPH0728838B2 (en) * | 1989-05-25 | 1995-04-05 | 日本ビソー株式会社 | Glass cleaning device and control method thereof |
-
1997
- 1997-04-15 DE DE1997115564 patent/DE19715564C2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
1998
- 1998-04-04 EP EP98928138A patent/EP0977508A2/en not_active Ceased
- 1998-04-04 AU AU80097/98A patent/AU8009798A/en not_active Abandoned
- 1998-04-04 WO PCT/DE1998/000963 patent/WO1998046110A2/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1998-04-04 CA CA002285978A patent/CA2285978A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN105773638A (en) * | 2016-05-17 | 2016-07-20 | 陈映雪 | Robot for cleaning interior architecture based on parallel mechanism |
| CN105881506A (en) * | 2016-05-17 | 2016-08-24 | 朱新科 | Indoor building parallel supporting robot with angle adjustment function |
| CN105881506B (en) * | 2016-05-17 | 2017-11-07 | 朱新科 | A kind of interior architecture parallel connection support robot with angle regulating function |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| WO1998046110A2 (en) | 1998-10-22 |
| WO1998046110A3 (en) | 1999-01-28 |
| DE19715564C2 (en) | 1999-10-14 |
| EP0977508A2 (en) | 2000-02-09 |
| AU8009798A (en) | 1998-11-11 |
| DE19715564A1 (en) | 1998-10-22 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Discontinued |