CN113271833A

CN113271833A - Surface cleaning appliance

Info

Publication number: CN113271833A
Application number: CN202080008140.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: F·埃斯皮恩弗兰科
Original assignee: Koninklijke Philips NV
Current assignee: Fansongni Holdings Ltd
Priority date: 2019-01-16
Filing date: 2020-01-09
Publication date: 2021-08-17
Also published as: WO2020148136A1; EP3682785A1; UA126879C2; JP2022508424A; JP7239706B2; EP3876807A1; RU2766974C1; EP3876807B1; BR112021013148A2; US20220061610A1

Abstract

Surface cleaning appliance comprising a Wet Cleaning Unit (WCU) with a wetting unit (WP) and a Brush Unit (BU) for brushing a surface wetted by the wetting unit (WP), the brush unit (BP) having a brush (B) with a plurality of Brush Elements (BE) (e.g. bristles) at an angle of at least 45 °, preferably at least 70 °, to the surface to BE cleaned, and a drive unit for driving the brush in a plane at an angle of at most 45 °, preferably at most 20 °, to the surface. Preferably, the Brush Unit (BU) comprises a plurality of rotating brushes (B) having an axis of rotation at an angle of at least 45 °, preferably at least 70 °, to the surface to BE cleaned, wherein at least 50% of the area defined by the circumference of each brush (B) is provided with Brush Elements (BE). Preferably, adjacent brushes (B) have opposite directions of rotation. Preferably, the brush (B) comprises a gear-shaped element (G). Preferably, the drive unit is arranged for translational movement of the brush (B) relative to the surface cleaning appliance. Preferably, the wet cleaning unit further comprises a Drying Pad (DP), the Brush Unit (BU) being positioned between the wetting unit (WP) and the Drying Pad (DP). Preferably, the surface cleaning appliance further comprises an air inlet aperture (N) positioned before the Wet Cleaning Unit (WCU) in the direction of movement of the surface cleaning appliance.

Description

Surface cleaning appliance

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a surface cleaning appliance, such as a robot (vacuum) cleaner or a nozzle for a canister or stick type vacuum cleaner. In the case of a nozzle, the invention also relates to a vacuum cleaner provided with a nozzle.

Background

Surface cleaning appliances with rotating brushes are known, see for example EP2395894 (attorney docket 2008PF 01877). In this prior art document, the brush has a rotation axis parallel to the surface to be cleaned.

US9414729 discloses a robotic vacuum cleaner comprising a drive mechanism, a fan, electronic control means, a wiper and a housing with a front face extending in a transverse direction and a longitudinal direction perpendicular thereto. The lower side of the housing has a suction opening which extends in the transverse direction. At least four wipers are provided, wherein at least two of the four wipers are arranged on each side of the suction opening, so that at least one subregion of the suction opening is still free of wipers, as seen from the front. At least two of the four wipers provided at each of both sides of the suction port are driven in the same rotational direction. In the sweeper embodiment, the bristles are mounted on the underside of the sweeping disk.

Disclosure of Invention

It is, inter alia, an object of the present invention to provide an improved surface cleaning appliance. The invention is defined by the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

One aspect of the invention provides a surface cleaning appliance comprising a wet cleaning unit having a wetting unit and a brush unit for brushing a surface wetted by the wetting unit, the brush unit having a brush with a plurality of brush elements (e.g. bristles) substantially perpendicular to the surface to be cleaned, i.e. at an angle of at least 45 °, preferably at least 70 °, to the surface to be cleaned, and a drive unit for driving the brush to move in a plane substantially parallel to the surface, i.e. at an angle of at most 45 °, preferably at most 20 °, to the surface. Embodiments of such surface cleaning implements are particularly suitable for cleaning stains on a surface to be cleaned.

Preferably, the brush unit comprises a plurality of rotating brushes having an axis of rotation which is at an angle of at least 45 °, preferably at least 70 °, to the surface to be cleaned, wherein at least 50% of the area defined by the periphery of each brush is provided with brush elements. Preferably, adjacent brushes have opposite directions of rotation. Preferably, the brush comprises a gear-shaped element. Preferably, the drive unit is arranged for translational movement of the brush relative to the surface cleaning appliance. Preferably, the wet cleaning unit further comprises a dry pad, the brush unit being positioned between the wet unit and the dry pad. Preferably, the surface cleaning appliance further comprises an air inlet aperture located before the wet cleaning unit in the direction of movement of the surface cleaning appliance.

Another aspect of the invention provides a vacuum cleaner comprising a nozzle formed by such a surface cleaning appliance, a suction unit for generating an air flow through an air inlet aperture and a dirt separation unit for separating dirt from the air flow.

These and other aspects of the invention are apparent from and will be elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.

Drawings

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a surface cleaning appliance according to the present invention;

figure 2 shows an embodiment of a brush unit for a surface cleaning appliance according to the present invention; and

figure 3 shows adjacent brushes with gear-shaped elements.

Detailed Description

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a surface cleaning appliance according to the present invention. The embodiment is a robotic vacuum cleaner with an air intake in front formed by a vacuum nozzle N. Embodiments also include a brush unit BU comprising a plurality of adjacent brushes B, each brush B having a plurality of brush elements. Preferably, adjacent brushes B leave no gaps between adjacent brushes.

In this embodiment, the brush unit BU is part of a wet cleaning unit WCU, which also comprises a wetting unit WP formed by a wetting pad. The wet cleaning unit WCU may include a drying pad DP. In this embodiment, wetted pad WP is before brush unit BU and dry pad DP is after brush unit BU so that brush B acts on the surface that has been wetted by wetted pad WP. The surface can alternatively be wetted by a wetting unit WP which sprays a cleaning liquid on the surface and/or on the brush B.

The wet pad WP and the dry pad DP are preferably made as described in WO2018/153706 (attorney docket 2017P01665WO), which is incorporated herein by reference, which also describes a single tank that can be used for both clean water and dirty water, such single tank being preferably used for the surface cleaning appliance of the present invention.

In this embodiment, the brush B rotates. They may rotate in a continuous rotation. Alternatively, they may regularly reverse the direction of rotation. Adjacent brushes B may have opposite directions of rotation. Although each brush B may be driven by a separate motor, alternatively only one or two motors may be used to drive the brush unit BU, while the other brushes B are driven by gears, for example as shown in fig. 3, which shows adjacent brushes B having gear-shaped elements G. In the embodiment of fig. 2, it is possible that only the brushes B2 and B5 are directly driven by the respective motors, while the rotation of the other brushes B1, B3, B4, B6 is caused by the gear-shaped element G. The rotational speed is preferably at least 100 revolutions per minute, more preferably at least 800 revolutions per minute. In an embodiment, each brush B has at least 10,000 nylon bristles BE, for example at least 15,000. The length of the bristles BE is preferably between 3mm and 5mm, for example 4.2 mm.

Additionally or alternatively, the brush B may be driven for translational movement, as compared to the surface cleaning appliance, for example by a laterally moving magnet. Preferably, the magnet produces an oscillation frequency of at least 100 Hz.

In this embodiment, the brushes B have respective axes of rotation which are substantially perpendicular to the surface to be cleaned, i.e. each axis of rotation makes an angle of less than 45 °, preferably less than 30 °, with the angle perpendicular to the surface to be cleaned.

In this embodiment, each brush B has a plurality of brush elements BE that are substantially parallel to the rotation axis. Here, the substantial parallelism allows a small deviation of up to 30 °, preferably not more than 20 °. The brush elements BE may BE bristles, as shown in FIG. 3, or they may have the shape shown in FIG. 1.

In this embodiment, the front end of the wet cleaning unit WCU has a slope R against a threshold (thresholds) to cope with the threshold more easily. For the same reason, the front end of the vacuum nozzle N is also inclined.

Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of a brush unit BU for a surface cleaning appliance according to the invention with 6 adjacent brushes B1, B2, B3, B4, B5 and B6, which are mounted at a distance smaller than the maximum diameter of each brush.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a vacuum cleaner including: a nozzle formed by a surface cleaning appliance having a wet cleaning unit with the plurality of brushes and an air intake; a suction unit (e.g., a fan) for generating an air flow through the air intake hole; and a dirt separation unit (e.g., cyclone bag or dust bag) for separating dirt from the airflow.

It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention, and that those skilled in the art will be able to design many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. The brush may have a rectangular shape, for example when it is only subjected to a translational movement. If the control unit within the robot cleaner is able to recognize the presence of a stain on the surface to be cleaned, preferably also the severity of the stain, the drive unit may be controlled in dependence on the result of such recognition. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. The word "comprising" does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those listed in a claim. The word "a" or "an" preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. In the device claim enumerating several means, several of these means may be embodied by one and the same item of hardware. The measures cited in the mutually different dependent claims can advantageously be used in combination.

Claims

1. A surface cleaning appliance comprising a Wet Cleaning Unit (WCU) having a wetting unit (WP), and a Brush Unit (BU) for brushing a surface wetted by the wetting unit (WP), the Brush Unit (BU) having

A brush (B) having a plurality of brush elements which are at an angle of at least 45 DEG, preferably at least 70 DEG, to the surface to be cleaned, and

a drive unit for driving the brush (B) to move in a plane at an angle of at most 45 °, preferably at most 20 °, to the surface, wherein the Wet Cleaning Unit (WCU) further comprises a Drying Pad (DP), the Brush Unit (BU) being positioned between the wetting unit (WP) and the Drying Pad (DP).

2. Surface cleaning appliance according to claim 1, wherein the Brush Unit (BU) comprises a plurality of rotating brushes (B) having a rotational axis which makes an angle of at least 45 °, preferably at least 70 °, with the surface to BE cleaned, wherein at least 50% of the area defined by the periphery of each brush (B) is provided with Brush Elements (BE).

3. A surface cleaning appliance according to claim 2, wherein adjacent brushes (B) have opposite directions of rotation.

4. Surface cleaning appliance according to claim 3, wherein the brush (B) comprises a gear-shaped element (G).

5. Surface cleaning appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the drive unit is provided for translational movement of the brush (B) relative to the surface cleaning appliance.

6. Surface cleaning appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an air inlet aperture (N) located before the Wet Cleaning Unit (WCU) in the direction of movement of the surface cleaning appliance.

7. A vacuum cleaner comprising: a nozzle formed from the surface cleaning appliance of claim 6; a suction unit for generating an air flow through the air intake hole; and a dirt separation unit for separating dirt from the airflow.