CN115605118A

CN115605118A - Cleaning device

Info

Publication number: CN115605118A
Application number: CN202180035425.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: N·韦斯; M·海兰; W·利姆巴赫
Original assignee: Carl Freudenberg KG
Current assignee: Carl Freudenberg KG
Priority date: 2020-05-20
Filing date: 2021-05-10
Publication date: 2023-01-13
Also published as: EP4153020A1; WO2021233702A1; DE102020113656A1; US20230180987A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a cleaning device (1) comprising a base body (2) having an underside (3), wherein the base body (2) is assigned a cleaning body (4) on the underside (3) facing the floor surface to be cleaned, wherein the cleaning body (4) is mounted on the base body (2) so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation (5), wherein the axis of rotation (5) of the cleaning body (4) is oriented perpendicularly to the underside (3), wherein the cleaning body (4) is mounted in the base body (2) such that the axis of rotation (5) can be moved relative to the underside (3) during a cleaning operation along a movement path oriented perpendicularly to the axis of rotation (5).

Description

Cleaning device

Technical Field

The invention relates to a cleaning device comprising a base body having an underside, which is assigned a cleaning body on the underside facing the floor surface to be cleaned, the cleaning body being mounted on the base body so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation, the axis of rotation of the cleaning body being oriented perpendicularly to the underside of the base body.

In addition to the cleaning body, the base body advantageously also has means for allowing the base body to be moved over the floor surface to be cleaned. The device may here comprise rollers or rollers. Furthermore, the rollers or rollers can also be motor-driven. In addition, a handle having a handle may be fixed to the base. Alternatively, the cleaning device may be used for automatic cleaning.

Background

Cleaning devices are known from the prior art in which a cleaning body is rotatably mounted on the underside of a base body, wherein the axis of rotation is oriented perpendicular to the underside. The cleaning bodies are here mostly assigned to the front corners of the base body. Since the cleaning body is mounted so as to be rotatable, the cleaning surface of the cleaning body is mostly rotationally symmetrical, i.e. circular. With this design, there arises a problem that the cleaning body cannot reach the corner of the floor surface to be cleaned, so that dirt may accumulate therein.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the invention to improve a cleaning device of the type mentioned in the introduction such that it has an improved cleaning effect.

This object is achieved by the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments refer to the dependent claims.

In order to achieve this, the cleaning body is mounted in the base body in such a way that the axis of rotation can be moved relative to the underside during the cleaning operation along a movement path oriented perpendicular to the axis of rotation. In other words: the axis of rotation of the cleaning body is moved relative to the base body during the cleaning operation.

In this connection, in the cleaning device according to the invention, the cleaning body is mounted in the base body in such a way that it does not have a fixed axis of rotation, that is to say a fixed position relative to the base body. The cleaning body can thus be rotated in such a way that the corner regions are better accessible.

The axis of rotation preferably follows a circular orbit. Here, the cleaning body oscillates with its axis of rotation along a circular path, wherein the cleaning body performs a superimposed lateral movement in addition to the rotational movement relative to the floor surface to be cleaned. The cleaning result is improved by the superposition of the rotational movement and the lateral movement. Additionally, it is also possible to superimpose a movement of the cleaning device, for example a movement which is realized by a movement or a travel of the cleaning device over the surface to be cleaned.

The cleaning body may be provided with a cleaning pad having a cleaning surface with a contour other than a circle. In this case, it is conceivable for the cleaning surface to have a radius in at least one region which is smaller than the peripheral circle which defines the cleaning surface. Furthermore, the cleaning surface can be tapered in one region. In this embodiment, the cleaning surface is substantially circular, but differs from circular in at least one area. Finally, the cleaning surface can also have a polygonal shape. In combination with the variable axis of rotation, the design of the cleaning surface can be selected such that improved cleaning results are obtained, in particular in the corners.

According to one advantageous embodiment, the cleaning surface is designed as a polygonal, constant-thickness structure. If the cleaning surface is constructed in a polygonal, uniform thickness configuration, the edges of the cleaning pad opposite each other are spaced the same distance from each other at each location. Thus, the circumferential edge of the cleaning pad forms a curve with a constant width. But the cleaning surface is different from a circle due to the polygonal design. By being designed as a uniform thickness structure, the cleaning pad is particularly well suited for cleaning hard to reach corner areas.

In an advantageous embodiment, the cleaning surface of the cleaning pad is configured as a reuleaux triangle. A reuleaux triangle is an equi-thick structure in which the distance from each point of one side to the opposite corner point is constant. The constant width is maintained while rotating about the mid-point of the plane. In combination with the varying rotation axis, an improved cleaning result is achieved. In particular, when the rotation axis moves along a circular path, the circular movement of the rotation axis and the movement of the cleaning pad are coordinated such that the tip of the triangular cleaning pad also reaches an inaccessible area of the floor surface to be cleaned.

The cleaning body may be capable of being put into motion by a drive means, which drive means comprises a transmission means. The transmission is configured here such that both the cleaning body is set into rotation and a deflection of the axis of rotation is achieved. Here, the transmission means may for example comprise a universal joint or a spring shaft.

The gear mechanism is preferably designed as a gear mechanism. The gear transmission is economical and robust.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the transmission, the main body is assigned a first gearwheel having an internal toothing, which is arranged in a stationary manner in the main body. A second gear wheel with an external toothing rolls in the first gear wheel. The diameter of the second gear wheel is here smaller than the inner diameter of the first gear wheel. Thereby, the rotation axis of the second gear moves along a circular orbit. Furthermore, the gear wheel is rotated by its axis of rotation. The cleaning body is also fixed on the second gearwheel and likewise moves about the axis of rotation of the second gearwheel. Thereby, the cleaning body performs a superimposed swinging and rotating motion. Here, in combination with the triangular design of the cleaning pad, an approximately rectangular surface is obtained which is swept by the cleaning pad. Whereby the cleaning pad can also reach the corners of the room.

The drive means may comprise a motor. This achieves a particularly high cleaning performance and a low-cost cleaning operation. The function of the electric motor is preferably performed by a battery provided in the cleaning appliance.

The cleaning apparatus may be configured as a cleaning robot. Therefore, the cleaning device can automatically complete the cleaning work. By means of this embodiment of the cleaning body according to the invention, particularly thorough cleaning is achieved in this case.

The base body preferably comprises two cleaning bodies. Furthermore, the cleaning bodies are preferably each associated with a corner region of the front edge of the base body. Furthermore, the cleaning body preferably projects at least partially laterally from the base body. A particularly efficient cleaning is thereby achieved.

Drawings

Several embodiments of the cleaning device according to the invention are explained in detail below with reference to the drawings. Here schematically:

FIG. 1 shows a hand-held cleaning appliance;

fig. 2 shows an automatic cleaning apparatus (cleaning robot);

fig. 3 shows the cleaning body together with the transmission in detail.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a cleaning device 1, which comprises a base body 2, to which two cleaning bodies 4 are assigned on the underside 2 facing the floor surface to be cleaned. The cleaning bodies 4 are mounted rotatably on the base body 2, and the axes of rotation 5 of the cleaning bodies 4 are each oriented perpendicularly to the bottom side 3. The cleaning bodies 4 are each associated with a corner region 10 of a front edge 11 of the base body 3. The cleaning device 1 is designed as a hand-held cleaning device and has a handle 14, which is connected to the base body 2 in an articulated manner.

Fig. 2 shows a cleaning device 1 which is designed as a cleaning robot and is provided for automatically cleaning a floor surface. The cleaning device 1 comprises a base body 2, to which two cleaning bodies 4 are associated on a side 3 facing the floor. The cleaning bodies 4 are mounted rotatably on the base body 2, and the axes of rotation 5 of the cleaning bodies 4 are each oriented perpendicularly to the bottom side 3. The cleaning bodies 4 are associated with two corner regions 10 of the base body 2.

According to an alternative embodiment, the cleaning device 1 additionally has a device 12 for moving over the floor surface to be cleaned. The device 12 here comprises a set of wheels, which are driven by an electric motor.

In the embodiment according to fig. 1 and 2, the cleaning body 4 is mounted in the base body 2 in such a way that the axis of rotation 5 can be moved relative to the underside 3 during the cleaning operation along a movement path oriented perpendicular to the axis of rotation 5. Here, the rotation axis 5 moves along a circular orbit.

The cleaning body 4 can be put into motion by means of a drive device 8, said drive device 8 comprising a transmission 9. The gear 9 is designed here as a gear mechanism. Here, a gear 9 is assigned to each cleaning body 4. The drive device 8 comprises an electric motor and a rechargeable battery integrated in the base body 2.

Fig. 3 shows in detail a part of the base body 2 in the region of the cleaning body 4 together with the gear mechanism 9 assigned to the cleaning body 4.

The gear 9 assigned to the cleaning body 4 has an arrangement comprising

gear wheels

12, 13. The first gear wheel 12 is fixed in position on the base body 2 and has an internal toothing. The second gear 13 rolls on the internal tooth portion of the first gear 12, and the outer diameter of the second gear 13 is smaller than the inner diameter of the internal tooth portion of the ground gear 12. The rotational axes of the second gear wheels form the rotational axes 5 of the cleaning bodies 4, respectively. The second gear wheel 13 is put into rotation by means of an electric motor. If the second gear wheel 13 is set in rotation, a circular movement of the rotational axis of the second gear wheel 13 and thus also of the rotational axis 5 of the cleaning bodies 4 assigned to the second gear wheel 13 is achieved by rolling on the internal toothing of the first gear wheel 12. At the same time, the second gearwheel 13 rotates with the associated cleaning body 4 about the axis of rotation 5.

The cleaning body 4 is provided with a cleaning pad 6, wherein the cleaning pad 6 has a cleaning surface 7 facing the floor surface to be cleaned, which cleaning surface is configured as a polygonal, equally thick structure. In the present embodiment, the cleaning surface 7 is configured in the shape of a reuleaux triangle. By the interaction of the gearing 9 with the triangular design of the cleaning surface 7 of the cleaning body 4, a surface which is swept approximately rectangularly by the cleaning body 4 is obtained when the cleaning appliance 3 is erected. Thereby, the cleaning body 4 can also reach the corner region of the floor surface to be cleaned.

Claims

1. Cleaning device (1) comprising a base body (2) having an underside (3), wherein the base body (2) is assigned a cleaning body (4) on the underside (3) facing the floor surface to be cleaned, wherein the cleaning body (4) is mounted on the base body (2) so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation (5), wherein the axis of rotation (5) of the cleaning body (4) is oriented perpendicularly to the underside (3), characterized in that the cleaning body (4) is mounted in the base body (2) in such a way that the axis of rotation (5) can be moved relative to the underside (3) during cleaning operation along a movement path which is oriented perpendicularly to the axis of rotation (5).

2. Cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that the axis of rotation (5) moves along a circular orbit during cleaning work.

3. A cleaning device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cleaning body is provided with a cleaning pad (6), which cleaning pad (6) has a cleaning surface (7) with a contour differing from a circular shape.

4. Cleaning apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the cleaning surface (7) is configured as a polygonal, constant-thickness structure.

5. A cleaning device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the cleaning face (7) is configured as a reuleaux triangle.

6. A cleaning device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the cleaning body (4) can be put into motion by means of a drive means (8), which drive means (8) comprises a transmission (9).

7. Cleaning apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the transmission (9) is configured as a gear transmission.

8. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the drive means comprise an electric motor.

9. The cleaning apparatus of any of the above claims, configured as a cleaning robot.

10. Cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the base body (2) comprises two cleaning bodies (4).

11. A cleaning device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that at least two cleaning bodies (4) are provided, and the cleaning bodies (4) are each assigned to one corner region (10) of the front edge (11) of the base body (2).