EP0433515A1 - Floor, wall and ceiling washing, rinsing and drying machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to the design of a machine permitting mechanisation of the operations of cleaning floors, walls and ceilings by assembling, on one tool, inside a suction housing (1), one or more brushes (8) in rotary or to-and-fro movement into which a washing or rinsing liquid is injected. An alternative embodiment permits treatment of small surfaces or surfaces which are difficult to reach by assembling the drive elements (36) on a carriage (67) with orientable castors and by manoeuvring the tool with the aid of a telescopic suction tube (38), and the other alternative embodiment permits treatment of large surfaces by fastening the tool onto an articulated arm (49) which is itself fastened with the drive elements onto a carriage with drive and steering wheels (78). The machine according to the invention is particularly intended for cleaning floors, walls and ceilings. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to the design of a machine for leaching, rinsing and drying floors, walls and ceilings.

There are machines for leaching floors, but they are only suitable for industrial use, and moreover, these machines cannot be used on walls and ceilings. Traditionally, the floors of small surfaces are washed manually with a brush and dried with a mop; as for the walls and ceilings, they are also washed manually using a sponge. These operations are long and painful, especially for ceilings.

The machine according to the invention overcomes these drawbacks. The association of different materials and techniques gathered and implemented simultaneously allows the mechanization of leaching, rinsing and drying operations.

The general principle is based on the design of a tool which brings together the brushing and water injection functions inside a suction housing. The tool consists of one or more brushes, hollow inside, and perforated between the bristles, to allow the passage and injection of water, then a suction housing intended to collect the water leaching or rinsing around the, or brushes, and thus allow work on both vertical and horizontal surfaces.

A pump injects water with detergent added for the leaching operation, or pure water for the rinsing operation into the moving brush (es). An industrial type vacuum cleaner, specially designed for the recovery of liquids, collects water around the perimeter of the brush (es).

After being filtered in the bottom of the vacuum cleaner tank on a strainer, the water is pumped and reinjected. The additional drying operation is done by brushing and vacuuming without injecting water.

The movement of the brush (es) is either rotary or back and forth. In the case of a rotary movement, the brush (es) is (are) round (s) and has (s) a hollow central rod, from the hollow part of the brush to the entry orifices d carried out on the sides of this rod.

This rod thus allows, at the same time:
- the fixing of the brush on sealed ball bearings, or in a rotation cage;
- the transmission of the movement by connection of the end of this rod to a flexible cardan connected to a motor;
- and the water supply to the brush.

If the tool has several round brushes, the movement is transmitted on the rod of one of them by the flexible gimbal, then communicated to the others, the outer base of each of the brushes being designed as a toothed wheel and thus forming parallel gears. The sealed ball bearings, or the rotation cages are housed or formed in the thickness of the suction housing.

The brush rods not connected to the flexible gimbal are hollow to their ends, thus allowing direct entry of water without an opening on the sides. In this case, a channel, formed in the housing, allows the water supply of all the brushes. The channel, or cavity for tools with a single brush, is connected by a flexible hose to the water pump.

In the case of a back-and-forth movement, the brush is either rectangular or square, and has four legs, the hollow interior of cylindrical shape allows to thread two parallel tubes, each in two legs.

The back and forth movement is therefore achievable by sliding the brush on the two tubes. The tubes are by their ends fitted into notches formed in the suction housing.

The movement is obtained either by a mini cylinder with pneumatic or hydraulic rod, one end of which is fixed on the casing and the other on the brush and connected using two small flexible pipes to solenoid valves supplied by a compressor or a mini hydraulic power unit, either by a rod whose ends are connected on bearings one with a brush, the other with a small crank or eccentrically on a wheel, the rod of the crank or the wheel being turned by a flexible gimbal connected to a motor.

One of the tubes, closed at its ends, is connected, using a T passing through the casing, to a flexible pipe connected to the water pump. This tube, in its crossing of one of the legs, has an orifice on its side towards the brush.

This tab also has an orifice, from its cylindrical hollow part to the hollow part of the brush, over a length equal to the reciprocating movement, thereby allowing the passage of water whatever the position of the brush.

The housing performs several functions. It serves both:
- support for the brushes, either by the rod rotation cages, or by the bearing housings, or by the notches intended to receive the ends of the two holding and sliding tubes;
- from water piping to the brush rods and connection for the flexible hose of the pump;
- for fixing the sheath of the flexible gimbal, or one end of the mini jack or the wheel (or crank) of the link
- and suction housing.

Its base is equipped with bristles of the same length and at the same level as those of the brushes in order to facilitate the sliding of the tool and favor its maintenance on the work surface, then to improve the efficiency of the suction. The shape of the base of the housing is adapted to the brush or brushes. From its base to the suction outlet, the casing is flared. The suction outlet is offset so that it is down when working on a vertical surface.

On the same principle, two variants of the machine are used depending on the surfaces to be treated and the possible accesses.

One is suitable for the treatment of small areas, or difficult to access. In this case, the tool is portable and operated using a telescopic suction tube. The driving elements of the machine are assembled on a trolley with swiveling casters, the tool being connected to the driving elements by flexible pipes and flexible gimbal.

An intermediate adaptation allows this portable tool to be used on floors and walls, then on hard-to-reach ceilings. As for the accessible ceilings, a tool can be used which can be adapted to a telescopic foot with adjustable castors. In this case, the tool and its telescopic suction tube are replaced by a tool that can be fixed on three shock absorbers at the top of the telescopic foot and an extension of flexible suction hose.

The tool is then operated using the telescopic foot.

The second variant is suitable for the treatment of large areas. In this case, the tool is self-supporting and maneuvered using arms articulated by cylinders with double-acting rod, pneumatic or hydraulic. These articulated arms are fixed, as well as the driving elements, on a trolley equipped with four driving and steering wheels.

In the case of a self-supporting tool, the suction outlet is perpendicular to the base of the casing and internally threaded to allow the flexible suction hose to be screwed in and thus, direct connection to the vacuum cleaner. The tool is attached to shock absorbers using lugs molded into the housing.

In the case of a portable tool, the suction outlet is parallel to the base of the housing, ie horizontal. Inside this suction outlet, between two inner edges, a sleeve split along its length is inserted with a thin strip in order to reduce the diameter by pressure during its fitting and molded with two small grooves circular. In this sleeve is fitted the end of a bent tube having two circular molded rings, to be engaged in the two grooves of the sleeve to allow fixing while allowing a rotational movement by the sleeve in the suction outlet. This first bent tube is extended by a telescopic tube and then by a second bent tube connected to the vacuum cleaner by a flexible suction hose. The second bent tube is fitted with a trigger allowing the injection or stopping of the water.

Depending on the pump tube used, this trigger controls either a tap placed on the water injection pipe or an on / off switch for the pump motor by an electrical circuit of 12 or 24 volt remote control.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figures 1, 2 and 3 show a self-portable tool equipped with a round brush with rotary movement, and Figure 4 specifies a detail.

Figure 1 shows a top view of the tool.

In the housing (1), made of plastic material in several molding operations, the suction outlet orifice (2) is perpendicular to the base and intended for connection by screwing of the flexible suction pipe (39). The 3 fixing lugs of the tool (3) are molded with the housing and the inside is threaded to allow the screwing of the head of the shock absorbers (44) intended to support the tool on a telescopic foot with orientable castors (Fig. . 18) or on an articulated arm with pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders (Fig. 19, 20, 26, 27 and 28). The flexible hose of the water pump (35) is connected to the water inlet port (4) molded with the housing and threaded to the outside.

The end of the brush rod (5) passes through the casing in an orifice (6) molded and also threaded on the outside to allow connection to the sheath of the flexible gimbal (37).

Figure 2 shows a bottom view of the tool. The base (7) of the suction housing is provided with bristles. The round brush (8), also made of plastic material in several molding operations, is composed of a central main part and an external part (9) not supplied with water. and intended to limit the ejection of water before the casing and to lower the water downwards for better recovery by the suction port during vertical work.

Figure 3 shows in section the tool to demonstrate its operation. The casing (1) has a flared shape, from its base to the suction port (2). In the housing, the brush (8), the end of the rod (5) of which is designed to be fitted to a flexible gimbal, can rotate while being supplied with water. Indeed, from the hollow part of the brush (10) to the recess (11) made in the casing, the rod of the brush is hollow.

At the level of the recess (11) produced in the casing, the rod has orifices (12) produced on its sides. Figure 4 illustrates these holes by representing in cut profile this part of the brush rod. Water can therefore pass from the connection (4) of the flexible pipe (35) into the recess (11) of the casing, through the holes (12) of the rod, in the hollow part of the rod, then in the hollow part. brush (10) to be injected through the bristles through the orifices (13). Due to the size of the brush, the brush rod is mounted on 2 sealed ball bearings (14) housed in the housing.

Figures 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 relate to a portable tool equipped with 5 round brushes with rotary movement.

Fig. 5 shows a top view of the tool.

Fig. 6 shows a bottom view of the tool.

Fig. 7 shows a side view of the central brush.

Figs. 8 and 9 show in section the tool.

The realization of the casing and the brushes is for this tool, as for the preceding and the following ones, carried out out of plastic material.

The operation of the tool is similar to that described in Figures 1 to 4, up to the central brush. However, each brush is notched on its outer base. The central brush, turned by the flexible cardan (37), thus rotates the other brushes. The tool shown being small in size to be portable, the suction outlet (2) is horizontal to allow adaptation of the end of the bent tube by fitting into the sleeve (15) movable in rotation, then the rods of the brushes are not equipped with bearings. Two small semi-round rings (16) are formed in the molding of the rods and allow the brushes to be held in the cages of the rods formed, conversely, by 2 small semi-round grooves (17). The assembly is therefore done by pressure, until the rings engage in the grooves. The water supply to each brush is made by the orifice (4) for connection to the flexible hose (35), extended by a pipe (18) in the casing supplying each rod cage of the brushes.

Figs. 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 show a portable tool equipped with a rectangular brush (19) with reciprocating movement.

Fig. 10 shows a top view.

Figs. 11, 12 and 13, sectional views to demonstrate the operation.

Fig. 14 explains the passage of water from the tube to the brush.

The base of the housing is rectangular like the brush.

The suction outlet of the housing is horizontal to allow the tool to be operated using the telescopic suction tube (38).

In this housing are fixed 2 tubes (20 and 21) by their ends in notches provided for this purpose in the housing. These tubes can be made of metal, aluminum, or very rigid plastic. The assembly is carried out by interlocking by forcing. These 2 tubes serve as support for the brush which, by its 4 molded legs whose interior is cylindrical and adapted to the diameter of the tubes, can thus slide to achieve a back-and-forth movement. The movement is obtained using a mini rod cylinder (22) supplied by 2 small flexible pipes (23) connected to the solenoid valves fixed on the carriage. The tube (21) is connected by a T to the orifice (4) of water inlet. Inside a sliding tab (24) of the brush, the tube is pierced with a rectangular orifice (25) downwards as well as the inside of the tab (24) with an orifice (26) over a length corresponding to the movement of the brush.

The same tool can be produced in a freestanding version. In this case, the suction outlet (2) is perpendicular to the base of the housing and allows the direct connection of a flexible suction pipe (39). The casing is provided with 3 fixing lugs (3) to allow it to be maintained by means of 3 shock absorbers (44) fixed on a telescopic foot mounted on adjustable castors or an arm articulated by jacks.

Figs. 15 and 16 represent a self-supporting tool. The housing is square and the brush rectangular. It operates in a back-and-forth movement. The brush fixing and water supply system is identical to the tool described in Figs. 10 to 14. On the other hand, the movement is obtained using a link (27) connected at one end to the brush on a rod (28), on a bearing, and at the other end, also on a bearing, eccentrically to a wheel.

The wheel rod is also mounted on a bearing housed in the suction housing and the end of this rac rod connected to a flexible gimbal. The link, the wheel, or possibly a small crank, can be made of metal, aluminum or very rigid plastic.

Fig. 17 shows an overview of a machine in portable version. On a trolley (29) with swivel casters (30) are fixed the motor elements:
- a liquid vacuum cleaner (31) provided with a reservoir (32).
- a liquid pump (33) drawing water using a pipe (34) which penetrates through a sealed opening in the base of the vacuum cleaner tank and reinjects it into the brush using the pipe flexible (35). This water, or water with detergent added, must be replaced frequently.
The filter located in the bottom of the vacuum cleaner tank is to be cleaned frequently and replaced from time to time.
- a motor (36) transmitting a rotary movement to the brush or brushes using the flexible gimbal (37).

The leaching or rinsing water is collected by the vacuum cleaner in its tank via the casing (1), the telescopic tube (38) and the flexible suction pipe (39).

The drawing shows a version with a stopcock (40), by a trigger (41), made of plastic, on the water injection pipe (35).

If a tool is fitted, the brush movement of which is controlled by a mini rod cylinder, in this drawing and the following, the flexible gimbal (37) would be replaced by 2 small flexible hoses and the motor (36) by solenoid valves connected to an external compressor or a mini hydraulic unit then fixed on the carriage.

Fig. 18 shows a telescopic foot (43) provided with a locking screw (42) and 3 feet of which are equipped with swivel casters (30). At the top of this telescopic leg, 3 shock absorbers (44) make it possible to maintain a self-supporting tool on the ceiling and to compensate for differences in level, either from the ground or from the ceiling.

Figs. 19 to 32 correspond to the machine in a freestanding version.

Fig. 19 shows a side view in the working position on the ceiling and FIG. 20 in the same function takes only the elements of the articulated arm seen from the rear. Fig. 21 specifies the position of the 4 cylinders (47) of the vacuum cleaner (31) and the location of the wheels on the carriage.

On the carriage are fixed, using fixing lugs (45) and fixing reinforcements (46) made of metal or aluminum, 4 cylinders with double-acting rod, pneumatic or hydraulic (47). These cylinders allow the ceiling height adjustment and the folding of the machine. At their upper end, they are connected 2 by 2 to 2 lower supports (48). Each support (48) carries 2 lower arms (49 adjustable in parallel whatever their rotation since they are all of identical length and fixed near their end by shafts (50) arranged respectively at equal distance. On the central support (51) are fixed inside 2 upper arms (56) identical to the 4 lower arms and connected to an upper support (52) under the same dimensional conditions. The 2 lower supports (48), the central support (51) and the upper support (52), can be made of thick sheet metal, cast aluminum, or even very rigid plastic. The 4 lower arms (49) and the 2 upper arms can be made of very rigid plastic, or aluminum profile.

Each of the 3 groups of 2 arms is oriented in a circular movement by a pneumatic or hydraulic double-acting rod cylinder (53).

The tool is fixed to a mobile tool holder (58) on the upper support (52) by means of a bracket (59) for working on the ceiling.

A mechanical connection exposed in Figs. 22, 23 and 24, inside the central support, makes it possible to compensate for the variations in the jacks (53) and to obtain an upward or downward movement of the tool parallel to the wall. The 3 cylinders are operated simultaneously by communicating power supplies. The central support is provided with 2 notched wheels (54) crossed and connected, on the outside on each side, by a shaft (50) to the 4 lower arms (49). Each of the 2 shafts is secured to its toothed wheel (54) and to its 2 corresponding arms (49), by a key (55) on the shaft, on the one hand, at the location of the toothed wheel and, d on the other hand, by the 2 ends of these trees, of square shape, in the nesting of the lower arms (49). The round central part of the shafts has a diameter greater than the sides of the square parts to allow mounting. Each shaft is mounted on bearings (14) housed in the thickness of the support (51). The toothed wheels (54) rotate on the end of the 2 upper arms (56) which is formed by a 1/2 toothed wheel (57). These arms are provided with keys (55). The rotation is also ensured by ball bearings (14).

The 1/2 notched wheels are extended by a cubic shape which fits into the upper arms (56) and is fixed with recessed screws. The wheels and the 1/2 notched wheels can be made of steel or very hard synthetic material.

Fig.25 shows a side view of the mobile tool holder (58). This tool holder is composed of a central part (61) equipped with a toothed wheel (62) rotated by a flexible cardan connected to a motor. In the center, a rectangular hole makes it possible to apply the toothed wheel (62) to a rack (63) which passes through the central part (61) and is fixed at its ends to the frame (64) of the tool holder.
On this frame are also fixed 2 tubes (65) passing through, in suitable cylindrical holes, the central part and thus allowing, with the rack, the movement of the frame relative to the central part when the toothed wheel turns and acts on the rack. .

This mobile tool holder (58) makes it possible to work on surfaces at least equal to the width of the machine in order to access the corners of the walls. It also allows the fixing of the shock absorbers (44). When working on the wall, the tool holder is fixed directly to the upper support (52) using the holes (66) reserved for the location of the fixing bolts. For working on the ceiling, a square (59), for working on the ground a longer square (60) (Fig. 28) or, for working on a slope, a compass with adjustable opening, allows the tool holder to be positioned. The different parts of the tool holder (except the shock absorbers) can be made of very rigid synthetic material or steel for the wheel and rack and the aluminum tubes and frame.

Fig. 26 shows the position of the articulated arms of the machine when working on the wall at the top, FIG. 27 in the lower part, and FIG. 28 in ground work.

Figs. 29, 30, 31 and 32 illustrate the operation of the drive and steerable wheels of the carriage of the self-supporting machine.

Fig. 29 shows a side view of a wheel.

Fig.30 shows a wheel in section.

Fig. 31 shows a profile of the gear of a wheel.

Under the chassis (67) of the carriage is fixed the support of the wheel (68) in a bearing (14). This support, in its upper part, has the shape of a pulley (69) intended to receive a grooved belt (70).
At its base, this support, divided into 2 arms, is perforated to receive a shaft (71), axis of the wheel mounted on ball bearings (14).

The interior of the wheel is a concurrent gear shown in profile in FIG. 31. The small gear wheel of the gear (72) is extended by a rod held by 2 ball bearings (14), one inside the cylindrical part of the wheel support, the other in the part upper part of the carriage chassis. The end piece (73) of this rod allows connection to a flexible universal joint (77) rotated by a double motor direction of rotation (76) (mentioned in Fig. 19). Thus, the drive of the wheel (78) is ensured, whatever its orientation. The wheel support, the wheel and the small gear pulley can be made of very rigid synthetic material. The support can also be made of cast aluminum.

Fig. 32 shows a top view of the steering system. The 4 pulleys (69) formed in the wheel supports are connected to 2 non-toothed pulleys (74) mounted on adjustable supports, and to a pulley (75) by a fluted belt whose tension is adjustable using the pulleys ( 74). The pulley (75) is fixed at the end of an electric stepper motor with two directions of rotation. The engine will therefore allow the simultaneous orientation of the 4 wheels. This motor is equipped with a manual control and an automatic control using proximity sensors fixed on the carriage.

Whatever the version, the vacuum cleaner is adapted to the power required for flow and depression in the suction housing, itself proportional to the size of the brush or brushes. It can be fitted with a single, double or triple electric motor, or even with a pneumatic motor. The tank is fitted with an automatic stop for each maximum level.
An electrical or electronic connection of this security is made with the pump motor in order to stop the injection of water in the event of an overflow.

The various flexible cardan shafts, as well as the liquid pump, are equipped with either electric motors with variators (and / or reducers) and, for the flexible cardan shafts of the drive and steerable wheels and the mobile tool holder, with direction reverser , either pneumatic motors, either hydraulic motors, depending on the equipment in pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders of the articulated arms.

In the latter 2 cases, the solenoid valves fixed to the carriage are supplied by an external air compressor, or a mini hydraulic power station fixed to the carriage. On the hood of the trolley, protecting the motor elements, are assembled on a sealed box the operating commands of the motors and jacks with the electrical (or electronic) circuits of the limit switches and the distance detectors arranged on the tool, the arms and the carriage, in order to avoid false maneuvers on the one hand, and on the other hand to facilitate the guiding of the machine on the surfaces to be worked.

The machine according to the invention is particularly intended for leaching, rinsing and drying floors, walls and ceilings.

Claims (5)

1) Washing machine, rinsing and drying floors, walls and ceilings, of the type consisting of a movable brush, means for driving the latter, means for injecting water, and means for suction characterized in that, while having mechanical drive means, the water injection means are arranged inside the (or) brush (s), in a hollow part of that (s ) -ci, thus allowing a better distribution on the surface to be treated of the injected liquid, and in that the aspiration is carried out on the periphery of the (or) brush (s), thus favoring the work of both vertical and 'horizontal. 2) Machine according to claim 1, characterized by a mobile tool composed of a suction housing allowing at the same time the fixing of one or more round brushes (8) with rotary movement (or rectangular or square (19) back and forth), the attachment for connection to the motor elements, of the flexible suction pipe (39), the water injection pipe (35), and the flexible gimbal (37) (or two pneumatic or hydraulic connection pipes (23), allowing the mechanical movement of the brush (es). 3) Machine whose tool, according to the preceding claims, is characterized by injecting the liquid into the brush (es) using an inlet orifice (4) and a cavity ( 11) (or a pipe (18)) located in the thickness of the suction housing for the brush (es) with rotary movement actuated (s) by a flexible gimbal (or using the one of the support and sliding tubes (21) having an orifice (25) inside its crossing of one of the legs of the brush also perforated with an orifice (26) up to the hollow part brush for the brush with reciprocating movement actuated by a mini jack (22) or a link (27)). 4) Machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3 in its portable tool version (Fig.17) characterized by the assembly of the motor elements on a carriage (29) with adjustable castors (30) and the connection of the tool, from the suction outlet of the casing (2) to the flexible suction pipe (39), by a telescopic suction tube (38) to allow the operation of the tool and thus adapt the machine to the treatment of small surfaces or difficult to access. 5) Machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3 in its version of self-supporting tool (Fig. 19, 20, 26, 27 and 28) characterized by fixing the tool using shock absorbers (44) on a mobile tool holder (58) fixed on an articulated arm by hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders, the assembly carried by a trolley with driving and steering wheels for thus adapting the machine to the treatment of large areas.

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