EP1481625B1 - Floor cleaning machine and dirt container for such a floor cleaning machine - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a floor-mounted floor cleaning machine with at least one in cleaning operation in contact with the floor to be cleaned, rotationally driven cleaning brush, in particular roller brush, which receives dirt collected from the bottom of a trained in the machine housing dirt guide channel, and at least two dirt receptacles, which are arranged in the cleaning operation with their openings substantially upwards on a receptacle in the direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the floor cleaning machine side by side and which have in the region of its opening a pivoting bow handle, which allows a bucket-like transport of the dirt container.

In addition, the invention relates to a dirt receptacle for such a machine.

In this known construction, as he essentially from the DE 3 225 338 A1 is known, the bucket-like dirt receptacle used in the soil cleaning machines integrally formed in this dirt container and thereby achieved that the collected dirt can be removed easily because the user does not extend across the longitudinal axis of the floor cleaning machine substantially over the entire width and therefore bulky and handle heavy dirt container needs to remove the dirt accumulated in it, in particular in a storage container o.ä. distribute. In the known structure, the receptacle is formed with a continuous bottom, and the bucket-like handled dirt receptacles are positioned on this floor so that the adjacent containers as close as possible aneinänderstehen so that the transported in the direction of the dirt container dirt as possible completely gets into this dirt receptacle. For this reason, the bow handles of the dirt receptacle are hinged to the insides of the dirt receptacle and are in the swung-down state in the opening portion of the dirt receptacle. Despite this close arrangement of the dirt receptacle on the recording, however, can not be avoided that a part of the supplied dirt does not get into the dirt receptacle, but deposits on the bottom of the receptacle or the dirt container, and the outer surfaces of the dirt receptacle are polluted. In addition, dirt deposits on the folded down handles. Therefore, for the user during the emptying process not only a contamination of the hands, but also the risk that he gets dirty by the dirt deposits on the outer surfaces of the dirt receptacle clothes. Furthermore, the deposition of dirt on the bottom surface of the receptacle hinders the desired positioning of the dirt receptacle as closely as possible next to each other, so that at regular intervals a separate cleaning of the bottom surface of the debris container must be made.

It is an object of the invention to provide a floor cleaning machine in such a way that the risk of contamination to the user when handling the dirt receptacle is significantly reduced and the deposition of dirt on the dirt receptacle carrying receptacle is avoided as possible.

To solve this problem, a floor cleaning machine of the type mentioned is inventively designed such that the receptacle between a raised cleaning position and a lowered removal position is displaceable, that the openings surrounding the upper edge of each dirt receptacle in the cleaning position of the receptacle is in sealing engagement with the peripheral edge of a housing fixed dirt passage opening and that the stirrup handles are respectively secured to the outside of the dirt receptacle and in the swung-down state, are completely outside the area of the opening of the dirt holding container.

By arranged in the cleaning position of the recording with their opening areas arranged dirt receptacles ensures that the passing through the housing-fixed dirt openings dirt completely gets into the dirt receptacle, without the risk that dirt laterally passed the dirt receptacles and thereby on the recording and / or deposited on the outer surfaces of the dirt receptacle. In addition, the stirrup handles of the dirt receptacle, which are located outside the opening portion of the associated dirt receptacle are no longer polluted, and the user can handle the dirt receptacle in the filled and deflated state advantageously like a bucket without the risk that he gets his hands dirty at the bar handles.

In this context, it should be mentioned that the lowering of the receptacle into the removal position of course lowers the edge of the dirt receptacle, so that between this and the housing-fixed openings an accessible from the rear end of the floor cleaning machine opening gap formed by the user by means of a dustpan or dirt parts to be removed, such as films, packaging tapes, etc. can carry in the dirt receptacle that would otherwise wrap in the normal cleaning operation on or around the cleaning brush.

Finally, the structure according to the invention also allows the use of plastic bags as dirt receptacle. These can be placed in the dirt receptacle with removed dirt receptacle or even with the dirt receptacle and in the removal position befindender recording and carded with its protruding from the dirt receptacle section around the container rim, so that they then sealed at displacement of recording in the cleaning position in their Location to be fixed. The use of such plastic bag allows in a known manner, the closing of the bag by hand, and then lift out the filled bag from the dirt receptacle and so allow a dirt removal without dust.

In order to effect the sealing of the dirt receptacle in the cleaning position of the receptacle, at the edge of each dirt passage opening a circumferential, in the cleaning position of the receptacle in sealing engagement with the opening defining edge of the associated dirt container standing seal may be provided. This arrangement of the seal at the edge of the dirt passage openings instead of at the upper edge of the dirt receptacle, has the advantage that the seal is in a largely protected area, while the arrangement of the opening edge of the dirt receptacle, the risk of damage during its emptying bstünde.

The receptacle preferably has positioning means with respect to the dirt passage openings aligned arrangement of the dirt receptacle. Thus, a support rod may extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of the floor cleaning machine, on which the dirt receptacle are supported with an engagement recess, so that they are positively positioned in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the floor cleaning machine. Furthermore, the dirt receptacle can be held against displacement transversely to the longitudinal axis of the floor cleaning machine by stop surfaces.

In order to achieve optimum throwing of the dirt, which is usually conveyed obliquely from above and to the rear through the dirt passage openings, the peripheral edge of the opening of the dirt receiving container can be inclined to its essentially formed by its bottom support level, so that in the cleaning position of the recording further located in the floor cleaning machine end of the dirt receiving container has a lower height than the farther outboard end, whereby a corresponding inclination of the dirt passage openings is present.

So that the dirt receptacles can be positioned as closely as possible adjacent to one another on the receptacle, at least part of the edge region of the dirt receptacle can be offset inwardly from a receptacle for the bow grip relative to the adjacent peripheral wall of the dirt receptacle. This offset can extend from an area which is a small distance from the articulation points of the bow handle in the direction of the end of the dirt receiving container further in the floor cleaning machine, to the end of the dirt receiving container located further out in the cleaning position of the receptacle. In this way, an inwardly offset receiving area is created for the bow handle, so that the lateral extent of the bow handle in the direction transverse to the floor cleaning machine does not cause adjacent side portions of the bow handles of the dirt receptacle on the side walls projecting together and thereby a considerable distance between the cause corresponding edge regions of the openings of the dirt receptacle. This then results in a small distance between the corresponding adjacent edge regions of the dirt passage openings and thus a small dirt deposit surface between them.

Incidentally, this storage surface can be kept as free of dirt deposits as possible, which otherwise could be released in an uncontrolled manner when the dirt holding containers are removed and can fall onto the receptacle or the already cleaned floor they roof-shaped Schmutzleitflächen be provided, which are each inclined in the direction of the edge of the adjacent dirt passage openings. In this way, depositing dirt slides in the normal cleaning operation of these areas down and into the dirt receptacle.

The removal and insertion of the protective receptacle from or into the receptacle can be facilitated by the user that at least one recessed grip is provided in the upper edge region of the cleaning position of the receptacle outer wall of each dirt receptacle. Furthermore, a lower recessed grip can be provided in the lower region of this wall of the dirt receptacle or in this adjacent bottom region, which can be formed for example by the above-mentioned engagement recess. This lower recessed grip facilitates the user's emptying of the dirt receiving container held on the bow handle.

In order to shift the recording as simple as possible between the removal position and the cleaning position, it can be supported with its further lying inside the floor cleaning machine area pivotally mounted on the machine housing, and their further outward area can with a linkage to move the recording between cleaning position and removal position be connected. Preferably, the linkage on an actuating lever for displacement of the recording, with the help of which the user can make this shift by hand.

Figur 1

zeigt in einer perspektivischen Darstellung eine Bodenreinigungsmaschine.

Figur 2

zeigt in einer schematischen Teildarstellung eine Seitenansicht eines Teils des Maschinengehäuses, der Aufnahme mit Schmutzaufnahmebehälter und Gestänge für die Verlagerung der Aufnahme.

Figur 3

zeigt in vereinfachter Darstellung einen Schnitt entlang der Linie III-III aus Figur 2.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the figures showing an embodiment.

FIG. 1

shows in a perspective view of a floor cleaning machine.

FIG. 2

shows in a schematic partial view a side view of a part of the machine housing, the Recording with dirt receptacle and linkage for the displacement of the recording.

FIG. 3

shows a simplified representation of a section along the line III-III FIG. 2 ,

In the FIG. 1 shown floor cleaning machine is substantially of conventional construction and has a chassis 1, on the rear wheels 4 and 5 and a front wheel 6 are. On the chassis, a driver's seat 2 is provided, which has a driver's seat and the various controls for the operation of the floor cleaning machine. The floor cleaning machine has a rotatably driven roller brush 7, which comes in operation in the usual way in contact with the floor to be cleaned so that it hurls the dirt picked up. This dirt is transported in a Schmutzleitkanal and passes from there into the still to be described dirt receptacle 9, 9 ', wherein the still loaded with dirt, along the dirt channel flowing air flow is passed through a filter assembly and then exits into the environment.

This structure and operation of such a floor cleaning machine are common and require no additional explanations. In the following, therefore, the components required for this operation are not described, and they are substantially not shown in the figures.

In the Figures 2 and 3 is the rear part of the floor cleaning machine according to FIG. 1 shown in simplified form, the in FIG. 1 shown outer covers and also the filter housing 8 are removed.

As already mentioned, the dirt picked up by the roller brush 7 from the ground passes into a dirt guide channel. For this purpose, the description and in particular the FIG. 3 the parallel patent application "floor cleaning machine" (Attorney Docket: P 63570) pointed out by the applicant. In the course of this dirt guide channel are in the lower wall two passage openings 30, 30 '(in FIG. 3 indicated) provided by the most part of the transported dirt in the dirt receptacle 9, 9 'passes. The remaining part of the dirt is taken along by the air flow and deposited in the filter assembly.

The dirt receptacle 9, 9 'are in the direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the rear wheels 4, 5 and thus transversely to the longitudinal axis of the floor cleaning machine side by side on a receptacle 20 which is frame-shaped, so that the dirt receptacle are securely supported at least with their edge areas. The positioning of the dirt receptacle 9, 9 'in the longitudinal direction of the floor cleaning machine is characterized in that in the rear (in FIG. 2 Right) area of the bottom wall of the dirt receptacle recesses provided in FIG. 2 are indicated, supported on a transverse rod portion of the receptacle 20, which engages in these recesses and thus reliably prevents their displacement in the longitudinal direction of the floor cleaning machine in the mounted state of the dirt receptacle. In the transverse direction, the dirt receptacle 9, 9 'by corresponding from the receptacle 20 upstanding wall sections (see FIG. 3 ).

The receptacle 20 is held with its further lying in the floor cleaning machine area by means of pivot pin 21 on the chassis 1 about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the roller brush 7 axis pivotally. At the outer region of the support 20 are hinged via pivot pins 22, 22 'tie rods 23 which are pivotally connected at its upper end via pins 24, 24' with an actuating lever 25 which is pivotally mounted by means of pins 26, 26 'on the chassis 1. By grasping the actuating lever and pivoting through a dead center position, the user can thus take the receptacle 20 out of the in the FIGS. 1 and 3 shown raised position in the in FIG. 2 shown lowered position and vice versa relocate.

The dirt receptacle 9, 9 'are constructed the same, and therefore only the dirt receptacle 9 will be described below.

The dirt receptacle 9 is double-walled in the present case and preferably produced in the rotational sintering process. In its outer bottom wall, the already mentioned recess for the positioning of the dirt receptacle in the receptacle 20 is formed. At the upper edge of the dirt receiving container, a bow handle 10 is pivotally mounted on the outside of connecting pin 11, wherein the pivot connection is substantially perpendicular above the center of gravity of the dirt receptacle 9, so that it can be carried on the bow handle 10 in the manner of a bucket in a substantially vertical orientation , The outer periphery of the upper edge region is adjacent to the bow handle 10 and towards the interior of the floor cleaning machine slightly offset beyond the connecting pin 11 inwards, so that the bow handle in the folded-down state in this recessed area 12 and thus within the adjacent thereto outer surface of the dirt receiving container is located, so do not overhang this laterally. The extension of the offset portion 12 inwardly beyond the connecting pins 11, is only required to allow free pivoting of the hinged ends of the strap handle 10.

At the wall in the inserted state of the dirt receiving container 9 in the inserted state, a central recessed grip 13 is formed in the upper region. By engaging in this trough, the user can simply lift the dirt receptacle out of the receptacle and insert it into it. The well formed in the bottom wall of the dirt receptacle 9 recess serves, moreover, as a recessed grip for pivoting the container held on the bow handle 10 during emptying.

As in FIG. 2 can be seen, the opening edge of the dirt receptacle runs relative to its through the bottom wall formed stand area from the outside in the inserted state end to lying in the interior of the floor cleaning machine end obliquely from top to bottom.

As can readily be seen, can be in the lowered receiving position of the receptacle 20 according to FIG. 2 the dirt receptacle 9, 9 'easily insert into the receptacle and remove it. In this case, an opening gap is formed at the rear end, through which the user can throw dirt or other larger objects received in the dirt receptacle by means of a blade.

If the receptacle 20 is displaced by pivoting the actuating lever 25 from the lowered receiving position into the raised cleaning position, then the circumferential upper edges of the dirt receptacle 9, 9 'come into sealing engagement with circumferential elastic seals 31, 31', which the passages 30, 30 ' surrounded for the raised by the roller brush 7 dirt. The supplied dirt therefore passes only into the interior of the dirt receptacle, while neither the outer handle bar 10, 10 'nor the area between the dirt receptacles 9, 9', nor their outer surfaces are subjected to dirt. The emptying to be removed dirt receptacle can therefore be bucket-like carried by the user on the bow handle and then emptied without the user would have to fear contamination by gripping the bow handle and / or by contact with the outside of the dirt receptacle. In addition, no dirt which has been introduced through the passage openings 30, 30 'is deposited on the receptacle 20 during operation.

As in FIG. 3 can be seen, is located between the two openings 30, 30 'a closed area of the dirt guide channel. So that as little dirt accumulates on it, which fall uncontrollably with removed dirt receptacles through the corresponding passage opening and so the receptacle 20 and / or the already cleaned soil could pollute, in this area at the dirt receptacles 9, 9 'side facing away from a roof-shaped Schmutzleitflächenanordnung 33 is provided along which any depositing dirt in the dirt receptacle 9, 9' is directed.

Claims (16)

1. Floor cleaning machine for driving over the floor having at least one rotary driven cleaning brush (7), in particular a roller brush, which comes into contact with the floor to be cleaned during the cleaning operation, which feeds dirt picked up from the floor to a dirt guiding canal formed in the machine housing, and with at least two dirt collecting containers (9, 9'), which during the cleaning operation are arranged next to one another with their openings directed substantially upwards on a mount (20) in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the floor cleaning machine and which in the region of their opening comprise a pivotable stirrup handle (10, 10'), which allows the bucket-like transport of the dirt collecting container, characterised in that the mount (20) can be moved between a raised cleaning position and a lowered mounting position, in that the upper edge of each dirt collecting container (9, 9') surrounding the opening in the cleaning position of the mount (20) is in sealing engagement with the circumferential edge (31, 31') of a housing-tight dirt passage opening (30, 30') and in that the stirrup handles (10, 10') are secured respectively onto the outside of the dirt collecting container (9, 9') and in the pivoted down position are located completely outside the area of the opening of the dirt collecting container (9, 9').
2. Floor cleaning machine according to claim 1, characterised in that on the edge of each dirt passage opening (30, 30') a circumferential seal (31, 31') is provided, which in the cleaning position of the mount (20) forms a seal with the edge of the associated collecting container (9, 9') defining the opening.
3. Floor cleaning machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the mount (20) comprises positioning means for arranging the dirt collecting containers (9, 9') oriented in relation to the dirt passage openings (30, 30').
4. Floor cleaning machine according to claim 3, characterised in that the positioning means comprises a support rod extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the floor cleaning machine on which support rod the dirt collecting containers (9, 9') are supported in an engagement depression.
5. Floor cleaning machine according to claim 3 or 4, characterised in that the positioning means comprises stop surfaces securing the dirt collecting containers (9, 9') from shifting perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the floor cleaning machine.
6. Floor cleaning machine according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the circumferential edge of the opening of the dirt collecting container (9, 9') is inclined towards its bearing plane formed substantially by its floor, so that in the cleaning position of the mount (20) the end of the dirt collecting container (9, 9') also located in the floor cleaning machine is lower than the more outerlying end.
7. Floor cleaning machine according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that at least one part (12, 12') of the edge area of the dirt collecting container (9, 9') forming a mount for the stirrup handle (10, 10') is offset inwardly in relation to the adjacent circumferential wall of the dirt collecting container (9, 9').
8. Floor cleaning machine according to claim 7, characterised in that the offset of an area, which is a small distance from the articulation points (11) of the stirrup handle (10) in the direction of the end of the dirt container (9) located in the floor cleaning machine, extends about the end of the dirt collecting container (9) lying further outwards in the cleaning position of the mount (20).
9. Floor cleaning machine according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that in the upper edge area of the wall of each dirt collecting container (9, 9') lying outwards in the cleaning position of the mount (20) a hollow for the handle (13, 13') is formed.
10. Floor cleaning machine according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that in the lower area of the wall of each dirt collecting container (9, 9') lying outwards in the cleaning position of the mount (20) or in the floor wall area adjacent to the wall a lower handle hollow is formed.
11. Floor cleaning machine according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that the mount (20) is secured pivotably onto the machine housing with its area lying further on the inside of the floor cleaning machine, and in that the area of the mount (20) lying further outwards is connected to a rod (23, 23', 25) for moving the mount (20) between a cleaning position and removal position.
12. Floor cleaning machine according to claim 11, characterised in that the rod comprises an activating lever (25) for displacing the mount.
13. Floor cleaning machine according to claim 12, characterised in that the activating lever (25) on its movement for shifting the mount (20) between a cleaning position and mounting position runs through a dead centre position.
14. Floor cleaning machine according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterised in that the housing sections lying between adjacent dirt passage openings (30, 30') and forming edge areas of the latter on their side averted from the mount (20) have roof-like dirt guiding faces (33), which are each inclined in the direction of the opening edge.
15. Dirt collecting container comprising a pivotable stirrup handle for a floor cleaning machine according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterised in that at least one part (12, 12') of the edge area of the dirt collecting container (9, 9') forming a mount for the stirrup handle (10, 10') is offset inwardly relative to the adjacent circumferential wall of the dirt collecting container (9, 9').
16. Dirt collecting container to claim 15, characterised in that the offset of an area, which is a small distance from the articulation points (11) of the stirrup handle (10) in the direction of the end of the dirt container (9) also located in the floor cleaning machine, extends about the end of the dirt collecting container (9) lying further outwards in the cleaning position of the mount (20).

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