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The present invention refers to a cleaning device for flat surfaces in accordance with the preamble of claim 1. More specifically, the present invention refers to a cleaning device capable of sucking, washing and drying floors providing multiple functions that can be used as desired.
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As known, to clean flat surfaces a plurality of operations have to be carried out in succession that foresee first of all the removal of solid particles and dust from the surface to be cleaned and then washing through a cloth soaked with water preferably added to with detergent agents and finally drying.
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Nowadays, such tasks are increasingly carried out through the use of cleaning devices that manage to carry out each of the operations listed above.
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Devices are known that use cleaning heads through which liquid is sprayed that wets a cloth below to clean the surface on which it is passed. Since the wet cloth leaves the treated surface very wet, immediate drying is carried out through the use of an aspirator that sucks up the water through a suction mouth.
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To properly clean the surface it is necessary for the aspirator to suck up all of the water through the suction duct.
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This is obtained through the use of suitable brushes with rubber edge that allow the water left on the surface to be pushed and conveyed towards the suction duct.
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Although such devices often manage to carry out their task well, they do nevertheless have some drawbacks and disadvantages.
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Indeed, it is necessary to foresee suitable systems for raising and lowering the brushes with rubber edge as well as to take care of replacing them after a certain period of use.
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Therefore, said cleaning devices of the prior art require constructive provisions and continuous interventions in order to keep their cleaning ability effective.
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Therefore, there is a great requirement to have a cleaning device for flat surfaces that can carry out the suction, washing and drying operations in a single passage and that at the same time is constructively simple taking into account the functions carried out and that involves substantially less maintenance by the end user than that required by the devices of the prior art.
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The purpose of the present invention is that of providing a cleaning device for flat surfaces having structural and functional characteristics such as to satisfy the aforementioned requirements and at the same time to avoid the aforementioned drawbacks with reference to the prior art.
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A further purpose is that of providing a cleaning device that is more effective against dirt and highly versatile. Such purposes are accomplished through a cleaning device for flat surfaces in accordance with claim 1.
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The dependent claims outline preferred and particularly advantageous embodiments of the cleaning device for flat surfaces according to the invention.
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Further characteristics and advantages of the invention shall become clear from reading the following description provided as an example and not for limiting purposes, with the help of the figures illustrated in the attached tables, in which:
- figure 1 shows a view from above of a cleaning device for flat surfaces in accordance with the present invention;
- figure 2 shows a view from below partially in section of the device of figure 1;
- figure 3 shows a view along a horizontal plane of the device of figure 1;
- figure 4 shows a section view along the line IV-IV of figure 3;
- figure 5 shows a section view along the line V-V of figure 3;
- figure 6 shows a detail of the section view along the line VI-VI of figure 3.
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With reference to the aforementioned figures, a cleaning device for flat surfaces, such as floors, fitted carpets and the like, in accordance with the present invention, is globally indicated with 1.
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The cleaning device 1 comprises a casing 2 suitable for being moved over a flat surface through moving means such as a pair of wheels 3 arranged at the back end of the casing 2.
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In the example, the casing 2 is in the form of a base 4 and a cover 5 suitably profiled and shaped to form a hollow inside the casing 2.
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The base 4 and the cover 5 are fixed together through screws 48 (Fig. 2) or other preferably removable fastening means.
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The base 4 (Fig. 2) has a substantially flat surface on the bottom side in contact with the surface to be cleaned, where a first opening 6 and a second opening 7 are formed, the latter in a recess, extending transversally with respect to the direction in which the wheels 3 of the device 1 advance.
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In the example, the first opening 6 is divided into two equal portions through a divider element 8 and is arranged at the front end of the base 4.
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A roller 9 provided with bristles 10 faces the first opening 6.
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The roller 9 is rotatably associated with two opposite walls of the base 4 according to the prior art (Fig. 3).
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The first opening 6 and consequently also the roller 9 are in communication with an aspirator 11 through a suction duct 36 (Fig. 3).
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In order to obtain a more compact structure, the roller 9 is placed in rotation through a transmission belt 12 actuated by the shaft 13 of the aspirator 11 itself without the help of a further motor means.
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To assist the pneumatic suction carried out through the aspirator 11, the bristles 10 are arranged along two helical paths, not visible in the figures, about the entire roller 9 starting from the centre in a symmetrical manner.
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A dispenser group 14 provided with a first row of holes 15 and with a second row of holes 16, arranged parallel to the first opening 6 and having a rectangular configuration in plan defined by side walls 26, faces the second opening 7.
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In the illustrated example, the first and second row of holes 15, 16 are arranged along two lines parallel to the extension of the second opening 7 with an equal number of holes for each row.
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The two rows of holes 15, 16 are in fluid communication respectively with a vapour generator, called boiler 17 and a tank 18 suitable for containing a liquid detergent through two distinct flexible ducts 19 and 20 generally made from plastic.
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The holes 15, 16 face the surface to be cleaned with the interposition of a cloth 21 suitably removably fixed to the base 4 and covering the entire second opening 7.
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Basically, the vapour, generally steam, and the liquid detergent coming out from the holes 15, 16 wet the surface to be cleaned through the cloth 21.
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Alternatively and in the simplest embodiment it is possible to foresee the absence of the second row of holes 16 and thus no use of detergent.
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To allow easy removal and cleaning of the cloth 21 after its use, it is foreseen to adopt a cloth-carrying plate 22 on which the cloth 21 is removably fixed so that it remains taut during use.
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In the example, the plate 22 is in the form of a frame provided with a pair of opposite grooves 23 in which two ribbings 24 are inserted suitable for clamping and holding taut the cloth 21 and shaped to slide along the two opposite walls 25 that are transversal with respect to the direction in which the wheels 3 advance, defining the closed perimeter of the second opening 7.
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The hooking of the plate 22 on the base 4 is thus ensured by the interference existing between the ribbings 24 and the walls 25 of the second opening 7.
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Basically, the plate slots drawer-like along the walls 25 of the second opening 7.
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In accordance with the present invention, the dispenser group 14 is further provided with a pair of parallel walls 26 that defines with the cloth 21 a dispensing chamber 27 (Fig. 6) arranged centrally with respect to the second opening 7.
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Basically, when the cloth 21 is fixed to the base 4, the dispensing chamber 27 faces its centre and along its entire transversal extension, again with respect to the direction in which the casing 2 advances.
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Basically, only the part of cloth 21 arranged at the dispensing chamber 27 is directly hit by the vapour and, if present, by the liquid detergent.
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According to an advantageous aspect of the present invention and as illustrated in the figures, the dispensing chamber 27 is divided into two further chambers, respectively a first vapour dispensing chamber 27a coming from the boiler 17 and a second detergent dispensing chamber 27b coming from the tank 18.
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Such a division is made through the use of a dividing partition 28 suitable for keeping the fluids dispensed in the first and second dispensing chamber 27a, 27b divided until the cloth 21 is reached.
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This allows the vapour and the detergent to be dispensed onto the cloth 21 without them previously being mixed.
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In order to remove the dirt collected by the cloth 21 and to dry the treated surface, the aspirator 11 is placed in communication with the cloth 21 from which it sucks, through the suction duct 36, the dust and the liquid collected during the passage on the surface to be cleaned.
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In the illustrated example, the cloth 21 is placed in communication with the aspirator 11 through two suction cones 29 arranged so as to partially lie on top of the dispenser group 14 with which they neither interfere nor communicate.
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On the end of each suction cone 29 at the side distal from the cloth 21, a diaphragm 30 is arranged (Figs. 4, 6), generally made from rubber, which is fixed at one point and selectively blocks the through port.
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In practice, when the aspirator 11 is actuated, the diaphragm 30 rises under the effect of the pneumatic force remaining firmly connected to the edge of the cone 29 only at the fastening point.
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Of course, the portion of cloth 21 at the sides of the dispensing chamber 27 is all involved by the suction effect carried out through the two cones 29 going into depression, when the aspirator 11 is working.
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This creates a pair of suction chambers 31a, 31b arranged at the sides of the dispensing chamber 27 (Figs. 4, 6).
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To ease the suction of the dust and of the liquid through the cloth 21, said cloth is made from porous material not holding dirt like for example polyester.
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The liquid and the dust sucked up through the cloth 21 are temporarily stored in a collection tub 32 in communication with the two suction cones 29 (Figs. 3, 4). The tub 32 is kept in depression through the suction duct 36, when the aspirator 11 is working.
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To avoid the liquid collected in the tub 32 being able to go back onto the surface just cleaned, each cone 29 emerges inside the tub 32 acting as an overflow.
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The tub 32 and the cones 29 are made in a single piece that can be removed from the casing 2.
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The removal of the tub 32 is eased by a gripping handle 33 arranged centrally (Figs. 3, 4).
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The emptying of the liquid from the tub 32 is allowed by the removal of an overlying cover 34 (Figs. 1, 4) having a configuration forming a homogeneous surface with the cover 5.
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A dry filter 35 made from polyether is arranged on the suction duct 36, upstream of the aspirator 11 (Fig. 4).
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To minimise the overall bulk of the cleaning device 1, the filter 35 is arranged over the tub 32 so as to be reached by the dust and other solids sucked up by the first opening 6 through the roller 9 with bristles 10.
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In order to get rid of the dust sucked up through the first opening 6 through the roller 9 more efficiently, it is advantageously foreseen to use a part of the steam to be dispensed on the cloth 21 to get rid of the fine dust sucked up by the first opening 6, before they reach the filter 35.
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Such a part of steam is spilled from the dispenser group 14 through a pair of holes 37 made on the portions of dispenser group 14 with the respective cones 29 (Figs. 3, 6) on top.
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Basically, from the holes 37 the steam crosses the cones 29 and reaches an area over the tub 32 where the powder coming from the first opening 6 is suitably directed before it crosses the filter 35.
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The slid dirt sucked up through the first opening 6 reaches the tub 32 through an inlet slot 53.
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In the tub 32 a partition 38 is arranged suitable for lowering the kinetic energy of the solids sucked up through the first opening 6 thus easing their contact with the steam spilled from the dispenser group 14.
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In practice, the dust sucked up through the first opening 6 comes out from the slot 53, hits the wall 38 and licks the top part of the cones 29 where it is reached by the steam spilled through the hole 37. The steam in contact with the fine dust forms minuscule droplets by coalescence that fall in the tub without reaching the filter 35.
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The water boiler 17 that generates the steam dispensed through the first row of holes 15 is arranged in the back part of the hollow of the casing 2 in a position adjacent to the aspirator 11, the latter placed in the centre of the hollow, and divided by it through a dividing wall 39 provided with two holes for the steam and detergent ducts 19, 20 to cross (Figs. 3, 4).
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Preferably, the boiler 17 operates at atmospheric pressure and since it is closed through a cap 40, the steam generated in it crosses the duct 19 to be dispensed through the first row of holes 15 on the cloth 21.
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In accordance with the present invention and as visible in figure 4, the tank 18 is arranged at the back end of the casing 2 of the device 1 and is provided with a pedal 41 that if pressed opens a through port 42 communicating with the duct 20 that leads to the second row of holes 16.
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The through port 42 is kept closed at the bottom through a spherical shutter 43 and relative thrusting spring 45 that acts upwards.
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Therefore, when the pedal 41 is pressed down, making it rotate about a pin 44, it thrusts the shutter 43 downwards. Once the pedal 41 is released, the spring 45 takes the shutter 43 back into the closed position.
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The thrusting of the shutter 43 in contrast to the spring 45 is effectively obtained through a thrusters 46 arranged inside the tank 18, cooperating with the pedal 41 and provided with a pin 47 arranged in direct contact with the shutter 43.
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In this way a delivery of detergent is obtained by the force of gravity.
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In order to improve the dispensing of detergent, it is foreseen to make small notches 49 (Fig. 2, 6) on the wall 26 of the dispenser group 14 to place the detergent dispensing chamber 27b in communication with the adjacent suction chamber 31b.
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In such a way, the simple force of gravity is added to with a further suction force that eases the dispensing of the detergent on the cloth 21.
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In order to ease the movement of the device 1 on the surface to be cleaned, a second pair of front wheels 50 are used, sized so as to reduce to the minimum the sliding friction forces that the cloth 21 exerts by suction effect on the surface when the aspirator 11 is working.
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Preferably, the front wheels 50 are made with an externally elastic material to allow their constant contact with the ground even if cloths 21 of different thickness are used.
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The guiding of the device 1 by the user is carried out through a handle 51 with an ergonomic grip 52 (Fig 1.).
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Such a handle 51 can be left in the vertical position thanks to stop means consisting of a pair of suitably interfering spherical elements 54 (Fig. 4).
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The device 1 can also be used for the brushing through the roller 9 and the cleaning with steam of floors and fitted carpets by simply replacing the plate 22 carrying the cloth 21 with a suitable second plate, not illustrated, to be hooked to the walls 25 of the second opening 7 that allows the friction against movement to be reduced.
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The device 1 of the present invention is also equipped with all of the safety systems with which the devices of the prior art are equipped and in addition with selective actuation means, not illustrated, to actuate the desired function as required.
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As an example, the device 1 can acts as: vacuum cleaner, steam floor washer, wash and dry steam aspirator, etc.
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As can be appreciated from what has been described, the cleaning device for flat surfaces according to the present invention allows the requirements to be satisfied and allows the drawbacks mentioned in the introductory part of the present description with reference to the prior art to be overcome.
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Indeed, the cleaning device according to the present invention allows any flat surface to be effectively cleaned.
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Moreover, thanks to the possibility of selectively and separately dispensing the detergent and the steam, the surface is directly acted upon with the desired detergent without previous dilution with steam that would reduce its effectiveness.
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It is worth noting the reduced bulk that the device 1 of the present invention requires whilst still conserving high flexibility and multifunctionality.
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Of course, a man skilled in the art can bring numerous modifications and variants to the cleaning device for flat surfaces described above in order to satisfy contingent and specific requirements, all of which are covered by the scope of protection of the invention, as defined by the following claims.
