EP2224837A1

EP2224837A1 - Floor nozzle, particularly for hard floors

Info

Publication number: EP2224837A1
Application number: EP08861919A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Thomas GÖPPNER; Manfred Prell
Original assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
Current assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Priority date: 2007-12-18
Filing date: 2008-11-28
Publication date: 2010-09-08
Anticipated expiration: 2028-11-28
Also published as: ATE507751T1; ES2363576T3; DE502008003459D1; CN101902945B; EP2224837B1; WO2009077306A1; DE102007060849B3; CN101902945A; RU2442524C1

Abstract

The invention relates to a floor nozzle (1), particularly for hard floors, which is configured suitable for the tasks of vacuuming and mopping, having a fluid tank (6) integrated into the floor nozzle (1) for moistening a cleaning agent. In order to create a floor nozzle (1) having an integrated fluid tank (6), wherein the fill level of the fluid tank (6) can be easily recognized from the outside by a user utilizing simple means, the invention provides that the floor nozzle (1) has a fill level indicator (19) for the fluid level in the fluid tank (6). In this manner a user can easily detect whether a sufficient amount of cleaning fluid is still present in the fluid tank (6).

Description

Floor nozzle, especially for hard floors

The present invention relates to a floor nozzle, in particular for hard floors, which is designed to be suitable for the work sucking and wiping, with a built-in floor nozzle liquid tank for wetting a wiper.

From EP 447 627 A1 an attachable to a vacuum cleaner attachment is known which consists of a suction tube, a connectable with this mouthpiece and a suction tube arranged on the container for cleaning liquid, which accessory in Mundstückgehäuse a liquid-conducting connected to the container distribution strip and one of these , movably mounted applicator body is provided. Due to the arrangement of the container for cleaning fluid to the suction pipe of the vacuum cleaner working is cumbersome and when changing the vacuum cleaner nozzle to a clean suction nozzle of the separate container for cleaning fluid must be extra removed.

The US 5,301, 387 A shows a floor nozzle for hard floors, which is supplied with liquid and DE 91 10 171 U1 a floor cleaning device in which the level of the cleaning liquid through a window to the tank on the stem is recognizable.

On this basis, as a further development, a floor nozzle, in particular for hard floors, can be understood, in which a liquid supply device for a wiping agent to be moistened is integrated into the floor nozzle. Such a liquid supply means may comprise a pump for conveying cleaning liquid or water to the wiping means. To hold a quantity of liquid, a liquid tank is provided in the floor nozzle. In general, a liquid tank is arranged inside the housing of the floor nozzle for this purpose. Since the liquid tank is no longer freely visible on the suction tube of the vacuum cleaner is mounted, but is integrated into the floor nozzle, the user can not tell if there is still sufficient cleaning liquid in the liquid tank.

Finally, DE 600 32 786 T2 shows a level indicator for a household appliance with optical effect. The object of the invention is to provide a floor nozzle with integrated liquid tank, in which the level of the liquid tank with simple means for a user from the outside is better visible.

The object is achieved by a floor nozzle with the features of claim 1.

By the floor nozzle has a level indicator for the liquid level in the liquid tank, a user can easily see if there is still sufficient cleaning liquid in the liquid tank. The arrangement of the liquid display on the floor nozzle has the advantage that the user who operates the floor nozzle during the cleaning process, the level indicator can always keep an eye on, since the user's view is generally always directed to the area to be cleaned and the floor nozzle. Another advantage is that no connection lines must be led out of the floor nozzle in order to forward the level detected in the floor nozzle to an external liquid display. A reliable indication of the level is also guaranteed if the floor nozzle «is disconnected from the vacuum cleaner.

The level indicator can have an optical means which appears as a function of the level with different optical effect. The optical means may in particular be a non-electrical means, so that a supply of electrical energy is not necessary. This has the advantage that the level indicator is ready to operate even without electrical supply lines to a connected vacuum cleaner and no electrical energy sources, such as batteries or batteries must be provided in the floor nozzle. The use of an optical means thus provides a maintenance-free level indicator, which is always ready for operation and only slightly prone to error.

In one development, the optical means can be formed from a number of webs of different heights, which extend in the liquid tank and whose web portions projecting beyond the liquid level are optically perceptible through a viewing window from outside the liquid tank. Thus, the user only those webs are visually displayed, which are above the current Stand out liquid level. If the webs of different height continuously, ie gradually increased in their heights, so the user can recognize the level based on the number of optically over the level appearing webs. This creates a, in some way digital appearing level indicator, which is also easy to read.

In the liquid tank of the nozzle webs of different height are arranged. Depending on the liquid level in the tank, the webs are covered or released by the cleaning medium and thus indicate the amount of liquid present. These webs are also still covered by a box with small openings, which represents a so-called calming space, so that spills by the movements of the nozzle not the water or the cleaning liquid in the display area, ie behind the viewing window back and forth.

In this case, the webs of different height starting from a bottom of the liquid tank can be arranged to extend vertically upwards in the direction of the viewing window. In this respect, the webs form both a means for detecting the level in the liquid tank and a display means, which visually represents the detected level over the viewing window. This has the advantage that both the detection means and the display means are formed with very simple mechanical means. This has the distribution that a very robust and independent of foreign energy level indicator is created. The arrangement of the webs within the liquid tank and special measures for liquid-tight lead out of functional parts of the display means can be omitted. In other words, all the components of the level indicator are inside the fluid tank and enclosed by it.

The viewing window may in particular be slot-shaped and the webs of different height along the longitudinal extent of the slot-shaped viewing window in

Be spaced from each other. Again, the user can use the

Number of optically over the level appearing webs detect the level when the webs of different height continuously, i. step-like in theirs

Heights are arranged elevated. The display then takes place by means of a level corresponding to the number of webs, which are continuously adjacent to each other along the slot appear in appearance, similar to a digital bar graph, as they are known in households in electrical appliances with LED displays, for example, for a state of charge of batteries. The slit-like shape of the viewing window thus contributes to easy recognizability of the current filling level.

The webs may be tongue-shaped in one embodiment, aligned parallel to each other and arranged extending transversely to the longitudinal extent of the slot-shaped viewing window. The tongue-shaped design of the webs and the parallel arrangement to each other separates the individual webs optically, so that the number of visible webs easily distinguished by the user and the true level can be easily detected.

In all variants, the webs extending in the liquid tank may be surrounded by at least one wall, which is provided with at least one opening for a throttled inflow and outflow of liquid from the liquid tank into the display space to form a display space. During operation, such as suction and wiping, the floor nozzle is moved back and forth or back and forth, with the result that, under the influence of inertia, the cleaning liquid in the liquid tank sloshes around. The liquid level fluctuates like a wave back and forth. This would mean that the liquid display would show a constantly changing liquid level, which makes the readability of the actual liquid level difficult. Therefore, according to the invention, means can be provided which prevents or at least significantly reduces a fluctuation of the liquid level during working with the floor nozzle. The wall to be provided forms a flow obstacle within the liquid tank, so that the cleaning liquid within the liquid tank can not flow freely back and forth. The wall may not completely liquid-tight surround the webs, but it is at least provide an opening, which ensures that the actual level in the liquid tank can also adjust in the region of the webs. The area of the webs is referred to as a display space. The display space is visible through the viewing window. The at least one opening can be formed, for example, by one or more holes in the wall or by a slot-like, in particular vertically extending column in the wall. This column can also be formed by arranging several separate wall sections at a slight distance from each other.

In this case, the wall may have two opposite in horizontal cross-section C-shaped wall sections which each form a flow gap to form two openings in the region of their leg ends. The two wall sections together form a box-like calming space around the webs, wherein between the two in the horizontal cross-section C-shaped wall sections, the slot-like, in particular vertically extending gaps are formed, via which a throttled inlet and drainage of cleaning liquid takes place.

The C-shaped wall sections and the webs of different height can be formed in particular at the bottom of the liquid tank. The liquid tank can be integrated, for example, in a lower shell of the floor nozzle. The lower shell of the

Floor nozzle, the liquid tank and the wall sections, as well as the webs can be inexpensively manufactured as a one-piece plastic injection molded part. Because the optical

Effect is achieved solely because of the outstanding over the liquid level web sections, the webs can be made of any plastic. In particular, the webs themselves do not have high quality, expensive transparent plastic, such as

Polyacrylic be prepared, as would be required for level indicators, which on the

Principle of optical light pipe based. For webs of transparent plastic, these could not readily be molded to the bottom shell of the bottom nozzle, which is generally made of plain polyethylene or polypropylene.

The invention also relates in particular to vacuum cleaners, in particular for household purposes, which have a floor nozzle according to the invention.

An embodiment of the invention is described with reference to a floor nozzle exemplified in the figures. From the detailed description of this specific embodiment, there are also other general features and advantages of the present invention.

Show it: Fig. 1 is a top view of the housing of a floor nozzle for

Household purposes with a liquid display according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows the housing of the floor nozzle according to FIG. 1 with the upper shell removed; FIG. and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line A-A of Fig. 2 by the liquid display according to the invention.

A floor nozzle 1 according to FIG. 1 has a housing 2 with an upper housing half, which forms an upper shell 3. The upper shell 3 is substantially rectangular, wherein the longitudinal extent of the upper shell 3 extends transversely to the main sliding and Hauptziehrichtung the floor nozzle 1. In a central, rear region of the floor nozzle 1, as shown in Fig. 1 above in the middle, a connection bearing 4 is provided for a nozzle joint for connecting a suction pipe of a vacuum cleaner. In Fig. 1 just to the right of the connection bearing 4, a filling opening 5 is attached, is filled through the cleaning liquid or even water in a liquid tank 6. In an end region shown on the right in FIG. 1 on one of the short sides of the rectangular floor nozzle 1, a viewing window 7 is arranged. The viewing window 7 is made of a transparent plastic and in the upper shell 3, which is also made of plastic, embedded. The viewing window 7 can be connected by means of a Snap connection or by gluing or in co-extrusion with the upper shell. The viewing window 7 is designed slit-shaped. With its longitudinal extent the viewing window 7 extends in the sliding direction of the floor nozzle 1. The two longitudinal edges 8a and 8b of the viewing window 7 are parallel to each other at a distance from each other. The short transverse edges 9a and 9b of the viewing window 7 are formed by two semi-circular arc sections. Through the viewing window, in an empty state of the liquid tank 6, for example, five webs, as shown in Fig. 1, visible.

In F | g. 2, the lower half of the housing 2 is shown, which forms a lower shell 10. The lower shell 10 is formed substantially trough-shaped with a circumferential side wall 1 1 and a bottom 12. The bottom 12 together with the circumferential side wall 1 1 and the upper shell 3, the liquid tank 6. From the bottom 12 of the liquid tank 6, five webs 13.1 to 13.5 extend vertically upwards. Each web 13.1 to 13.5 is designed tongue-shaped, ie, each web 13.1 to 13.5 has a cuboidal basic shape, wherein the thickness of the cuboid base body is thin. With their lower short end faces, the webs 13.1 to 13.5 are connected to the bottom 12. The long longitudinal sides of the webs 13.1 to 13.5 extend transversely to the main sliding and Hauptziehrichtung the floor nozzle 1. By this transverse orientation is already a certain Calming of the cleaning liquid in the liquid tank achieved, even if no other measures have been taken.

According to the invention, however, at least one wall 14 is provided in the illustrated embodiment. The wall 14 includes the webs 13.1 to 13.5. The wall 14 has a first wall section 14a and a second wall section 14b. The wall section 14a extends upwardly from the floor 12 in a vertical direction. In a horizontal section, the wall portion 14a has a C-shaped cross-section. The wall section 14b also extends upwardly from the floor 12 in the vertical direction. In a horizontal section, the wall portion 14b has an L-shaped cross-section. Both wall sections 14a and 14b rise to a height which extends to the upper end of the largest web 13.5. It is also possible to provide two C-shaped or two L-shaped wall sections 14a and 14b. The height of the wall sections 14a and 14b need not be constant, ie, in adaptation to the rising heights of the webs 13.1 to 13.5, the wall sections 14a and 14b may have a height profile increasing over their extension. Depending on a leg end 15a and a leg end 15b of the wall portions 14a and 14b each form a narrow flow gap 16a, 16b throttled over the liquid and can drain. The flow gaps 16a and 16b represent openings 17a and 17b in the wall 14. The wall sections 14a and 14b define a display space 18, which forms a calm zone with respect to the remaining liquid tank 6 in which fluctuations in the liquid level due to movement of the floor nozzle 1 are damped are so that the most constant indication of the actual liquid level is reached. In Fig. 3, a level indicator 19 according to the invention in section along the line AA of Fig. 2 is shown. The webs 13.1 to 13.5 are bounded by the bottom 12 and both by the wall portion 14a and wall portion 14b. The leftmost in Fig. 3 shown web 13.1 is formed in its height at the shortest. Right next to the web 13.1 follows the web 13.2, which is higher than the web 13.1 but lower than the following, middle web 13.3. Right next to the central web 13.3 follows the fourth web 13.4 which in turn is higher than the middle web 13.3 but lower than the last web 13.5. The webs 13.1 to 13.5 thus have rising heights, which are gradually higher in the manner of organ pipes. At a mean filling level height, as indicated in Fig. 3 by the liquid level 20, the middle web 13.3 just below the liquid level 20. The smaller webs 13.1 and 13.2 are completely below the liquid level 20. At the larger webs 13.4 and 13.5 protrude depending on a web section 13.4a and 13.5a on the liquid level 20 out. For an observer, the web portions 13.4a and 13.5a projecting beyond the liquid level 20 are visually perceptible through the viewing window 7. The more web portion 13.1a to 13.5a are visible, the lower the level in the liquid tank 6. When completely filled liquid tank 6 and the highest web 13.5 completely submerged under the liquid level 20, so that none of the web portions 13.1 a to 13.5a is visible ,

Claims

claims

1. floor nozzle, in particular for hard floors, which is designed to work sucking and wiping, with a in the floor nozzle (1) integrated liquid tank (6) for wetting a wiper, characterized in that the floor nozzle (1) a level indicator (19 ) for the liquid level in the

Liquid tank (6).

2. floor nozzle according to claim 1, characterized in that the level indicator (19) has an optical means which appears in dependence of the level with different optical effect.

3. Floor nozzle according to claim 2, characterized in that the optical means is formed of a number of webs (13.1 to 13.5) of different heights, which extend in the liquid tank (6) and whose liquid level superior web portions (13.1 a to 13.5a) through a viewing window (7) from outside the liquid tank (6) are visually perceptible.

4. floor nozzle according to claim 3, characterized in that the webs (13.1 to 13.5) of different height from a bottom (12) of the liquid tank (6) starting vertically upwards in the direction of the viewing window (7) are arranged to extend.

5. floor nozzle according to claim 4, characterized in that the viewing window (7) is slot-shaped and the webs (13.1 to 13.5) of different height along the longitudinal extent of the slot-shaped viewing window (7) are arranged at intervals from each other.

6. floor nozzle according to claim 5, characterized in that the webs (13.1 to 13.5) designed tongue-shaped, aligned parallel to each other and extending transversely to the longitudinal extent of the slot-shaped viewing window (7) are arranged extending.

7. floor nozzle according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that in the liquid tank (6) extending webs (13.1 to 13.5) to form a display space (18) of at least one wall (14) are surrounded, which for a throttled - And drain of liquid from the liquid tank (6) in the display space (18) with at least one opening (17) is provided.

8. Floor nozzle according to claim 7, characterized in that the wall (14) has two opposite in horizontal cross-section C-shaped or L-shaped wall sections (14 a, 14 b), for the formation of two openings (17 a, 17 b) in the area Their leg ends each form a flow gap (16a, 16b).

9. floor nozzle according to claim 8, characterized in that the wall sections (14a, 14b) and the webs (13.1 to 13.5) of different height at the bottom (12) of the

Liquid tanks (6) are formed.

10. Vacuum cleaner with a floor nozzle (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9.