EP2777465B1 - Floor cleaning machine with handheld suction hose - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a floor cleaning machine with a chassis for moving the floor cleaning machine on a surface to be cleaned, with a suction device, which is supported on the chassis and designed for sucking debris from the surface to be cleaned, with a dirt container for receiving the debris, the is mounted on the chassis, with a blower device for generating an air flow in the dirt container, with a suction tube which connects the dirt container with the suction device and in which by the blower means an air flow from the suction device to the dirt container can be formed to dirt from the to promote cleansing surface in the dirt container, and with a container connected to the dirt container Handaugschlauch for sucking dirt from the surface to be cleaned, the suction pipe a connection in the section between the dirt container un d of the suction device and wherein the Handsaugschlauch (31) is connected to the terminal.

Such floor cleaning machines are for example from the WO 81/01362 known and are used in particular in the municipal sector for cleaning external surfaces such as paths or squares, with debris that was promoted for example with the help of brooms in the area of the suction device, which can be designed in particular as a so-called suction, with the help of the fan and the thus generated air flow is drawn into the dirt container.

In such cleaning operations, however, it often happens that dirt is to be absorbed, which is located away from the machine-drivable area or in areas that can not be detected by the broom. Therefore, such floor cleaning machines are often provided with a so-called Handsaugschlauch, which is also connected to the dirt container, so that the driver using the Handaugschlauchs, which he then leads by hand, can absorb such dirt, in which case also provided with the help of the dirt container on the blower device an air flow is generated in the hose.

In this context, it is from the FR 2 655 071 A1 and the US 4,200,950 known to provide at a floor cleaning machine connected to the dirt container Handsaugschlauch. The DE 10 2004 22 120 A1 as well as the WO 81/01362 A1 shows a floor cleaning machine according to the preamble of independent claim 1.

In connection with the hand suction hose, however, the following technical problems arise.

In such cleaning machines, the blower device is mounted on the dirt container so that an inlet of the blower device to the interior of the dirt container, wherein the inlet and possibly the outlet, which leads into the environment, are covered by a filter, but here only not fine-pored filter screens can be used in order not to limit the volume flow through the blower device too strong. However, these filter screens allow fine dust to pass through, allowing it to enter the environment through the blower device.

This has the consequence that the flow of polluted air coming from the suction device and the hand suction hose should be guided into the dirt container in such a way that a large part of the fine dust contained in the dirt container is deposited before the air enters the inlet of the blower device, to avoid that the environment of the floor cleaning machine is subjected to a high dust load.

In this case, on the one hand the dust-laden air should be performed in a suitable manner in the dirt container. On the other hand, in view of the polluted air coming from the suction device, it is known, for example, to introduce water into this air stream with the aid of a liquid feed device, which binds the fine dust in this air flow it can be more easily deposited in the dirt container. It is particularly possible that this liquid recovered in the dirt container and returned to the area of the liquid supply device near the suction device, so a so-called circulation water system is used.

In the hitherto known from the prior art machines, however, coming from the Handsaugschlauch air stream is not acted upon by liquid, so that dust contained therein easily in the inlet of the fan and thus can enter the environment of the floor cleaning machine, which is disadvantageous.

Finally, there is the further problem that the hand suction hose should be removed by the operator in a simple manner from the machine or attached to this again, but it must also be ensured that the hose has a sufficiently large length, so that positions, the have a greater distance to the floor cleaning machine, can still be achieved by the Handsaugschlauch.

Based on the prior art, it is the object of the present invention to provide a floor cleaning machine with a hand suction hose, which is designed such that during operation the dust load of the environment of the floor cleaning machine is minimized.

This object is achieved in that the suction pipe has a connection in the section between the dirt container and the suction device and that the hand suction hose is connected to the connection.

In such an embodiment, the coming from the Handsaugschlauch airflow along the same path in the Led dirt container along which also the coming of the suction air flow is guided. This ensures that regardless of whether the polluted air comes from the hand suction hose or the suction device, an optimized separation of dust in the dirt container takes place and in particular the air from the hand suction hose is not cleaned in a worse manner than that of the suction device.

If the floor cleaning machine is also equipped in a preferred embodiment with a liquid supply, can be introduced with the liquid in the air flow from the suction to the dirt container, coming from the Handsaugschlauch, possibly dust-laden air is applied to this liquid, so in the of Handsaugschlauch coming airborne dust bound by this liquid and can be better deposited in the dirt container. The liquid supply is thus used both for the air coming from the suction device and for the air coming from the hand suction hose.

It is particularly preferred if the liquid used in this case is recovered in the dirt container and returned to the liquid supply. In this way, the liquid consumption during operation is minimized.

According to the invention, the hand suction hose is variable in length, for example in concertina shape, configured, and it is provided on the terminal a receiving cylinder which extends vertically upwards away from the chassis. The inner diameter of the receiving cylinder is dimensioned so that the Handsaugschlauch can be accommodated therein, and the Handsaugschlauch extends through the receiving cylinder.

With such a structure, the collapsible hand suction hose can be stowed in the receiving cylinder, and it is not necessary to wrap the hose, for example, consuming a corresponding receptacle. The vertical arrangement of the receiving cylinder also allows dirt located on the wall to move under the influence of gravity into the intake manifold and thus also to the dirt container.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, a sealing plug on the floor cleaning machine is mounted above the receiving cylinder, on which the free end of the Handsaugschlauchs can be pushed sealingly.

In such an embodiment, the stowage of the variable-length Handsaugschlauch is particularly simple. The hand suction hose only has to be pushed onto the sealing plug with its free end when it is still extended. Due to the air flow or the negative pressure in the dirt container and the suction tube, the variable-length hand suction hose is contracted and pulls itself into the receiving cylinder. This simplifies the operation considerably.

In order to prevent kinking of the hand suction hose during its use in the extended state, it is also advantageous if the receiving cylinder can be bent out elastically from the vertical direction. Then it serves as a kind of strain relief for the hand suction hose.

In particular, the floor cleaning machine can be configured in such a way that on the chassis in addition to the dirt container spaced to a driver's seat assembly is provided and that the connection between the dirt container and the driver's seat assembly is provided. In this case, the receiving device in the form of the receiving cylinder for the hand suction hose is not on the outline of the floor cleaning machine, but on the other hand is easy to reach for an operator. This is especially true when the driver's seat assembly is surrounded by a driver's cab. Then, in particular in the case of an elastically configured receiving cylinder, the hand suction hose can be accessed from both sides of the floor cleaning machine and can be pulled away from the machine by the operator without the need for complicated guides for the hand suction hose.

Finally, the floor cleaning machine can be configured in an advantageous manner such that the suction device is arranged below the driver's seat arrangement. If then the already mentioned brooms are provided on the side facing away from the dirt container side of the driver's seat assembly on the chassis, the dirt container does not hinder the driver when looking at the brooms, so that such a machine is easy to manage.

Fig. 1

das Ausführungsbeispiel einer erfindungsgemäßen Bodenreinigungsmaschine mit eingezogenem Handsaugschlauch im Schnitt zeigt,

Fig. 2

das Ausführungsbeispiel aus Fig. 1 mit ausgezogenem Handsaugschlauch von der Seite zeigt und

Fig. 3

die Anordnung des Anschlusses an dem Saugrohr mit dem Handsaugschlauch aus dem Ausführungsbeispiel aus den Fig. 1 und 2 zeigt.

In the following, the present invention will be explained with reference to a drawing showing only a preferred embodiment, wherein

Fig. 1

shows the embodiment of a floor cleaning machine according to the invention with retracted Handsaugschlauch in section,

Fig. 2

the embodiment Fig. 1 with pulled off hand suction hose from the side and shows

Fig. 3

the arrangement of the connection to the suction pipe with the Handsaugschlauch from the embodiment of the Fig. 1 and 2 shows.

Like from the Fig. 1 and 2 shows, the embodiment of a floor cleaning machine according to the invention comprises a chassis 1, are mounted on the wheels 3 and an unillustrated drive for the wheels 3, so that the floor cleaning machine is configured to be moved over a surface to be cleaned 5. While a driven floor cleaning machine is described below, the invention can also be applied to machines which are not self-propelled and / or where the operator runs behind them to guide the machines.

Furthermore, the floor cleaning machine is provided with a driver's seat assembly 7, which in this preferred embodiment is surrounded by a car 9, wherein the driver's seat assembly 7, from which the floor cleaning machine can be controlled, is arranged in the front part, while in the rear part a dirt container 11 is mounted for receiving debris on the chassis 1.

Furthermore, the floor cleaning machine has a suction device in the form of a suction mouth 13, which is mounted vertically adjustable on the chassis 1. In this case, the suction mouth 13 is arranged below the driver's seat arrangement 7 and can be lowered onto the surface 5 to be cleaned.

The dirt container 11 is connected via a suction pipe 15 to the suction mouth 13, and on the dirt container 11, a blower 17 is further mounted, the inlet 19 points to the interior of the dirt container 11 and which is configured, an air flow from the suction port 13 to the dirt container 11 through the suction tube 15 through form. In this case, the air sucked through the inlet 17 is then discharged through an outlet 21 to the environment.

Furthermore, the Fig. 1 and 2 it can be seen that a liquid line 23 is provided which connects the bottom area of the dirt container 11 with a liquid feed 25 on the suction device or the suction mouth 13. Via the liquid feed 25, water can be conducted into the region of the suction mouth 13 and thus into the air flow from the suction mouth 13 through the suction pipe 15 into the dirt container 11. The water serves to bind dust contained in the air flow, so that it can be easily deposited in the dirt container 11. The water is collected at the bottom of the dirt container 11 in a corresponding sump 27 and returned via the line 23 to the liquid supply 25.

In addition, it is apparent from the figures that the suction tube 15 in the section between the suction device or the suction mouth 13 and the dirt container 11 has a connection 29, via which a Handsaugschlauch 31, the variable-length, d. H. accordion-shaped, is configured, is connected to the suction pipe 15.

Further, at the terminal 29, a receiving cylinder 33 extending vertically in a direction away from the chassis 1 is mounted, the inner diameter of which is sized so that the hand suction hose 31 can be received therein. The hand suction hose 31 extends through the receiving cylinder 33 therethrough. Further, the receiving cylinder 33 is formed of a flexible material so that it can be elastically bent out of the vertical direction in which it normally extends.

Above the receiving cylinder 33, a sealing plug 35 is attached to the dirt container 11, on which the free end 37 of the Handsaugschlauch 31 can be pushed so that the free end 37 is sealed (see in particular Fig. 3 ).

In principle, it is conceivable that at the free end 37 of the hand suction hose 31 a connected to the liquid supply 25 vent is provided so that liquid is already introduced at this point in the air flow from Handsaugschlauch 31. However, since the air flow is later mixed with the stream of air which is in any case supplied with liquid from the suction mouth 13, such an outflow is not necessary.

The use of the hand suction hose 31 can be done in the following manner.

If areas of the front in the chassis 1 mounted in front of the suction mouth 13, not shown broom can not be detected with the floor cleaning machine described above, an operator can turn off the free end 37 of the Handsaugschlauchs 31 of the sealing plug 35 and the Pull the hand suction hose 31 out of the receiving cylinder 33, so that the unrecognized area can be sucked off with the free end 37. Since the Handsaugschlauch 31 is mounted in the retracted state at a comparatively low height between the cabin 9 and dirt container 11, an operator from both sides of the floor cleaning machine has easy access. Another advantage of this arrangement is that it does not come to the height of the machine through the Handsaugschlauch 31, which would be the case if the Handsaugschlauch in the area of the lid of the dirt container 11 would be stowed.

For sucking, the blower device 17 generates an air flow, which on the one hand leads from the suction mouth 13 through the suction pipe 15 into the dirt container 11. On the other hand, however, the air flow also leads from the free end 37 of the hand suction hose 31 through this to the port 29 and from there through the suction pipe 15 into the dirt container 11. Thus, the air flowing through the Handsaugschlauch 31, at the end in the same manner in the dirt container 11 as that of the suction mouth 13. Thus The dust is deposited in an optimum manner even in the polluted air coming from the hand suction hose 31.

In addition, the air coming from the hand suction hose 31 is supplied with liquid, since it also has to flow through the suction pipe 15, through which the air flows from the suction mouth 13, which is supplied with liquid via the liquid feed device 25. This ensures that dust contained in the air from the hand suction hose 31 can be bound and deposited in the dirt container 11. This prevents in particular that this dust passes through the inlet 19 into the blower device 17 and from there via the outlet 21 into the environment.

The flexibly configured receiving cylinder 33 ensures that the hand suction hose 31 does not buckle in tensile load in the region of the terminal 29 and especially not at the top, the sealing plug 35 facing edge of the receiving cylinder 33, but is bent with a defined radius in this area.

When the operator has finished his activity with the hand suction hose 31, he only has to push the free end 37 onto the sealing plug 35. Due to the then built up in Handsaugschlauch 31 negative pressure, this pulls together and is automatically retracted into the receiving cylinder 33. Then even inside the Handaugschlauchs 31 befindlicher dirt falls due to gravity automatically into the suction pipe 15 and is promoted by the prevailing air flow into the dirt container 11.

Characterized in that the connection 29 and the receiving cylinder 33 are disposed between the dirt container 11 and the cabin 9, the free end 37 of the Handsaugschlauch 31 is easily accessible to an operator. He does not have to grab on the top of the dirt container 11 if he wants to start the activity with the hand suction hose 31. As a result, this arrangement is very user-friendly.

As is apparent from the above, in the above-described embodiment of a floor cleaning machine according to the invention is achieved that the Handsaugschlauch 31 is easy to use and thereby thereby guided air is effectively cleaned in the dirt container 11, so that the dust load caused by the out of the Outlet 21 of the blower 17 caused escaping air is minimized.

Claims (7)

1. Floor-cleaning machine having a chassis (1) for moving the floor-cleaning machine over a surface (5) which is to be cleaned,
   having a suction-removal device (13), which is retained on the chassis (1) and is configured for the suction removal of debris from the surface (5) which is to be cleaned,
   having a dirt container (11), which is intended for accommodating the debris and is fitted on the chassis (1),
   having a blower device (17) for generating an air flow into the dirt container (11),
   having a suction tube (15), which connects the dirt container (11) to the suction-removal device (13) and in which the blower device (17) can form an air flow from the suction-removal device (13) to the dirt container (11) in order for dirt to be delivered into the dirt container (11) from the surface (5) which is to be cleaned, and
   having a manually operated suction hose (31), which is connected to the dirt container (11) and is intended for the suction removal of dirt from the surface (5) which is to be cleaned,
   wherein the suction tube (15) has a connection (29) in the portion between the dirt container (11) and the suction-removal device (13), and
   wherein the manually operated suction hose (31) is attached to the connection (29),
   characterized
   in that the manually operated suction hose (31) is of alterable length,
   in that an accommodating cylinder (33) extends from the connection (29), vertically upwards away from the chassis (1),
   in that the internal diameter of the accommodating cylinder (33) is dimensioned such that the manually operated suction hose (31) can be accommodated therein, and
   in that the manually operated suction hose (31) extends through the accommodating cylinder (33).
2. Floor-cleaning machine according to Claim 1, characterized by the provision of a liquid infeed (25), by means of which liquid can be introduced into the air stream from the suction-removal device (13) to the dirt container (11).
3. Floor-cleaning machine according to Claim 2, characterized in that the dirt container (11) has means for collecting the liquid, and
   in that the means are connected to the liquid infeed (25), in order for collected liquid to be guided back into the air stream.
4. Floor-cleaning machine according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a closure plug (35) is retained on the floor-cleaning machine, above the accommodating cylinder (33), and the free end (37) of the manually operated suction hose (31) can be pushed with sealing action onto said closure plug.
5. Floor-cleaning machine according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the accommodating cylinder (33) is formed from flexible material, it therefore being possible for the accommodating cylinder (33) to be bent elastically away from the vertical direction.
6. Floor-cleaning machine according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a driver's-seat arrangement (7) is provided on the chassis (1), at a distance away from the dirt container (11), and in that the connection (29) is provided between the driver's seat arrangement (7) and the dirt container (11).
7. Floor-cleaning machine according to Claim 6, characterized in that the suction-removal device (13) is provided beneath the driver's seat arrangement (7).

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