EP2817104B1 - Surface cleaning head and flow resistance element for a surface cleaning head - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a surface cleaning head for cleaning a surface with the features of the preamble of patent claim 1.

The invention also relates to a flow resistance element for such a surface cleaning head.

Surface cleaning heads with a hood-shaped housing, which has a cleaning chamber surrounded by a peripheral wall and open at the bottom, in which at least one cleaning nozzle is mounted on a spray arm so that it can rotate freely about an axis of rotation for applying cleaning liquid to the surface to be cleaned, with a splash guard on the peripheral wall is arranged with a circumferential strip of bristles are, for example DE 10 2010 003 079 A1 and from WO 2011/020492 A1 known. With their help, for example, a hard surface, in particular a patio floor, a garage entrance or a garage door, can be cleaned. To clean the surfaces, the pressure line of a high-pressure cleaning device can be connected to the surface cleaning head. Pressurized cleaning liquid can then be supplied to the cleaning nozzle arranged on the at least one spray arm. With the help of the cleaning nozzle, the pressurized cleaning liquid can be applied to the surface to be cleaned. The cleaning nozzle experiences a recoil, under the effect of which the spray arm is set in rotation about the axis of rotation. This makes it possible to apply cleaning fluid to a relatively large area within a short time.

In order to prevent spray water from escaping from the cleaning chamber, a spray protection device is arranged on the peripheral wall with a bristle strip running around in the peripheral direction. The surface cleaning head can be placed with the bristle strip on the surface to be cleaned.

If the surface cleaning head is moved along the surface to be cleaned, the bristle strip slides along the surface. In order to achieve a good sealing effect, the strip of bristles can have a multiplicity of bristles which are densely packed. However, this has the disadvantage that the flexibility of the bristle strip is restricted. If the surface cleaning head is moved along an uneven surface, for example along a paved floor, there is a risk with an inflexible bristle strip that it will get caught on an uneven floor, for example on a joint between two paving stones. This can cause the surface cleaning head to tip over. If, on the other hand, the packing density of the bristles is reduced, the bristle strip has a high degree of flexibility and the risk of the bristle strip getting caught on an uneven floor can be reduced, but the bristle strip then also has a limited sealing effect, so that spray water escapes from the cleaning room can escape.

Provision can be made for the surface cleaning head to have a pumping device, with the aid of which the cleaning space can be pumped out while the surface to be cleaned is being acted upon by pressurized cleaning liquid. With such a configuration, with a relatively low packing density of the bristles of the bristle strip, there is also the disadvantage that external air can penetrate through the bristle strip into the cleaning space and thereby impair the suction result that is to be achieved by the pumping device.

Out of US 4,290,160A a surface cleaning head is known in which a hood-shaped housing is rotatably mounted on a handle. The handle is designed as a rigid supply line for a cleaning liquid and is rigidly connected at its free end to two outlet lines facing away from one another. The outlet ducts are surrounded by the pivoted housing which can be rotated by the cleaning liquid exiting the outlet ducts. The housing carries a cleaning brush on its lower edge, with which a surface to be cleaned can be brushed. The cleaning brush is surrounded by an apron designed to prevent cleaning fluid is thrown outwards by the rotating cleaning brush.

Out of US 3,832,069 A a surface cleaning head is known according to the preamble of claim 1, having a hood-shaped housing in which a plurality of spray arms are rotatably mounted. The spray arms each carry a cleaning nozzle for applying cleaning liquid to a surface to be cleaned. The housing has a peripheral wall, on the lower edge of which a spray protection device with a peripheral bristle strip is arranged. The strip of bristles is formed by a large number of bristles which are fixed to the peripheral wall by means of a clip. The lower edge of the peripheral wall is surrounded by an impact protection ring, on the inside of which the bristle strip rests with its upper end area.

Similarly designed surface cleaning heads are out US 5,711,051A and DE 10 2008 011 506 A1 known. With the surface cleaning head according to US 5,711,051A a circumferential strip of bristles is fixed at the lower edge of a peripheral wall with the aid of a clip. The peripheral wall has a collar-like extension that abuts the inside of the bristle strip. A free edge area of the bristle strip protrudes in the direction of the surface to be cleaned beyond the collar-like extension of the peripheral wall. For the surface cleaning head according to DE 10 2008 011 506 A1 the peripheral wall forms a corresponding collar-like extension, which, however, is arranged on the outside of the bristle strip.

The object of the invention is to further develop a surface cleaning head of the type mentioned above in such a way that the permeability of the bristle strip for spray water and air can be reduced as required without the risk of the bristle strip getting caught in uneven floors.

This object is achieved by a surface cleaning head having the features of patent claim 1.

The cleaning space is not only sealed off by a bristle strip, but also by a flow resistance element that extends in the circumferential direction along the bristle strip and rests on the inside or outside of the bristle strip. However, the flow resistance element extends in the axial direction relative to the axis of rotation of the cleaning nozzle only over a portion of the bristle strip, so that a free edge area of the bristle strip protrudes in the direction of the surface to be cleaned over the flow resistance element.

The flow resistance element counteracts air flow and liquid flow through the bristle strip. The bristles of the bristle strip can therefore have a relatively low packing density. This gives the bristle strip a high degree of flexibility, so that when sliding along an uneven floor there is practically no risk of the bristle strip getting caught in the uneven floor.

The flow resistance element is designed as an annular strip that lies against the outside of the bristle ring. The annular strip can, for example, cover the entire outside of the bristle ring with the exception of its free edge area.

The annular strip is elastically extensible and can be clamped onto the rigid retaining ring of the spray protection device and, if necessary, can be removed from the retaining ring on which the bristle strip is held. If the annular strip is to be connected to the spray protection device, it can be stretched elastically and clamped onto the rigid retaining ring of the spray protection device. The bristle strip is held on the retaining ring and the annular strip extends in the axial direction in relation to the axis of rotation of the at least one cleaning nozzle so far in the direction of the surface to be cleaned that, with the exception of the free edge area of the bristle strip, it completely covers the bristle strip on the inside or outside.

According to the invention, the flow resistance element designed as an annular strip is designed in the manner of an elastically deformable sealing lip which bears against the outside of the bristle strip.

The provision of a flow resistance element that extends in the circumferential direction along the bristle strip and that is set back in the axial direction relative to the axis of rotation of the at least one cleaning nozzle compared to the free end area of the bristle strip has proven particularly useful in cases in which the surface cleaning head has a pump device for sucking up the surface has applied cleaning liquid. If the cleaning room is pumped out, external air can only flow through the bristle strip at a considerable flow rate in the free edge area of the bristle strip, whereas in the area of the flow resistance element the flow rate of the external air is reduced or no external air can flow through at all. External air thus flows primarily in the free edge area of the bristle strip, i. H. in the boundary area between the bristle strip and the surface to be cleaned into the cleaning room. As a result, liquid applied to the surface is sucked into the cleaning chamber by the inflowing external air and can be discharged by the pumping device. The use of the flow resistance element explained above thus enables an improved suction result in the case of surface cleaning heads with a pump device for sucking off cleaning liquid applied to the surface.

The pumping device of such surface cleaning heads can be designed, for example, in the form of a jet pump that can be charged with pressurized cleaning liquid. For this purpose, the jet pump can have a pump inlet channel which is in flow communication with the cleaning chamber and is connected to a collection channel via a mixing chamber, with a propulsion nozzle that can be acted upon by pressurized cleaning liquid being arranged upstream of the collection channel in order to form a suction flow.

It is advantageous if the bristle strip protrudes 1 mm to 5 mm, preferably 2 mm to 3 mm, over the annular strip in the direction of the surface to be cleaned. The axial extent of the free edge area of the bristle strip is thus preferably 1 mm to 5 mm, in particular 2 mm to 3 mm.

According to the invention, the flow resistance element in the form of the annular strip can be detachably connected to the spray protection device. This gives the user the option of using the surface cleaning head either with the flow resistance element or without the flow resistance element. The use of the flow resistance element has proven particularly effective in the case of smooth surfaces, such as those used in sanitary areas. However, when the surface cleaning head is used to clean rough surfaces, particularly rough floor surfaces, the flow resistance element can be removed from the bristle strip to avoid severe wear of the flow resistance element.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the retaining ring of the spray protection device is arranged on the free edge of the peripheral wall. The annular strip surrounds the retaining ring in the circumferential direction and rests against the upper side of the retaining ring facing away from the surface to be cleaned. The annular strip surrounds the retaining ring and rests on the upper side of the retaining ring facing away from the surface to be cleaned. As a result, it is supported by the retaining ring in the direction of the surface to be cleaned. The risk of the ring strip inadvertently detaching from the spray protection device can be kept low as a result.

The ring strip is not only on the top but also on the underside of the retaining ring. The annular strip forms a form fit with the retaining ring and can therefore be reliably held on the retaining ring.

In an advantageous embodiment, the ring strip is profiled. This simplifies the production of a form fit between the annular strip and the retaining ring.

The annular strip is preferably designed to be flexible and is held in shape by the spray protection device, in particular by its retaining ring.

It is of particular advantage if the annular strip is impermeable to air.

The ring strip is made of a rubber-elastic material.

As already explained, the flow resistance element designed as an annular strip can be connected to the spray protection device as required and, if necessary, can be detached from it again. If the flow resistance element is connected to the spray protection device, it extends along the bristle strip in the circumferential direction, with a free edge of the bristle strip protruding over the flow resistance element in the direction of the surface to be cleaned. Thus, air can pass through the bristle strip at a noticeable flow rate only in the region of the free edge of the bristle strip. This is particularly advantageous if the surface cleaning head has a pump device for sucking off cleaning liquid applied to the surface, for example a jet pump. As already mentioned, when the cleaning room is sucked out, extraneous air can flow from the outside through the free edge of the bristle strip into the interior of the cleaning room, with liquid applied to the surface being sucked into the cleaning room so that it is sucked off by means of the pump device, for example by means of a jet pump can be.

If a smooth surface, for example an industrial floor, is cleaned by means of the surface cleaning head, the flow-limiting element can be connected to the spray protection device. If a very rough surface is cleaned instead, there is a risk of heavy wear on the splash guard element, which can therefore be detached from the splash guard device by the user. The packing density of the bristles of the bristle strip can be kept relatively low, so that the spray protection device has a very high degree of flexibility when the flow resistance flow element is detached from the spray protection device. As a result, even when cleaning very uneven surfaces, there is practically no risk of the bristle strip gets caught on a bump in the floor and the surface cleaning head tips over.

As already mentioned, it is advantageous if the ring strip is designed to be flexible. When the annular strip is clamped onto the rigid retaining ring, it is shaped by the rigid retaining ring, whereas without the rigid retaining ring it has no stable shape.

It is advantageous if the ring strip is impermeable to air. This ensures that outside air cannot flow through the bristle strip in the area in which the annular strip is in contact with the bristle strip. Outside air is only given the opportunity to flow through the bristle strip in the free edge area of the bristle strip.

Figur 1:

eine schematische Draufsicht auf eine vorteilhafte Ausführungsform eines erfindungsgemäßen Flächenreinigungskopfes;

Figur 2:

eine Schnittansicht des Flächenreinigungskopfes entlang der Linie 2-2 von Figur 1, wobei eine Spritzschutzeinrichtung mit einem Strömungswiderstandselement verbunden ist;

Figur 3:

eine Schnittansicht des Flächenreinigungskopfes entlang der Linie 3-3 in Figur 1, wobei die Spritzschutzeinrichtung mit dem Strömungswiderstandselement verbunden ist;

Figur 4:

eine vergrößerte Darstellung von Detail A aus Figur 3 und

Figur 5:

eine Schnittansicht des Flächenreinigungskopfes entsprechend Figur 2, wobei das Strömungswiderstandselement von der Spritzschutzeinrichtung entfernt wurde.

The following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention is used in connection with the drawing for more detailed explanation. Show it:

Figure 1:

a schematic plan view of an advantageous embodiment of a surface cleaning head according to the invention;

Figure 2:

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the surface cleaning head taken along line 2-2 of FIG figure 1 wherein a splash guard is connected to a flow resistance element;

Figure 3:

a sectional view of the surface cleaning head along the line 3-3 in figure 1 wherein the splash guard is connected to the flow resistance element;

Figure 4:

an enlarged view of detail A figure 3 and

Figure 5:

a sectional view of the surface cleaning head accordingly figure 2 , wherein the flow resistance element has been removed from the splash guard.

In the drawing, an advantageous embodiment of a surface cleaning head according to the invention is shown schematically, which is assigned the reference numeral 10 overall. The surface cleaning head 10 has a hood-like housing 12, which in figure 1 illustrated plan view is designed essentially triangular with rounded corners. The housing 12 includes a top wall 14, on the outer edge of which is a Outer wall 16 connects. At a distance from the outer wall 16 , a circular-cylindrical peripheral wall 18 protrudes downwards from the ceiling wall and surrounds a cleaning chamber 20 . Support wheels 22, 23, 24 are arranged in the area between the outer wall 16 and the peripheral wall 18 - each assigned to a corner area of the housing 12 - with which the surface cleaning head 10 can be supported on a surface 25 to be cleaned and with which the surface cleaning head 10 can be supported on the surface to be cleaned 25 can be moved along.

A distributor unit 28 is arranged above the top wall 14 with a distributor line 30 whose longitudinal axis 31 is aligned perpendicularly to the cylinder axis 32 which is defined by the cylindrical peripheral wall 18 .

The distribution unit 28 forms a bearing element on which a supply line 33 is mounted so that it can pivot about the longitudinal axis 31 of the distribution line 30 . At its free end facing away from the housing 12, the supply line 33 carries a connecting element 34 to which, for example, a spray lance of a high-pressure cleaning device which is known per se and is therefore not shown in the drawing can be connected.

The supply line 33 opens into the distribution line 30, to which a first branch line 36 aligned coaxially to the cylinder axis 32 connects, which dips into the cleaning chamber 20 and carries two diametrically opposite spray arms 37, 38 at its free end. At their free end, the two spray arms 37, 38 each have a cleaning nozzle 39, 40. The cleaning nozzles 39, 40 can be used to spray the surface 25 to be cleaned in the area surrounded by the peripheral wall 18 with pressurized cleaning liquid. The cleaning nozzles 39, 40 generate a liquid jet directed obliquely downwards, which exerts a torque on the spray arms 37, 38 as it emerges from the cleaning nozzles 39, 40, thereby causing them to rotate about the cylinder axis 32.

The distribution line 30 is in fluid communication with a jet pump 45 via a second branch line 43 . The jet pump 45 includes a propulsion nozzle 46 which is fixed to a nozzle holder 48 . The nozzle holder 48 is inserted into a pump channel 50 and mechanically connected to it. In the illustrated embodiment, the nozzle mount 48 is latched to the pump channel 50 . The pump channel 50 extends from a lateral opening 52 in the peripheral wall 18 with the longitudinal axis 53 aligned radially with respect to the cylinder axis 32 through the outer wall 16 so that it protrudes outwards beyond the housing 12 . A frustoconical mixing chamber 55 adjoins the driving nozzle 46 in the pump channel 50 and tapers conically in the direction facing away from the cleaning chamber 20 . The mixing chamber 55 is adjoined by a cylindrical collecting channel 57, which is adjoined in the direction away from the cleaning chamber 20 by a diffuser 59 which widens conically. In its end area, the diffuser 59 is surrounded by an annular space 61 into which a pipe socket of a coupling device 63 can immerse, with the aid of which an outlet hose 65 can be connected to the surface cleaning head 10 .

As already mentioned, the cleaning nozzles 39, 40 can be used to apply pressurized cleaning liquid, preferably water, to the surface 25 to be cleaned. In order to prevent spray water from escaping from the cleaning chamber 20, a splash guard 67 is arranged on the free edge of the peripheral wall 18 with a rigid retaining ring 69 which is fixed to the peripheral wall 18 and on which a bristle strip 71 is held, which extends in the axial direction Direction based on the cylinder axis 32 extends to the surface 25 to be cleaned. The cleaning space 20 can be sealed off from the surface 25 to be cleaned by means of the bristle strip 71 and the emergence of spray water from the cleaning space 20 can be prevented.

Like in particular figure 4 is clear, the retaining ring and with the exception of a free edge area 73 and the bristle strip 71 is completely surrounded in the circumferential direction by a flow resistance element that in the illustrated embodiment is designed as a self-contained, elastically stretchable annular strip 75, which is made of a rubber-elastic material. The annular strip 75 can be clamped onto the rigid retaining ring 69, in the process of which it is stretched so that it then applies a radially inwardly directed clamping force to the retaining ring 69. The annular strip 75 forms a form fit with the rigid retaining ring 69 on the outside. For this purpose, the annular strip 75 forms a U-shaped profile 77 at the level of the retaining ring 69, which rests with an upper leg 79 on the top 80 of the retaining ring 69 and with a lower leg 81 on the underside 82 of the retaining ring 69 and with a den upper leg 79 integral with the lower leg 81 connecting web 84 completely surrounds the retaining ring 69 in the circumferential direction. A collar 86 of the ring strip 75 adjoins the U-profile 77 in the axial direction, which rests against the outside of the bristle strip 71 and completely surrounds it in the circumferential direction. Here, the free edge area 73 of the bristle strip 71 protrudes beyond the lower end 87 of the collar 86 so that the free edge area 73 is not surrounded by the ring strip 75 .

The annular strip 75 is designed as an independent, flexible component that can be connected to the spray protection device 67 and separated from it again as required. In figures 2 and 3 the surface cleaning head 10 is shown with the annular strip 75. In this configuration, the surface cleaning head 10 is particularly suitable for cleaning smooth surfaces, for example for cleaning industrial floors. Pressurized cleaning liquid can be applied to the surface 35 to be cleaned by means of the cleaning nozzles 39 , 40 and the applied cleaning liquid can be pumped out of the cleaning chamber 20 via the outlet hose 65 by means of the jet pump 75 . During operation of the surface cleaning head 10, a negative pressure forms in the cleaning chamber 20 and external air can flow through the free edge region 73 of the bristle strip 71, with liquid applied to the surface 25 being entrained by the external air flowing radially into the cleaning chamber 20 and reliably via the outlet hose 65 can be sucked off. In the dated In contrast, no outside air can flow into the cleaning chamber 20 in the region of the bristle strip 71 surrounding the annular strip 75 since the annular strip is impermeable to air in the illustrated embodiment. The annular strip 75 thus limits the flow of external air through the bristle strip 71 and ensures that an effective negative pressure can form in the cleaning chamber 20 . By means of the annular strip 75 it can thus be achieved that the external air flow forms only in the area of the bristle strip 71 directly adjacent to the surface 25 to be cleaned. As a result, effective suction of the surface filled with cleaning liquid can be achieved.

If the surface cleaning head 10 is to be used to clean a rough surface, for example to clean a cobbled driveway or a cobbled garage entrance, the user can detach the elastically stretchable annular strip 75 from the splash guard 67 without the aid of a special tool. To do this, the user only has to expand the ring strip 75 somewhat in the radial direction in order to then be able to remove it from the rigid retaining ring 69 . In figure 5 the surface cleaning head 10 is shown with the annular strip 75 removed from the spray protection device 67 . The use without annular strips 75 is particularly advantageous in the case of very uneven floor surfaces, because the bristle strip 71 can be provided with bristles which have a relatively low packing density and therefore give the bristle strip 71 a very high degree of flexibility. There is therefore practically no risk of the bristle strip getting caught on an uneven surface 25 when moving along an uneven surface 25 .

Claims (5)

1. Surface cleaning head for cleaning a surface, having a hood-shaped housing (12), which comprises a cleaning space (20) that is surrounded by a peripheral wall (18) and is open toward the bottom, in which cleaning space (20) at least one cleaning nozzle (39, 40) is mounted on a spraying arm (37, 38) so as to be freely rotatable about an axis of rotation (32) for applying cleaning liquid to the surface (25) to be cleaned, wherein arranged on the peripheral wall (18) is a splash protection device (67) having a peripheral bristle strip (71) and a flow resistance element extending over the periphery of the bristle strip (71) abuts against the bristle strip (71), wherein a free rim region (73) of the bristle strip (71) projects in the direction toward the surface (25) to be cleaned beyond the flow resistance element, wherein the flow resistance element is configured as a self-contained annular strip (75), which abuts against the outer side of the bristle strip (71), wherein the annular strip (75) is elastically extensible and is made of a rubber-elastic material and is stretchable onto a rigid holding ring (69) of the splash protection device (67) and is removable as necessary from the holding ring (69) on which the bristle strip (71) is held, wherein the annular strip (75) is configured in the manner of an elastically deformable sealing lip that abuts against the outer side of the bristle strip, wherein the annular strip (75) together with the holding ring (69) forms a positive connection on the outside, wherein the annular strip (75) forms a U-shaped profile (77), characterized in that the U-shaped profile abuts with an upper leg (79) against the top side (80) of the holding ring (69) and with a lower leg (81) against the bottom side (82) of the holding ring (69) and completely surrounds the holding ring (69) in the peripheral direction with a web (84) that connects the upper leg (79) to the lower leg (81) in one piece, wherein the U-shaped profile (77) is adjoined in the axial direction by a collar (86) of the annular strip (75), which abuts against the outer side of the bristle strip (71) and completely surrounds it in the peripheral direction, wherein the free rim region (73) of the bristle strip (71) projects beyond the lower end (87) of the collar (86), such that the free rim region (73) is not surrounded by the annular strip (75).
2. Surface cleaning head in accordance with Claim 1, characterized in that the bristle strip (71) projects in the direction toward the surface (25) to be cleaned beyond the annular strip (75) by 1 mm to 5 mm.
3. Surface cleaning head in accordance with Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the holding ring (69) is arranged on the free rim of the peripheral wall (18).
4. Surface cleaning head in accordance with any one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the annular strip (75) is profiled.
5. Surface cleaning head in accordance with any one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the annular strip (75) is air-impermeable.

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