EP4111931B1 - Floor cleaning machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a floor cleaning machine, in particular a scrubber dryer, with a cleaning element arrangement for engaging with a floor surface to be cleaned.

Such floor cleaning machines include a base and a movably supported and driven cleaning element arrangement arranged on an underside of the base and having driven brushes which can engage a floor surface to be cleaned. The brushes are used in particular for scrubbing a floor surface. Furthermore, the floor cleaning machine comprises a drive motor, preferably arranged on the base, for driving the cleaning element arrangement and a control bar, which is preferably movably attached to the base, in particular pivotable via a joint, for guiding and actuating the floor cleaning machine. The machine can be guided and operated directly by a user or attached to a chassis and operated from there.

That's how it is from the EP 2 962 614 B1 a floor cleaning machine with a base and a control bar extending away from it, which is connected to the base via a joint, is known. Furthermore, two cleaning elements driven in opposite directions are provided on a base, the axes of rotation of which are inclined to one another with respect to a vertical. In this way it is achieved that propulsion is exerted on the base of the floor cleaning machine when the two cleaning elements rotate. However, because the cleaning elements are inclined to one another, the cleaning effect in the area of the rotatingly driven cleaning elements is not uniform. Rather, the cleaning elements on the outer edge are less in contact with the floor surface to be cleaned, so that the cleaning effect there is lower. In addition, the continuous propulsion generated by the rotating cleaning elements is often disadvantageous during operation. This is because a user has to apply considerable force in order to move the floor cleaning machine in other directions that deviate from the direction of advance.

Furthermore, from the DE 44 25 782 C2 a cleaning head for a floor cleaning machine is known, with eccentric elements being provided on a base, which are in a first level are arranged. The eccentric elements are connected to cleaning elements which are arranged in a second plane which is spaced apart from the first plane. As a result, the cleaning head according to this prior art is connected to a comparatively high overall height and is therefore suitable for floor cleaning machines operated manually using a control handle, such as those from EP 2 962 614B1 are known, unsuitable. Another floor cleaning machine is in US 5,355,542 A disclosed.

In addition, floor cleaning machines are known from the prior art which have a chassis, the brush head of which has two brushes arranged next to one another and rotating in opposite directions. However, such floor cleaning machines are often large and difficult or impossible to maneuver in small spaces.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a floor cleaning machine that is particularly compact and efficiently cleans the floor surface, while also being easy to control.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a floor cleaning machine with a base and a cleaning element arrangement held and driven on an underside of the base for engagement with a floor surface and a drive motor with an output shaft for driving the cleaning element arrangement, the output shaft being rotatably drivable by the drive motor and moving along an output axis extends.

A control bar is preferably attached to the base for guiding and operating the floor cleaning machine. Alternatively, it is also possible for an autonomously or manually controlled, driven chassis to be provided for movement over the floor surface to be cleaned, with the base being held on the chassis. According to the invention, the cleaning element arrangement has an inner cleaning element and an outer cleaning element arranged externally around the inner cleaning element, the inner and the outer cleaning elements being drivable in such a way that each of the cleaning elements carries out an eccentric movement in which, viewed perpendicular to a cleaning body plane, each point of the Cleaning element moves essentially circularly about an axis that runs parallel to the output axis, in which the axes for points that do not coincide when viewed perpendicular to the cleaning body plane are different from one another and in which for a cleaning element each is located At a time perpendicular to the cleaning body plane, all points move in a direction of movement, the eccentric movements of the inner cleaning element and the outer cleaning element being phase-shifted from one another in such a way that, seen perpendicular to the cleaning body plane, the direction of movement of the points of the inner cleaning element at any time differs from the direction of movement of the points of the outer cleaning element is different.

According to the invention, the inner cleaning element has an inner cleaning body and the outer cleaning element has an outer cleaning body, the cleaning bodies extending together in the cleaning body plane and engaging elements of the cleaning bodies extending away from the cleaning body plane to one side thereof. The inner cleaning body has a first receiving opening and the outer cleaning body has a second receiving opening, the inner cleaning body being arranged in the second receiving opening.

The output shaft extends with an output shaft section into the first and second receiving openings, a first eccentric element being attached to the output shaft section, which is connected to the inner cleaning body in such a way that when the output shaft rotates, the inner cleaning body carries out the eccentric movement, whereby A second eccentric element is attached to the output shaft section, which is connected to the outer cleaning body in such a way that when the output shaft rotates, the outer cleaning body carries out the eccentric movement, and the eccentric movements are out of phase with one another.

Accordingly, the floor cleaning machine according to the invention has a base to which an operating bar is preferably attached, which then serves to guide and operate the floor cleaning machine. The operating bar is further preferably pivotally attached to the base, so that it can be pivoted in any direction relative to the base. The joint that connects the operating handle and the base is preferably designed in such a way that when the operating handle is rotated about its longitudinal axis, a torque is exerted on the base, which is aligned in such a way that the base rotates about a vertical axis that is vertical to the plane of the floor surface to be cleaned, on which the base with the cleaning element arrangement is arranged, is rotated.

Alternatively, the floor cleaning machine can also have an autonomously or manually controlled, driven chassis for movement over the floor surface to be cleaned, with the base being held on the chassis. The invention is therefore not limited to hand-held floor cleaning machines in which a control bar is provided on the base for guiding the floor cleaning machine, but also includes floor cleaning machines with a chassis in which the user sits or stands on the floor cleaning machine or walks behind or in front of it .

Furthermore, a drive motor and a cleaning element arrangement driven by it are mounted on the underside of the base of the floor cleaning machine according to the invention and are intended to engage with a floor surface. According to the invention, the cleaning element arrangement has an inner cleaning element and an outer cleaning element arranged externally around the inner cleaning element, the cleaning elements being drivable in such a way that they carry out eccentric movements in the cleaning body plane that are out of phase with one another. In the case of an eccentric movement, each point of the respective cleaning element carries out a circular movement around an axis in each of the cleaning elements, viewed perpendicular to the cleaning body plane, with the axes being different from one another for points that do not coincide when viewed perpendicular to the cleaning body plane. This means that the cleaning elements do not move as a whole around an axis, but rather each individual point of the respective cleaning element carries out its own circular movement around its axis. Furthermore, the eccentric movement of the outer cleaning element is out of phase with the eccentric movement of the inner cleaning element, so that, viewed perpendicular to the cleaning body plane, the points of the inner cleaning element move in a direction that deviates at any time from the direction in which the points of the outer Move cleaning element. The cleaning elements therefore do not carry out movements in the same direction.

Both cleaning elements, i.e. both the inner and the outer cleaning element, have cleaning bodies which are attached to the base in such a way that they both extend in the cleaning body plane. This means that at least parts of the inner cleaning body and at least parts of the outer cleaning body run in this common cleaning body plane, i.e. through the cleaning body plane extends through these parts. Cleaning elements, such as bristles but also pads, extend from the cleaning bodies towards the floor surface to be cleaned and thus away from the cleaning body plane to one side thereof. During operation, the cleaning elements and thus the base with the cleaning elements rest on the floor surface to be cleaned with their free ends remote from the cleaning bodies.

The inner cleaning body has a first receiving opening and the outer cleaning body has a second receiving opening, the receiving openings being designed such that the inner cleaning body is received in the second receiving opening of the outer cleaning body.

In order to drive the cleaning bodies so that they carry out the eccentric movement already mentioned, the output shaft of the drive motor extends along the output axis into the first and second receiving openings, so that an output shaft section is arranged within the openings. The latter means that the output shaft section is arranged within the openings along a certain length between an upper end of one of the cleaning bodies, viewed in the direction of the output axis, to a lower end of one of the cleaning bodies, again viewed along the output axis, within the openings and surrounded by the cleaning bodies. A first and a second eccentric element are attached to this output shaft section, the first eccentric element being coupled to the first cleaning body and the second eccentric element being coupled to the second cleaning body in order to drive them to the phase-shifted eccentric movements.

Accordingly, in the inventive structure of the cleaning element arrangement of the floor cleaning machine according to the invention, the eccentric elements are arranged in the plane to which the cleaning bodies also extend. So they are not offset from the cleaning bodies when viewed in the axial direction of the output axis, but rather in the area in which the cleaning bodies also extend when viewed axially along the output axis. Therefore, the inventive design of the drive of the cleaning bodies and thus the cleaning elements is associated with a very low overall height. The drive motor can thus be arranged directly above the cleaning body of the cleaning element arrangement, so that the overall height of the base is comparatively low. This means that a floor cleaning machine according to the invention can also be used in areas where there is comparatively little space in the vertical direction.

The first eccentric element preferably has a first eccentric disk which is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the output shaft section and on the outer circumference of which a first receiving element is attached in such a way that it can be rotated relative to the first eccentric disk about a first axis of rotation which runs parallel to the output axis and is arranged at a distance therefrom, wherein the first receiving element is attached to the inner cleaning body, the second eccentric element having a second eccentric disk which is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the output shaft section and on the outer circumference of which a second receiving element is attached in such a way that it extends around a second one which runs parallel to the output axis and is arranged at a distance from it Axis of rotation is rotatable relative to the second eccentric disk, wherein the second receiving element is attached to the outer cleaning body.

This structure ensures in a simple manner that the first and second cleaning bodies carry out an eccentric movement. If the output shaft and thus the output shaft section are driven to rotate, the outer circumference of the eccentric disks carries out an eccentric movement about the output axis. Because the receiving elements are in turn rotatably arranged on the eccentric disks and are connected to the cleaning body elements in a rotationally fixed manner on the other side, the cleaning bodies as a whole carry out an eccentric movement.

With such a structure, in a further preferred manner, the first and second eccentric discs can be arranged one behind the other on the output shaft section and connected to it, viewed along the output axis.

In a further preferred embodiment, the output shaft section extends over the area of the output shaft into which the projection of the inner or outer brush body onto the output shaft falls. In particular, the first eccentric element and the second eccentric element, viewed in the axial direction of the output shaft, can be arranged in the area of the output shaft into which the projection of the inner or outer brush body onto the output shaft falls. With such an arrangement, the eccentric disks that are attached to the output shaft section are then completely within the area in which the output shaft is surrounded by the cleaning body, and the eccentric disks are therefore not arranged outside this area, so that the axial extent of the drive arrangement is further minimized is.

In order to further minimize the extent of the drive arrangement and in particular the cleaning element arrangement in the axial direction of the output shaft, it is advantageous if the projection of the inner brush body onto the output shaft at least partially overlaps with the projection of the outer brush body onto the output shaft. With such a structure, the outer cleaning body surrounds the inner cleaning body.

In a further preferred embodiment, the base has a drive motor holding element to which the drive motor is fixedly attached, first elastic elements being provided which are fixedly connected to the inner cleaning body and to the drive motor holding element, and second elastic elements which are fixedly being provided are connected to the outer cleaning body and to the drive motor holding element. The elastic elements ensure that the cleaning elements can move to a certain extent from a rest position, but rotation of the cleaning bodies is prevented. Due to the elastic elements, this ensures that the cleaning bodies can actually only carry out an orbital movement, but are prevented from rotating.

In a further preferred manner, the drive motor holding element can be mounted on the base so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis running parallel to the brush plane. This ensures that the cleaning bodies and thus the cleaning elements can align themselves independently of the orientation of the base to the floor surface to be cleaned, this orientation being to a certain extent independent of any forces exerted on the base by an operating handle.

Furthermore, guide wheels can be held on the base and can be rotated about a common wheel axis. Such guide wheels ensure that the direction of movement of the floor cleaning machine over a floor surface to be cleaned can be better specified by a user if an operating bar is provided on the base. If, in a further preferred manner, the wheel axis and the pivot axis run parallel to one another, the wheels can be brought into engagement with the floor surface to be cleaned by exerting a torque on the base via a control handle, if present, so that it is in relation to the drive motor holding element is pivoted. So if a movement of the floor cleaning machine is desired in a direction perpendicular to the wheel axis, All you have to do is apply an appropriate force to the base using the control handle. This makes operation even easier.

Furthermore, it is preferred if the eccentric movement of the inner cleaning element is 180° out of phase with the eccentric movement of the outer cleaning element, so that, viewed perpendicular to the cleaning body plane, the direction of movement of the points of the inner cleaning element is at all times opposite to the direction of movement of the points of the outer cleaning element is. This ensures that the forces acting on the base due to the eccentric movements of the cleaning elements, which result from the engagement of the engagement elements with the floor surface to be cleaned, cancel each other out and there are no resulting restoring forces on the base, i.e. not in one is moved in a certain direction. In particular, the output axis, the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation can run in a common plane.

In order to further ensure that inertia forces and restoring forces generated during the respective eccentric movement cancel each other out due to the engagement of the cleaning elements with the floor surface to be cleaned, it is further preferred that the inner cleaning element and the outer cleaning element are designed such that their masses are the same , and / or the inner cleaning element and the outer cleaning element have engagement surfaces with which the cleaning elements engage with the floor surface, which are of the same size.

In a preferred embodiment of the floor cleaning machine according to the invention, the outer cleaning element has a triangular outer contour in the brush plane, the legs of the triangular outer contour of the outer cleaning element being able to be convex in a further preferred manner. With such a structure, corners and angled areas of the floor surface to be cleaned can be easily reached with the floor cleaning machine according to the invention.

Furthermore, it is preferred if the second receiving opening has a triangular inner contour in the cleaning body plane and the inner cleaning element has a triangular outer contour in the cleaning body plane. In this way it is achieved that when the cleaning elements are driven and the eccentric stroke is selected appropriately, there is no area between the two that is not affected by Cleaning elements of the cleaning elements are detected, so that the outer and inner cleaning elements engage together with as large a contiguous area as possible. It is particularly preferred that the legs of the triangular outer contour of the outer cleaning element are convex.

However, the present invention is not limited to the cleaning elements having a triangular contour. It is also possible for the cleaning elements to be designed in plan view as triangles with straight legs, as rectangles or as trapezoids, with the orientation of any tip relative to the preferred direction of movement of the machine being different, i.e. the tip points in the direction of movement or in one opposite direction.

In a further preferred embodiment, the inner cleaning element and the outer cleaning element have bristles facing the bottom surface as engagement elements, the bristles of the inner cleaning element comprising a first group of bristles and a part of the first group of bristles being uniformly inclined in a first direction relative to the Output axis is arranged, while the bristles of the first group, which are not included in the part, extend parallel to the output axis, and / or wherein the bristles of the outer cleaning element comprise a second group of bristles and wherein a part of the second group of bristles is uniformly arranged in a first direction inclined with respect to the output axis, while the bristles of the second group, which are not included in the part, extend parallel to the output axis.

Since in this embodiment for a group of bristles on at least one of the cleaning elements a part of the bristles is inclined uniformly or in the same direction relative to the output axis, the bristles of this part provide a different resistance to movement over the floor depending on whether the movement in the direction of the inclination or opposite to it. This in turn leads to propulsion against the direction of the inclination. For the part of the bristles of the group that is not inclined, the resistance is always the same, so that part does not contribute to or counteract the propulsion produced by the group. This propulsion generated by the group can, for example, support a user in moving and controlling the floor cleaning machine in the case of a hand-held floor cleaning machine. The alignment of the inner and/or The external cleaning element can preferably be controlled in such a way that the inclined bristles and thus the propulsion are directed in a desired direction.

The group of bristles, a part of which is inclined in a certain direction, may include all the bristles provided on the cleaning element. However, it is also conceivable that a certain number of bristles are not part of the group, such as those that are attached at an angle to the edge of the cleaning element.

Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the floor cleaning machine according to the invention can have a cleaning liquid container, which is preferably attached to the base or the operating bar, with means being provided on the base which are connected to the cleaning liquid container and designed to apply cleaning liquid to a floor surface on which the Floor cleaning machine is arranged.

In a further preferred manner, the floor cleaning machine can be provided with a suction cup attached to the base or to the operating handle for sucking up cleaning liquid from the floor surface. In addition, a suction device can be attached to the operating handle or to the base, which applies a suction air flow to the squeegee. Furthermore, a receptacle for cleaning liquid can be provided on the operating handle or the base, which is connected to the suction device, so that cleaning liquid can be conveyed from the suction base into the receptacle by means of the suction air flow.

However, it is also possible for the floor cleaning machine with the inventive structure of the drive for the cleaning elements to be used together with another floor cleaning machine which is designed to be self-propelled and from which the drive motor is supplied, cleaning liquid is supplied and the suction device present on this for suction of cleaning liquid is used to create a suction air flow in the squeegee. It is therefore not necessary for a battery unit, a suction turbine, a cleaning liquid container and a dirty water tank to be provided.

Figur 1

eine perspektivische Ansicht einer Bodenreinigungsmaschine gemäß der vorliegenden Erfindung zeigt,

Figur 2

eine Querschnittsansicht der Basis der Bodenreinigungsmaschine aus Fig. 1 zeigt,

Figur 3

eine perspektivische Ansicht von unten auf die Reinigungselementanordnung der Bodenreinigungsmaschine aus Fig. 1 ist und

Figur 5

eine Querschnittsansicht der Basis einer Bodenreinigungsmaschine eines alternativen Ausführungsbeispiels zeigt.

The present invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing showing only a preferred exemplary embodiment, whereby

Figure 1

shows a perspective view of a floor cleaning machine according to the present invention,

Figure 2

a cross-sectional view of the base of the floor cleaning machine Fig. 1 shows,

Figure 3

a perspective view from below of the cleaning element arrangement of the floor cleaning machine Fig. 1 is and

Figure 5

shows a cross-sectional view of the base of a floor cleaning machine of an alternative embodiment.

In Figure 1 An exemplary embodiment of a floor cleaning machine 1 according to the present invention is shown, which is designed here as a hand-held scrubber dryer and which has a cleaning element arrangement with which the cleaning liquid is applied to the floor surface 3 (see Figure 2 ) can be applied and has the cleaning elements for engagement with the floor surface 3 to be cleaned, and is provided with a suction base with which scouring residues including the cleaning liquid can then be sucked out. The floor cleaning machine 1 described here has an operating bar 7, described in detail below, attached to a base 5 of the floor cleaning machine 1, the operating bar 7 being pivotally attached to a base 5.

However, the present invention is not limited to such hand-held floor cleaning machines 1 with operating handle 7, but can also be used in floor cleaning machines that have a chassis with which the floor cleaning machine can be moved over a floor surface to be cleaned, with a user either sitting on the floor cleaning machine or standing or a user walking in front of or behind the machine. The floor cleaning machine can also be controlled autonomously, so that it does not need to be guided by a user.

The exemplary embodiment of a floor cleaning machine 1 according to the invention described here comprises, as already mentioned, a base 5 to which an operating bar 7 is pivotally attached via a joint 9. The control bar 7 extends from the joint 9, via which it is pivotally connected to the base 5, along a longitudinal axis 11 to an actuating end 13. The joint 9 is designed in such a way that when the operating handle 7 is pivoted about the longitudinal axis 11, a torque is applied to the Base 5 is exercised so that it is pivoted about a vertical axis 15 relative to the floor surface 3, the vertical axis 15 running perpendicular to the floor surface 3. Due to its structure, the joint 9 therefore enables a user who grips the operating handle 7 at its operating end 13 to steer the base 5.

A cleaning liquid container 17 and a dirty water tank 19 are detachably attached to the operating handle 7, which are connected in a manner still described to the base 5 and a suction cup 21 pivotably mounted on the base 5 via lines 23, 25. The suction cup 21 can be pivoted between the position shown in the figures, in which it lies opposite the floor surface 3 to be cleaned, and a folded-up position in which it is spaced from the floor surface 3.

Finally, on the underside of the base 5 facing the floor surface 3 to be cleaned, a cleaning element arrangement 27 is provided, which is designed to engage with the floor surface 3 to be cleaned, the cleaning element arrangement 27 being driven by a drive motor 31 arranged in a housing 29 on the base . The drive motor 31 can be, for example, an electric motor which is supplied by a battery unit, not shown in the figures, which is attached to the base 5 or the operating handle 7. However, it is also fundamentally conceivable that the drive motor 31 is driven with compressed air. This can be the case if the floor cleaning machine 1 is used as an additional device on a self-propelled machine.

A suction turbine 33 is also arranged in the housing 29 of the base 5, the suction side of which is connected to the upper end of the dirty water tank 19 via the line 25. The dirty water tank 19 in turn is connected to the suction cup 21 via the line 23. The suction turbine 33 forms a suction device, with the help of which a suction air flow is generated from the suction base 21 into the dirty water tank 19, so that cleaning liquid can be sucked off from the floor surface 3 to be cleaned. How next? Figure 2 As can be seen, further lines 35 are provided in the base 5, via the cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid container 17 through the base 5 into the area of Cleaning element arrangement 27 and can be applied to the floor surface 3 to be cleaned.

Like this in particular Figure 2 As can be seen, the drive motor 31 has an output shaft 39 which extends along an output axis 37 and is driven in rotation by the drive motor 31. A first eccentric disk 41 and a second eccentric disk 43 are mounted one behind the other in a rotationally fixed manner on the output shaft 39, viewed in the axial direction of the output axis 37. A first receiving element 45 is rotatably attached to the outer circumference of the first eccentric disk 41 via a first bearing 47, the first receiving element 45 being firmly connected to the inner cleaning body 49 of an inner cleaning element 51. The first receiving element 45 can be rotated relative to the first eccentric disk 41 about a first axis of rotation D1, which runs parallel to the output axis 37. The inner cleaning body 49 of the inner cleaning element 51 has a first receiving opening in which the first receiving element 45 is received. In addition, the inner cleaning body 49 extends in a cleaning body plane 53, which runs essentially parallel to the plane of the floor surface 3 to be cleaned during operation of the floor cleaning machine 1 when it is arranged on a floor surface 3 to be cleaned.

In a similar manner, a second receiving element 55 is rotatably attached to the outer circumference of the second eccentric disk 43 via a second bearing 57, the second receiving element 55 being firmly connected to an outer cleaning body 59 of an outer cleaning element 61. The second receiving element 55 can be rotated relative to the second eccentric disk 43 about a second axis of rotation D2, which runs parallel to the output axis 37 and the first axis of rotation D1. The outer cleaning body 59 has a second receiving opening in which, on the one hand, the second receiving element 55 and, on the other hand, the inner cleaning body 49 of the inner cleaning element 51 are received. Therefore, the outer cleaning body 59 surrounds the inner cleaning body 49, and the outer cleaning member 61 is arranged externally around the inner cleaning member 51. In addition, the outer cleaning body 59 and thus the outer cleaning element 61 also extends in the cleaning body plane 53.

Both the inner cleaning body 49 and the outer cleaning body 59 are arranged in the cleaning body plane 53, ie at least parts of both the inner one When viewed in cross section, the cleaning body 49 and the outer cleaning body 59 intersect the cleaning body plane 53. Furthermore, both Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 it can be seen that the inner cleaning element 51 and the outer cleaning element 61 have engagement elements 63 which are attached to the respective cleaning body 49, 59 and point to the side of the cleaning body plane 53 which faces the floor surface 3 to be cleaned. The engagement elements 63 are intended to engage with the floor surface 3 to be cleaned. In the exemplary embodiment described here, the cleaning elements 63 are designed as bristles. But it is also conceivable that these are formed by pads or the like.

In the exemplary embodiment described here, the first and second eccentric disks 41, 43 are further arranged such that the first and second rotation axes D1, D2 and the output axis 37 always run in a common plane when the output shaft 39 rotates. This means that the eccentric disks 41, 43 are attached to the output shaft 39 offset by 180 ° to one another.

How next? Figure 2 As can be seen, the output shaft 39 has an output shaft section 39 'which extends into the first and second receiving openings of the inner cleaning body 49 and the outer cleaning body 59 and which also extends over the area of the output shaft 39 onto which the projection of the inner or outer cleaning body 49, 59 falls on the output shaft 39. In this area, the first eccentric element 41 and the second eccentric element 43 are also arranged one behind the other, viewed in the axial direction of the output shaft 39. Finally, the cleaning bodies 49, 59 are constructed and fastened to the output shaft 39 via the eccentric disks 41, 43 and the receiving elements 45, 55 in such a way that the projection of the inner cleaning body 49 onto the output shaft 39 is at least partially aligned with the projection of the outer cleaning body 59 the output shaft 39 overlaps, so that the axial extent of the structure consisting of the two cleaning bodies 49, 59 along the output axis 37 is as short as possible.

In the exemplary embodiment described here, the inner cleaning element 51 and the outer cleaning element 61 are further designed such that their masses are the same, and the inner cleaning element 51 and the outer cleaning element 61 have engagement surfaces which are formed by the cleaning elements 63 connected to them and with which they engage with the floor surface 3 to be cleaned, these engagement surfaces of the two cleaning elements 51, 61 being the same size.

In addition, in particular Figure 3 It can be seen that the outer cleaning element 51 has a triangular outer contour as seen in the cleaning body plane 53, the legs of the triangular outer contour being convex. Furthermore, the second receiving opening in the cleaning body plane 53 has a triangular inner contour, and the inner cleaning element 51 also has a triangular outer contour in the cleaning body plane 53.

Furthermore, in Figure 2 shown that a drive motor holding element 65 is provided on the base 5, to which the drive motor 31 is in turn firmly attached. The drive motor holding element 65 is pivotally mounted relative to the base 5 via elastic elements 66, the drive motor holding element 65 being able to pivot in particular about a pivot axis 67 relative to the base 5, which runs parallel to the cleaning body plane 53. In addition, the pivot axis 67 runs essentially perpendicular to a direction in which the floor cleaning machine 1 is moved forward during normal operation. Because the drive motor holding element 65 is pivotally mounted on the base 5 and is firmly connected to the drive motor 31 and thus to the cleaning element arrangement 27, the cleaning elements 51, 61 can pivot relative to the base 5, and the orientation of the cleaning elements 51, 61 can change automatically adapt to the course of the floor surface 3 without the user having to pivot the base 5 accordingly.

As continues Figure 2 As can be seen, first elastic elements 69 are provided, which are firmly connected to the inner cleaning body 49 on the one hand and firmly connected to the drive motor holding element 65 on the other hand. In the same way, second elastic elements 71 are provided, which on the one hand are firmly connected to the outer cleaning body 59 and on the other hand are firmly connected to the drive body holding element 65. The elastic elements 69, 71 are designed in such a way that, although they are firmly connected to the drive body holding element 65 and the respective cleaning body 49, 59, they allow a limited movement of the cleaning bodies 49, 59 parallel to the cleaning body plane 53.

When the drive motor 31 is switched on and the output shaft 39 rotates, the inner cleaning body 49 and the outer cleaning body 59 and thus the inner cleaning element 51 and the outer cleaning element 61 are set in an eccentric movement about the output axis 37. Such an eccentric movement is characterized by the fact that, viewed perpendicular to the cleaning body plane 53, each point of the cleaning element 51 and the second cleaning element 61 moves essentially circularly about an axis that runs parallel to the output axis 37, but the axes are perpendicular to Points that do not coincide when viewed from the cleaning body plane 53 are different from one another. For each cleaning element 51, 61, with such an eccentric movement, it is the case that at any time, viewed perpendicular to the cleaning body plane 53, all points of the cleaning element 51, 61 move in a single direction of movement.

Due to the arrangement of the first and second axes of rotation D1, D2 in a common plane together with the output axis 37 or the offset of the eccentric disks 41, 43 by 180 °, the eccentric movements of the inner cleaning element 51 and the outer cleaning element 61 are out of phase with one another in such a way that Seen perpendicular to the cleaning body plane 53, the direction of movement of the points of the inner cleaning element 51 is opposite to the direction of movement of the points of the outer cleaning element 61 at any time. The eccentric movements are therefore 180° out of phase with each other.

Since the cleaning bodies 49, 51 are connected to the drive motor holding element 65 via the elastic elements 69, 71, so that they can only perform a movement to a small extent relative to the drive motor holding element 65, the movement of the cleaning bodies 49, 59 becomes the previously described eccentric Movement is limited, and the cleaning bodies 49, 51 cannot also rotate about their respective axes of rotation D1, D2 relative to the base 5.

In addition, the masses and the engagement surfaces of the cleaning elements 51, 61 are the same size, which, together with the always opposite movement of the cleaning elements 41, 51, means that the forces and moments generated due to the movement of the cleaning elements 51, 61 cancel each other out and are transferred to the Base 5 no resulting forces act.

Finally, it can be seen from the figures that 5 guide wheels 73 are held on the base and can be rotated about a common wheel axis 75. This wheel axis 75 runs parallel to the pivot axis 67 and therefore also parallel to the brush plane 53 and perpendicular to the direction in which the floor cleaning machine 1 is moved over the floor surface 3 to be cleaned in normal operation. When the guide wheels 73 rest on the floor surface 3 to be cleaned, the floor cleaning machine 1 can be easily moved along the direction defined by the wheel axis 75 without a user having to exert large forces on the operating handle 7. The guide wheels 73 can be attached to the base 5 at such a height that they only rest on the floor surface 3 to be cleaned when a corresponding force is exerted on the base 5 by means of the operating handle 7, due to which the base 5 relative to the Drive motor holding element 65 is pivoted about the pivot axis 67. With such an arrangement of the guide wheels 73, the user determines whether the machine should perform a straight-line movement or be moved without the guide wheels 73 coming into contact with the floor surface 3.

During operation of the previously described floor cleaning machine 1, cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid container 17 is applied to the floor surface 3 to be cleaned via the line 35, while at the same time the drive motor 31 is in operation, so that the cleaning elements 51, 61 are driven to an eccentric movement in which the Engaging elements 63 engage with the floor surface 3 to be cleaned and clean it together with the applied cleaning liquid. Due to the eccentric movement of the two cleaning elements 51, 61, which is out of phase by 180 °, no resulting forces are exerted on the base 5, in particular about the vertical axis 15. This allows a user to easily operate the floor cleaning machine 1 using the operating handle 7. Since the joint 9 is designed in the manner already described, the user can also easily change the orientation of the base 5 by rotating the operating handle 7 about its longitudinal axis 11. Since the cleaning bodies 51, 61 and in particular the outer cleaning body 61 are triangular, the floor cleaning machine 1 can also be easily moved into angled areas. During operation, cleaning fluid is also sucked off from the floor surface 3 to be cleaned via the suction base 21 due to the suction air flow generated by the suction turbine 33 when the floor cleaning machine 1 passes over the floor surface 3 is moved. This dirt-laden cleaning liquid is collected in the dirty water tank 19.

However, it is also possible, as is the case with the in Figure 4 In the exemplary embodiment shown, the inner cleaning element 51 and the outer cleaning element 61 have bristles 77, 79 facing the bottom surface 3 as engagement elements, the bristles 77 of the inner cleaning element 51 comprising a first group of bristles 77. At least a part and, in the present exemplary embodiment, all of the bristles 77 of the first group of bristles is arranged uniformly inclined in a first direction relative to the output axis 37. In the same way, all bristles 79 of the outer cleaning element are arranged uniformly inclined in a first direction relative to the output axis 37.

Since in this embodiment for at least one group and here even all bristles 77, 79 on the cleaning elements 51, 61 are inclined evenly or in the same direction relative to the output axis 37, the bristles 77, 79 offer a different resistance to movement over the floor depending on whether the movement is in the direction of the inclination or opposite to it. This in turn leads to propulsion against the direction of the inclination. In the case of a hand-held floor cleaning machine, for example, the propulsion generated in this way can support a user in moving and controlling the floor cleaning machine.

The group of bristles, at least one part of which is inclined in a certain direction, can, as shown here, include all of the bristles provided on the cleaning element. However, it is also conceivable that a certain number of bristles are not part of the group, such as those that are attached at an angle to the edge of the cleaning element.

Since the arrangement of the drive motor 31 and the cleaning elements 51, 61 only has a very short overall length when viewed in the axial direction of the output axis 37, the base 5 of the floor cleaning machine has only a very small height, and the floor cleaning machine 1 can be very vertical Pivoted control handle 7 can also be moved into areas in which the space in the vertical direction is very limited. The drive of the cleaning elements 51, 61 is therefore associated with a very small size in the structure according to the invention, which limits the possible uses of the Floor cleaning machine 1 according to the invention has been greatly expanded. Due to the type of drive with which an eccentric movement of the cleaning elements 51, 61 is generated, which are preferably phase-shifted by 180 °, it is also achieved that over the entire area in which the cleaning elements 51, 61 are in contact with the floor surface 3 to be cleaned are engaged, a uniform cleaning effect is achieved and, on the other hand, no resulting moments are exerted on the base 5 of the floor cleaning machine 1.

In the exemplary embodiment described above, the floor cleaning machine 1 has a suction turbine 33, a cleaning liquid container 17 and a dirty water tank 19 in addition to a battery unit. However, it is conceivable that the floor cleaning machine 1 with the previously described structure of the drive for the cleaning elements 51, 61 is used together with another floor cleaning machine which is designed to be self-propelled and from which the drive motor 31 is supplied, cleaning fluid is supplied and the This existing suction device for suctioning off cleaning liquid is used to produce a suction air flow in the suction base. It is therefore not necessary for a battery unit, a suction turbine, a cleaning liquid container and a dirty water tank to be provided.

List of reference symbols:

1

Floor cleaning machine

3

floor area

5

Base

7

Control handle

9

joint

11

Longitudinal axis

13

End of operation

15

vertical axis

17

Cleaning fluid container

19

dirty water tank

21

Suction cup

23

Line

25

Line

27

Cleaning element arrangement

29

Housing

31

drive motor

33

Suction turbine

35

Line

37

Output axle

39

output shaft

39'

output shaft section

41

first eccentric disk

43

second eccentric disk

45

first receiving element

47

first camp

49

internal cleansing body

51

inner cleaning element

53

Cleansing body level

55

second receiving element

57

second camp

59

external cleaning body

61

external cleaning element

63

Intervention element

65

Drive motor holding element

66

elastic element

67

Pivot axis

69

first elastic elements

71

second elastic elements

73

Guide wheel

75

Wheel axle

77

bristles

79

bristles

Claims (17)

1. Floor-cleaning machine (1) having

   a base (5) and

   a cleaning-element arrangement (27), which is driven and held on a bottom side of the base (5) and serves for engagement with a floor surface (3), and

   a drive motor (31), which has an output shaft (39) for driving the cleaning-element arrangement (27), wherein the output shaft (39) is able to be driven in rotation by the drive motor (31) and extends along an output axis (37),

   wherein the cleaning-element arrangement (27) has an inner cleaning element (51) and an outer cleaning element (61) which is arranged externally around the inner cleaning element (51),

   wherein the inner and outer cleaning elements (51, 61) are able to be driven in such a way that each of the cleaning elements (51, 61) performs an eccentric movement

   in which, as seen perpendicularly to a cleaning-body plane (53), each point of the cleaning element (51, 61) moves in a substantially circular manner about an axis which extends parallel to the output axis (37),

   in which, for points which do not coincide as seen perpendicularly to the cleaning-body plane (53), the axes are different from one another,

   in which, for a cleaning element (51, 61), as seen perpendicularly to the cleaning-body plane (53), all the points move in one direction of movement at any point in time,

   wherein the eccentric movements of the inner cleaning element (51) and the outer cleaning element (61) are phase-shifted in relation to one another in such a way that, as seen perpendicularly to the cleaning-body plane (53), at any point in time, the direction of movement of the points of the inner cleaning element (51) is different from the direction of movement of the points of the outer cleaning element (61),

   wherein the inner cleaning element (51) has an inner cleaning body (49) and the outer cleaning element (61) has an outer cleaning body (59), wherein the cleaning bodies (49, 59) jointly extend in the cleaning-body plane (53), and wherein engagement elements (63) extend from the cleaning bodies (49, 59) away from the cleaning-body plane (53) to one side thereof,

   wherein the inner cleaning body (49) has a first receiving opening and the outer cleaning body (59) has a second receiving opening, wherein the inner cleaning body (49) is arranged in the second receiving opening,

   wherein the output shaft (39) extends with an output-shaft section (39') into the first and into the second receiving opening,

   wherein attached to the output-shaft section (39') is a first eccentric element (41, 45) which is connected to the inner cleaning body (49) in such a way that, when the output shaft (39) rotates, the inner cleaning body (49) performs the eccentric movement, and

   wherein attached to the output-shaft section (39') is a second eccentric element (43, 55) which is connected to the outer cleaning body (59) in such a way that, when the output shaft (39) rotates, the outer cleaning body (59) performs the eccentric movement.
2. Floor-cleaning machine according to Claim 1, furthermore having an operating bar (7) which is attached to the base (5) and serves for guiding and actuating the floor-cleaning machine (1).
3. Floor-cleaning machine according to Claim 2, wherein the operating bar (7) extends along a longitudinal axis and is pivotably attached to the base (5) via a joint (9) in such a way that it can be pivoted in any desired directions in relation to the base (5),
   wherein the joint (9) is configured in such a way that, when the operating bar (7) is rotated about its longitudinal axis (11), a torque is exerted on the base (5), which torque is oriented in such a way that, as a result, the base (5) is rotated about a vertical axis (15) which extends perpendicularly to the cleaning plane (53).
4. Floor-cleaning machine according to one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the first eccentric element has a first eccentric disc (41) which is connected rotationally conjointly to the output-shaft section (39') and to whose outer circumference a first receiving element (45) is attached in such a way that it is rotatable about a first axis of rotation (D1) in relation to the first eccentric disc (41), which first axis of rotation extends parallel to the output axis (37) and is arranged spaced apart from the latter, wherein the first receiving element (45) is fastened to the inner cleaning body (49), and

   wherein the second eccentric element has a second eccentric disc (43) which is connected rotationally conjointly to the output-shaft section (39') and to whose outer circumference a second receiving element (55) is attached in such a way that it is rotatable about a second axis of rotation (D2) in relation to the second eccentric disc (43), which second axis of rotation extends parallel to the output axis (37) and is arranged spaced apart from the latter, wherein the second receiving element (55) is fastened to the outer cleaning body (59), and

   wherein preferably the first and second eccentric discs (41, 43), as seen along the output axis (37), are arranged on the output-shaft portion (39') one behind the other and are connected thereto.
5. Floor-cleaning machine according to one or more of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the output-shaft section (39') extends over that region of the output shaft (39) in which the projection of the inner cleaning body or the outer cleaning body (59) onto the output shaft (39) falls.
6. Floor-cleaning machine according to one or more of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the first eccentric element (41) and the second eccentric element (43), as seen in the axial direction of the output shaft (39), are arranged in that region of the output shaft (39) in which the projection of the inner or outer cleaning body (49, 59) onto the output shaft (39) falls.
7. Floor-cleaning machine according to one or more of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the projection of the inner cleaning body (49) onto the output shaft (39) at least partially overlaps the projection of the outer cleaning body (59) onto the output shaft (39).
8. Floor-cleaning machine according to one or more of Claims 1 to 7, wherein, on the base (5), provision is made of a drive-motor-holding element (65) to which the drive motor (31) is fixedly attached,
   wherein provision is made of first elastic elements (69) which are connected fixedly to the inner cleaning body (49) and to the drive-motor-holding element (65), and
   wherein provision is made of second elastic elements (71) which are connected fixedly to the outer cleaning body (59) and to the drive-motor-holding element (65).
9. Floor-cleaning machine according to Claim 8, wherein the drive-motor-holding element (65) is held on the base (5) so as to be movable, in particular pivotable about a pivot axis (67) which extends parallel to the cleaning-body plane (53).
10. Floor-cleaning machine according to one or more of Claims 1 to 9, wherein guide wheels (73) are held on the base (5), which guide wheels are rotatable about a common wheel axis (75), and
    wherein preferably the wheel axis (75) and the pivot axis (67) extend parallel to one another.
11. Floor-cleaning machine according to one or more of Claims 1 to 10, wherein the eccentric movement of the inner cleaning element (51) is phase-shifted by 180° in relation to the eccentric movement of the outer cleaning element (61), so that, as seen perpendicularly to the cleaning-body plane (53), at any point in time, the direction of movement of the points of the inner cleaning element (51) is opposite to the direction of movement of the points of the outer cleaning element (61), and
    wherein preferably the output axis (37), the first axis of rotation (D1) and the second axis of rotation (D2) extend in a common plane.
12. Floor-cleaning machine according to one or more of Claims 1 to 11, wherein the inner cleaning element (51) and the outer cleaning element (61) are configured in such a way that their masses are equal, and/or
    wherein the inner cleaning element (51) and the outer cleaning element (61) have engagement surfaces, by way of which the cleaning elements (51, 61) engage with the floor surface (3), which are equal in size.
13. Floor-cleaning machine according to one or more of Claims 1 to 12, wherein the outer cleaning element (61) has a triangular outer contour in the cleaning-body plane (53), and
    wherein preferably the legs (45) of the triangular outer contour of the outer cleaning element (61) are of convex form.
14. Floor-cleaning machine according to one of Claims 1 to 13, wherein the second receiving opening has a triangular inner contour in the cleaning-body plane (53), and
    wherein the inner cleaning element (51) has a triangular outer contour (51) in the cleaning-body plane (53).
15. Floor-cleaning machine according to one of Claims 1 to 14, wherein the inner cleaning element (51) and the outer cleaning element (61) have, as engagement elements, bristles pointing towards the floor surface (3),

    wherein the bristles of the inner cleaning element comprise a first group of bristles, and wherein a portion of the first group of bristles is arranged uniformly inclined in a first direction in relation to the output axis (37), while those bristles of the first group which are not included in the portion extend parallel to the output axis (37) ,
    and/or

    wherein the bristles of the outer cleaning element comprise a second group of bristles, and wherein a portion of the second group of bristles is arranged uniformly inclined in a first direction in relation to the output axis (37), while those bristles of the second group which are not included in the portion extend parallel to the output axis (37) .
16. Floor-cleaning machine according to one of Claims 1 to 15, having a cleaning-liquid container (17), which is preferably attached to the base or to the operating bar (7),
    wherein, on the base, provision is made of means which are connected to the cleaning-liquid container (17) and are configured to apply cleaning liquid from the cleaning-liquid container (17) to a floor surface (3) on which the floor-cleaning machine (1) is arranged.
17. Floor-cleaning machine according to one of Claims 1 to 16, having a suction foot (21) which is attached to the base (5) or to the operating bar (7) and serves for sucking cleaning liquid up from the floor surface (3), and
    wherein a suction device (33) which charges the suction foot (21) with a suction-air stream is preferably attached to the operating bar (7) or to the base (5).

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