EP4338649A1 - Machine de traitement de sol - Google Patents

Machine de traitement de sol Download PDF

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Publication number
EP4338649A1
EP4338649A1 EP23197096.3A EP23197096A EP4338649A1 EP 4338649 A1 EP4338649 A1 EP 4338649A1 EP 23197096 A EP23197096 A EP 23197096A EP 4338649 A1 EP4338649 A1 EP 4338649A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
work head
machine
floor
region
base portion
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP23197096.3A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Piotr BUKOWSKI
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Numatic International Ltd
Original Assignee
Numatic International Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Numatic International Ltd filed Critical Numatic International Ltd
Publication of EP4338649A1 publication Critical patent/EP4338649A1/fr
Pending legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L11/00—Machines for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
    • A47L11/02—Floor surfacing or polishing machines
    • A47L11/04—Floor surfacing or polishing machines hand-driven
    • A47L11/08—Floor surfacing or polishing machines hand-driven with rotating tools
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L11/00—Machines for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
    • A47L11/40—Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
    • A47L11/4063—Driving means; Transmission means therefor
    • A47L11/4066—Propulsion of the whole machine
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A46—BRUSHWARE
    • A46B—BRUSHES
    • A46B13/00—Brushes with driven brush bodies or carriers
    • A46B13/008—Disc-shaped brush bodies
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A46—BRUSHWARE
    • A46B—BRUSHES
    • A46B13/00—Brushes with driven brush bodies or carriers
    • A46B13/02—Brushes with driven brush bodies or carriers power-driven carriers
    • A46B13/04—Brushes with driven brush bodies or carriers power-driven carriers with reservoir or other means for supplying substances
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L11/00—Machines for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
    • A47L11/02—Floor surfacing or polishing machines
    • A47L11/10—Floor surfacing or polishing machines motor-driven
    • A47L11/14—Floor surfacing or polishing machines motor-driven with rotating tools
    • A47L11/16—Floor surfacing or polishing machines motor-driven with rotating tools the tools being disc brushes
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L11/00—Machines for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
    • A47L11/29—Floor-scrubbing machines characterised by means for taking-up dirty liquid
    • A47L11/292—Floor-scrubbing machines characterised by means for taking-up dirty liquid having rotary tools
    • A47L11/293—Floor-scrubbing machines characterised by means for taking-up dirty liquid having rotary tools the tools being disc brushes
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L11/00—Machines for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
    • A47L11/29—Floor-scrubbing machines characterised by means for taking-up dirty liquid
    • A47L11/30—Floor-scrubbing machines characterised by means for taking-up dirty liquid by suction
    • A47L11/302—Floor-scrubbing machines characterised by means for taking-up dirty liquid by suction having rotary tools
    • A47L11/305—Floor-scrubbing machines characterised by means for taking-up dirty liquid by suction having rotary tools the tools being disc brushes
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L11/00—Machines for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
    • A47L11/40—Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
    • A47L11/4036—Parts or details of the surface treating tools
    • A47L11/4038—Disk shaped surface treating tools
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L11/00—Machines for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
    • A47L11/40—Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
    • A47L11/4036—Parts or details of the surface treating tools
    • A47L11/4044—Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L11/00—Machines for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
    • A47L11/40—Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
    • A47L11/4061—Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L11/00—Machines for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
    • A47L11/40—Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
    • A47L11/4063—Driving means; Transmission means therefor
    • A47L11/4069—Driving or transmission means for the cleaning tools
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L11/00—Machines for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
    • A47L11/40—Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
    • A47L11/4072—Arrangement of castors or wheels
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L11/00—Machines for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
    • A47L11/40—Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
    • A47L11/4075—Handles; levers
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L11/00—Machines for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
    • A47L11/40—Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
    • A47L11/408—Means for supplying cleaning or surface treating agents
    • A47L11/4083—Liquid supply reservoirs; Preparation of the agents, e.g. mixing devices
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L11/00—Machines for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
    • A47L11/40—Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
    • A47L11/408—Means for supplying cleaning or surface treating agents
    • A47L11/4088—Supply pumps; Spraying devices; Supply conduits
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A46—BRUSHWARE
    • A46B—BRUSHES
    • A46B2200/00—Brushes characterized by their functions, uses or applications
    • A46B2200/30—Brushes for cleaning or polishing
    • A46B2200/3033—Household brush, i.e. brushes for cleaning in the house or dishes

Definitions

  • the present invention concerns the field of floor treatment machines such as scrubbers, finishers or polishers.
  • Floor scrubbers typically have rotating work heads equipped with bristles for working the floor to remove dirt.
  • Finishers may have stiffer bristles with which to pare down a floor surface, such as a wooden surface.
  • Polishers are typically equipped with relatively soft cleaning pads for polishing floor surfaces such as varnished wooden, polymer (e.g. linoleum) or concrete / ceramic surfaces.
  • the treatment process may be assisted by the deposition of liquids, lubricants, pastes or polishes on the floor surface to be treated.
  • a vacuum suction device may be included in the machine and used to entrain and convey used fluid from the floor surface for collection in a waste tank.
  • the present invention in particular concerns treatment machines having floor-facing generally disc shaped work heads.
  • These work heads typically have a vertical axis of rotation.
  • they are typically arranged to be counter-rotating so as to balance any tendency for generating torque reaction which results in a net force parallel to the floor, causing unintended travel or drift of the machine during operation.
  • a hand-guided machine having counter-rotating balanced work heads is described in US8887348B2 (2014 ). This machine is entirely supported by the two work heads and is easy to move over a surface being scrubbed, but is prone to drift or wander if the work head axes are not precisely vertical or if any asymmetries between brushes arise, such as in brush wear or slight variations in the respective axes or rotation.
  • US9826874B2 discloses a similar hand-guided machine having a base portion or deck supported by two counter-rotating work heads.
  • the work heads have axes of rotation that are deliberately inclined slightly from the vertical so as to be convergent in a transverse direction.
  • the two side by side work heads when viewed from the front exhibit a dihedral effect in the rotational planes.
  • the work heads have slightly lifted transverse outer edge regions and correspondingly depressed inter transverse inner edge regions (i.e. at the juxtaposed 3 and 9 O'clock regions of the work heads, where 12 O'clock is the working travel direction of the machine).
  • twin-work head machines of the type described above are complicated and relatively costly to manufacture. They typically have dual work-heads with two electric motors with reduction gearboxes and large batteries to provide adequate power.
  • the present applicants have noted a desire in the market for cheaper, simpler machines which have a good self-propulsive effect for ease of use, but which have reduced complexity. This applies especially in the scrubber-drier market which is displacing standard floor mopping in commercial cleaning.
  • GB1202369 discloses a hand guided floor treatment machine which is provided with a single disc-shaped work head which has a substantially vertical axis of rotation. There is a pivotably mounted rear facing two-part handle portion with a T-bar for a user to grasp. By twisting the T-bar the pressure of respective left and right sides of the work head may be tilted so as to provide a differential contact pressure on the floor brush, which causes a reaction which drives the machine forwards or backwards, depending upon the applied twist direction and work head rotation direction.
  • a problem with this arrangement is that the differential pressure exerted by handle-twisting means that one side of the machine has reduced cleaning effect, which may even cease completely. This can prolong scrubbing tasks, requiring second passes and thus more working time.
  • the present invention seeks to ameliorate one or more of the aforementioned problems and provide a cleaning machine which is less complex and provides excellent cleaning, whilst also providing self-propulsion to assist the user.
  • a hand-guided floor treatment machine comprising a handle portion connected to a base portion, which base portion is provided with a rotatable generally disc-shaped floor-facing work head having a substantially vertical axis of rotation, the machine being provided with drive means for rotatably driving the work head, wherein the rotational axis of the work head is tilted slightly away from the vertical.
  • the tilt is preferably in a direction which has a transverse component so as to provide a machine forward propulsive effect.
  • rotation of the work head through the biased region provides propulsion predominantly in a forward direction.
  • the rearward tilt increases floor contact pressure on a rear end region of the rotating work head (and the associated agitation surface, such as floor-facing bristles). This helps counter-act the reduced contact biasing arising from the transverse tilt, so that contact pressure (and cleaning effect) is better maintained across the full span of the work head. Also, any cleaning liquid applied under the work head tends to be retained as the machine moves forwards, rather than being left behind on the path swept by the machine.
  • the vertical axis of rotation may have a forward tilt, which increases pressure in a front region of the work head, providing enhanced cleaning pressure in that region.
  • the tilt applied may comprise combined transverse and backwards/rearwards components so as to achieve a desired propulsion direction, or to limit or remove net propulsion of the machine, so as to make the machine progress easier to control by reducing or cancelling torque rection to the rotation action of the single work head.
  • the combination of applied rear and transverse tilt components makes it possible to provide a good cleaning effect in machines which only have a single-floor facing work head. So, the machine preferably only has a single work head. There may also be only a single drive motor.
  • the work head may be carried underneath a deck portion of the base portion.
  • the deck portion comprises a generally planar arrangement in the form of a horizontal tray or framework or tub.
  • the deck portion may support the drive motor of the drive means.
  • An output rotor of the motor may feed into an associated transmission unit.
  • the transmission unit typically has an output shaft which carries a work head hub or chuck.
  • the transmission unit usually provides a rotational speed reduction down to a rotational cycle which is suitable for floor treatment, such as scrubbing in some preferred embodiments.
  • the shaft which drives the hub is typically substantially vertical in orientation so as to take a floor-facing work head with underlying agitation surface (typically an annular scrubbing brush). The tilt is in this case applied to the drive shaft for the hub.
  • the motor can be oriented vertically - in series with the transmission - or transversely, in which case a worm gear may be entered into the transmission unit.
  • the transverse arrangement allows for a low-profile base portion, the better to fit under furniture or other obstructions on the floor surface during cleaning.
  • an output rotor of the motor may be directly attached to the work head hub, optionally via a drive shaft, and without an intervening transmission unit.
  • This direct drive configuration is less complex and potentially more reliable and less noisy.
  • the motor rotor does however stand upwards (in the absence of other measures), creating a higher base portion.
  • the work head tilt may be achieved in several ways, some of which are described herein.
  • the tilt is achieved by tilting away from the vertical of the motor output rotor (with hub).
  • 'vertical' we mean a plumb line when the machine is square-on to the floor.
  • the transmission unit output shaft (with hub) is tilted away from the vertical.
  • the tilting of the output shaft may be achieved by fixing a transmission unit in a tilted disposition with respect to the deck portion upon which the transmission unit.
  • the transmission unit may be tilted by means of one or more spacer elements disposed between the transmission unit and the deck portion.
  • the spacer may be a washer or a wedge, or a variable thickness gasket.
  • the transmission unit may have four corners, each with a bolt for holding the unit onto the deck.
  • the spacer may be interposed between the transmission unit and the deck portion so as to tilt the transmission unit with respect to the deck unit. Bolt may pass through the spacer to stably locate it in position.
  • the motor output rotor may be tilted away from the vertical by means of one or more spacer elements.
  • the spacer or spacers may be disposed between a mounting (bracket or flange) for the motor and the deck portion upon which the motor is mounted.
  • a mounting bolt may pass through the spacer.
  • the hub unit may be mounted on the output rotor, and a hub is typically attached to the free end of the output rotor.
  • the hub (usually comprising a chuck) has attached thereto a disc-shaped work head.
  • the work head faces the floor.
  • the floor-facing surface may be provided with an array of bristles to form a scrubbing brush.
  • the floor facing surface may be provided with a polishing pad, or a more aggressive treatment surface, such as wire bristles.
  • Another way of induing work head tilt is to have a floating work head and motor / transmission assembly which is suspended from the deck portion. Biasing means may be applied between the floating work head and motor/transmission assembly and the deck portion so that the assembly as a unit tilts to provide a tilted work head.
  • the work head is preferably oriented so as to have an axis of rotation that exhibits a transverse tilt of 1 to 3, more preferably 1.5 to 2.0 degrees, from the vertical axis V in the transverse direction (negative X), as shown in figure 4 .
  • the work head is preferably oriented so as to have an axis of rotation that exhibits a rearwards tilt of 1 to 3, more preferably 1.5 to 2.0 degrees, from the vertical axis V, in the negative Z direction, as shown in figure 3 .
  • the degree of tilt selected may require a certain amount of experimentation to get optimum performance, and may be tailored to specific work head brush stiffness, rotational speed, floor roughness, or the presence or absence of any cleaning liquid or lubricant applied.
  • the backwards tilt provides more uniform cleaning/scrubbing/polishing effect
  • the transverse tilt provides a propulsive effect.
  • the amount of transverse tilt should be sufficient to produce the desired propulsive effect or assistance to the user.
  • the amount of rearwards tilt should be consistent with an effective cleaning performance.
  • forwards tilt may be applied, if an enhanced front region cleaning effect is required.
  • the work head may be oriented so as to have an axis of rotation that exhibits a forwards tilt of 1 to 3, more preferably 1.5 to 2.0 degrees, from the vertical axis V, in the positive Z direction.
  • the rearward tilt is especially useful where the machine is a scrubber-drier and includes a cleaning liquid deposition device.
  • the compressed rear bristles of the work head prevent the liquid from immediately passing out from under the machine, as serve to keep a volume of liquid constrained ahead of the rear bristles.
  • the base portion is preferably provided with wheel means to enable translational motion of the machine over the floor surface during operation.
  • the wheels means may comprise or more wheels or rollers, but could include caterpillar tracks, or skids. In some embodiments there is one wheel or roller, but preferably there is a pair of transversely spaced apart wheels.
  • the wheel means helps the user guide the machine in a preferred direction (usually the working direction), especially when the wheel or wheels rotate around a fixed transverse axis of rotation, so as to provide directional stability. As such the wheel(s) may be termed guide wheel or wheels.
  • the tilt of the work head tends to induce a curved forward drive direction, as shown in figure 6 , so the wheels help the user to counter-act this by yaw steering in the opposite direction.
  • the wheels also share the machine weight, which makes the machine easier to manipulate and steer during use.
  • the wheel means may comprise a single central wheel or roller, or two transversely spaced apart wheels or rollers. Other configurations are possible.
  • the weight of the machine is preferably shared by the wheel means and the work head.
  • the wheels means are preferably disposed at a rear region of the base portion, and the work head is preferably disposed at a front region of the base portion.
  • the machine may be configured as a wet scrubber with scrubbing brush attachments provided on an underside of each work head, a cleaning liquid reservoir, a cleaning liquid dispenser provided in advance of, or under, the work head. In this way a cleaning liquid may be applied to the floor to assist in the scrubbing action by dissolving or entreating dirt.
  • the machine may further comprise a suction squeegee device for collecting liquid-entrained dirt and configured to be trailed behind the work head. This is used to lift used cleaning liquid and dirt from the floor.
  • a waste liquid tank may be provided within the machine, or remotely (in either case connected by a suction conduit). Preferably the waste tank is adjacent the cleaning liquid reservoir.
  • Suitable treatment surfaces include scrubbing brushes, typically comprising bristles arranged in an annular array around a central drive shaft chuck engagement.
  • scrubbing brushes typically comprising bristles arranged in an annular array around a central drive shaft chuck engagement.
  • the pressure applied to the rear of the work heads acts to retain cleaning liquid introduced into the work head within the annular brush rather than allowing it to escape immediately via the bristles. This reduces the amount of cleaning liquid required during a cleaning task. This is especially useful in wet scrubber driers such as described hereinafter.
  • polishing pads may be used, or more aggressive surfaces treatments such as wire or stiff brushes or grinding or sanding surfaces.
  • the work head is carried underneath a deck portion of the machine.
  • the deck portion may be used to support various other components of the machine, such as motors, transmissions, batteries, suction turbines.
  • the scrubber-dryer machine in accordance with the invention is shown in figure 1 as 10.
  • the machine includes a base portion 11, comprising a motor housing 2, a disc-shaped work head 4 (best seen in figure 6 ) and a squeegee suction collector 5 which has leading and trailing curved squeegee blades 43, 44 which together define a suction chamber therebetween.
  • the squeegee is collector is disposed immediately behind the work head and has a span which equals or exceeds the diameter of the work head.
  • the squeegee collector is supported by two transversely spaced apart trailing rollers 47 (see fig. 6 ), which prevent the squeegee blades from collapsing under the weight of the collector.
  • An upper portion of the squeegee collector is formed with a suction orifice 6 in fluid communication with a suction turbine (not shown) and a waste liquid collection tank (not visible).
  • the work head has a lower side provided with an annular detachable brush unit 20 made up of a multitude of floor-facing bristles for agitating the floor surface.
  • the squeegee collector is disposed behind the machine base portion, and specifically behind the rear wheels 45, as shown on figure 8 .
  • a mid-region of the handle portion carries superstructure 7 within which is provided a cleaning liquid reservoir (not visible) and the waste liquid collection tank.
  • the superstructure also carries at a lower end region thereof a re-chargeable battery which serves as a power supply.
  • a lower end region of the handle portion is attached to the base portion via a universal joint 30.
  • the universal joint comprises an upper handle pivot P-P' which permits side-to-side pivoting of the handle portion, and a lower, transverse pivot A-A' which permits up and down pivoting of the handle.
  • the user twisting the cross bar in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction steers the base portion as it travels over a floor surface in a working direction W.
  • Rotation of the work head causes the brushes 20 to scrub the floor.
  • Cleaning liquid delivered to the floor in advance of the work head, or through a hub of the work head assists in the cleaning effect.
  • the dirty cleaning fluid is then collected behind work heads by the squeegee collector and discharged into the waste tank in the handle super structure (for subsequent disposal).
  • a rear end region of the base portion is provided with two co-axially mounted wheels 45 which support the weight of the handle portion, and the rear region of the base portion 11.
  • the wheels have a fixed axis of rotation, so provide directional stability in the working direction of use W during use, whilst permitting steering by yawing of the base portion about the rear wheels 45.
  • FIG 3 the interior or the base portion 11 and associated components are shown.
  • the deck carries a motor drive unit 13.
  • the motor drive unit comprises a generally cylindrical upright electric motor 15.
  • the motor rotor is mated to a transmission unit (gearbox assembly) 16.
  • a driven hub 14 ( figure 6 ) depends from an underside of the gearbox assembly for driving the work head 4.
  • the gearbox has an output shaft from which the hub depends. This output shaft is oriented so as to exhibit the rearwards tilt of 1.5 to 2.0 degrees from the vertical axis V, in the negative Z direction, as shown in figure 3 .
  • the output shaft is also oriented to give a tilt of 1.5 to 2.0 degrees from the vertical axis V in the transverse direction negative X, as shown in figure 4 .
  • the tilting can be conveniently achieved by the use of spacers, washers or wedges (not shown in the figures) disposed under one or more of the corners 50 of the gearbox assembly housing, above the associated deck upon which the gearbox assembly is mounted. In this way the whole gearbox assembly is tilted from the horizontal, producing a corresponding shift from the vertical of the output shaft which carries the hub and work head.
  • the combination of transverse tilt and backwards tilt of the work head produces increased pressure on the floor surface due to the biasing of the brush bristles in the bottom left region of the work head (as viewed in figure 6 ).
  • the cross-hatched region indicates increased pressure due to tilting.
  • the backwards and transverse tilts of the brushes produces increased pressure around the 10 o'clock to 4 o'clock positions of the work head.
  • the work head rotation direction (counter-clockwise in figure 6 ) means that there is increased traction in the biased region, and this produces a propulsive reaction.
  • the rearward tilt helps correct the propulsive thrust so as to be substantially forwards in the working direction, albeit with a small amount of curve which would tend to produce a tendency to steer to the right, but which can be easily correct by the user/operator.
  • the rearward biasing of the work head also compresses the brush bristles and helps retain cleaning liquid within the confines of the annular work head brushes.
  • the biasing of course improves the agitation effect and aids cleaning.
  • the rearward biasing improves the agitation effect across almost the entire span of the work head/brush.
  • the handle portion is preferably connected to the base portion by a universal joint.
  • the universal joint may comprise two orthogonal pivots which permit up-down pivoting and side-to-side pivoting of the handle portion.
  • the universal joint connection is preferably disposed at a rear end region of the base portion. This facilitates walk-behind guiding of the machine by a user holding the handle portion distal end region. Steering involves twisting the handle portion clockwise or anti-clockwise.
  • the universal joint connection may be adjacent the wheel means (when present) so that the weight of the handle portion and any associated components is mostly taken by the wheel means, whereas the work head takes the weight of the motor/transmission.
  • the invention provides a hand-guided floor treatment machine comprising a handle portion connected to a base portion, which base portion is provided with a rotatable generally disc-shaped floor-facing work head having a substantially vertical axis of rotation, the machine being provided with drive means for rotatably driving the work head, wherein the rotational axis of the work head is slightly tilted away from the vertical in a direction which has a transverse component and a rearward component so that the work head is biased into contact with the floor in a region rearwardly and to one side of the work head, whereby in use rotation of the work head through the biased region provides propulsion predominantly in a forward direction.

Landscapes

  • Cleaning In General (AREA)
  • Grinding Of Cylindrical And Plane Surfaces (AREA)
  • Brushes (AREA)
EP23197096.3A 2022-09-14 2023-09-13 Machine de traitement de sol Pending EP4338649A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB2213493.6A GB2622398A (en) 2022-09-14 2022-09-14 Floor treatment machine

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GB1202369A (en) 1966-12-13 1970-08-19 Geerpres Europ Ltd Improvements relating to floor treatment machines
US5849097A (en) * 1996-02-09 1998-12-15 Diversey Lever, Inc. Apparatus for processing a base with a rotating member
US8887348B2 (en) 2009-08-27 2014-11-18 I-Mop Gmbh Handheld floor treatment device
EP3011884A1 (fr) * 2014-10-22 2016-04-27 Haaga Kehrsysteme GmbH Balayeuse manuelle et utilisation d'une bague d'accouplement dans une balayeuse manuelle
US9826874B2 (en) 2013-08-02 2017-11-28 I-Mop Gmbh Hand-guided floor treatment device
US20190038101A1 (en) * 2017-08-07 2019-02-07 Lg Electronics Inc. Cleaner
GB2573134A (en) * 2018-04-25 2019-10-30 Numatic Int Ltd Floor treatment machine
EP3574816A2 (fr) * 2018-05-14 2019-12-04 Black & Decker Inc. Ensemble de brosse pour appareil de nettoyage de sols

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NO137849C (no) * 1976-11-09 1978-05-10 Christensen Engineering As Undervannsboerstemaskin.
US4122576A (en) * 1977-07-11 1978-10-31 The National Super Service Company High-speed floor treating machine
CA1268007A (fr) * 1985-11-05 1990-04-24 Fukashi Urakami Dispositif apte a adherer a un mur par effet de succion, et a s'y deplacer de meme maniere
US4719659A (en) * 1985-12-28 1988-01-19 Uragami Fukashi Rotary travelling surface treatment device
GB2605743B (en) * 2020-12-18 2023-11-22 Numatic Int Ltd Floor treatment machine

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1202369A (en) 1966-12-13 1970-08-19 Geerpres Europ Ltd Improvements relating to floor treatment machines
US5849097A (en) * 1996-02-09 1998-12-15 Diversey Lever, Inc. Apparatus for processing a base with a rotating member
US8887348B2 (en) 2009-08-27 2014-11-18 I-Mop Gmbh Handheld floor treatment device
US9826874B2 (en) 2013-08-02 2017-11-28 I-Mop Gmbh Hand-guided floor treatment device
EP3011884A1 (fr) * 2014-10-22 2016-04-27 Haaga Kehrsysteme GmbH Balayeuse manuelle et utilisation d'une bague d'accouplement dans une balayeuse manuelle
US20190038101A1 (en) * 2017-08-07 2019-02-07 Lg Electronics Inc. Cleaner
GB2573134A (en) * 2018-04-25 2019-10-30 Numatic Int Ltd Floor treatment machine
EP3574816A2 (fr) * 2018-05-14 2019-12-04 Black & Decker Inc. Ensemble de brosse pour appareil de nettoyage de sols

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GB2622398A (en) 2024-03-20
US20240081601A1 (en) 2024-03-14
GB202213493D0 (en) 2022-10-26

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