GB2126473A

GB2126473A - Rotary brush body

Info

Publication number: GB2126473A
Application number: GB08322597A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Axel Eppinger
Original assignee: GUTMANN SUEDDEUTSCHE BUERSTEN
Current assignee: GUTMANN SUEDDEUTSCHE BUERSTEN
Priority date: 1982-08-26
Filing date: 1983-08-23
Publication date: 1984-03-28
Also published as: GB2126473B; GB8322597D0; DE8224041U1

Abstract

A brush body for a rotary brush is in the form of a disk (10) with fluid supply openings (28) arranged in a circle (27) and extending through the disk from an upper face (29) of one disk to the underside. The openings (28) are located immediately adjacent the inner wall of an integral annular rib (31) on the upper face, the wall projecting towards the centre of the disk between neighbouring openings to form a barrier for directing cleaning fluid on the upper face towards the openings (28) when the disk is rotating, so that the fluid reaches bristles (14) attached to the underside face and so that the escape of fluid beyond the edge (12) of the disk is minimised. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A circular disk-shaped brush body made of a plastic material The present invention relates to a circular disk-shaped brush body made of a plastic material to be used for the rotary cleaning brush of a floor-cleaning machine, equipped with feeding means for washing liquid, a shampooing agent, or the like, which can be dripped upon the brush body from above to pass through downwardly extending openings in the said brush body and into the bristles fastened thereto, the said downwardly extending openings being arranged at regular angular distances within an annular rib protruding from the upside of the brush body and preventing the fluid dripped upon the brush body from escaping radially beyond the upper outer rim of the brush body.

A brushbody of this type is the subjectmatter of prior German Patent Application No.

P 31 33 808.9.

The brush body which insofar is part of the prior art, comprises between an inner annular area and an outer likewise annular marginal area, the upper surfaces of which are coplanar and extend in parallel to the lower delimiting face of the brush body to which the bristles are fastened, a slightly outwardly inclined zone having arranged about its periphery the openings extending downwardly through the brush body. Every two of these downwardly extending openins include between them areas of triangular shape projecting from the outer annular area. The upper faces of the said areas are likewise coplanar with those of the inner and outer annular areas, and their lateral vertical faces which meet to form an edge define within the sloping zone guide channels sloping towards the downwardly extending openings and tapering in the form of a funnel.These guide channels are intended to ensure that any washing liquid dripped upon the level annular area of the brush body will be directed as completely as possible to the downwardly extending openings and through the latter into the bristles of the cleaning brush. In order to prevent any washing liquid which drips upon the flow-dividing edge and the adjacent lowest portions of the lateral delimiting faces of the flow-dividing areas and may thus get upon the latter's upside, from escaping beyond the outer rim of the brush body, the latter is additionally provided with a circular annular rib protruding therefrom outwardly of the downwardly extending openings and forming sort of a dam which the washing liquid cannot pass, not even when the cleaning brush rotates at a very high speed, for instance at 400 rpm.

From the functional point of view, it is a disadvantage of such a bruch body, especially if its diameter and that of the annular rib are relatively large, that the centrifugal forces generated by the rotating disk tend to accumulate considerable quantities of washing liquid before the said rib, which quantities of washing liquid can flow off through the downwardly extending openings only after the brush has come to a standstill, so that when the floor cleaning machine is switched off a pool of washing liquid will form beneath it which cannot be used for cleaning purposes and the removal of which causes additional work.

From the constructional point of view, it is a disadvantage of this design that the production of the annular rib to be superimposed upon the brush body requires additional expensive tools. One could certainly imagine that the brush body and the rib could be formed as one integral part; but in this case one would have to accept the disadvantage that the tools required for injection-moulding or expanding the brush body would be rendered very complex due to the resulting richness in detail of its surface, which would again render the tools more expensive.

Now, it is the object of the present invention to provide a brush body of the type described above which while offering a simple design of its upside still ensures reliable introduction of all the washing liquid dripped upon the brush body during operation of the floorcleaning machine and, thus, utilization of practically the fully quantity thereof.

According to the present invention, this objective is achieved in a simple manner by the characterizing features of claim 1.

According to claim 2, the downwardly extending openings are arranged immediately adjacent the inner edge of an annular rib which is formed as an integral part of the brush body and which has its radially innner delimiting wall between two neighbouring openings projecting towards the centre so that the sections of its inner delimiting wall sloping towards the associated downwarly extending openings form at the same time the baffles which direct any washing fluid that may flow radially outwardly beyond the brush body reliably and completely into the downwardly extending openings. Considering that there is no need for any zones of the brush body sloping towards the downwardly extending openings, the tools required for its production are of simple design and can be produced with desirably low technical input.

The features of claims 3 to 5 relate to designs and sizes of the annular rib and/or the downwarly extending openings of the brush body of the invention which have been tested in systematic trials and found to be favourable for the efficient function and operation of the brush body.

The features of claim 7 provide, in combination with the arrangement of the downwardly extending openings in the base of the aanular rib provided by claim 6, a design of the inner wall sections of the annular rib which is favourable for introducing the washing liquid into the downwardly extending openings.

Claim 8 describes the arrangement and design of a transverse rib which extends radially inwardly at the level of the upper edge of the annular rib and which shields or covers partially the transverse rib. This arrangement prevents washing liquid from being pressed upwardly-for instance by turbulences forming in the area of the downwardly extending openings-and from getting lost.

Finally, the features of claim 9 describe a design of the brush body resulting from a particular production method the use of which permits the particularly rational production of the brush body due to its special shape.

Further details and features of the invention will become apparent from the following specification describing one example of the invention with reference to the drawing in which: Figure 1 is a partial top view and/or bottom view of a brush body in accordance with the invention and Figure 2 is a section through the brush body shown in Fig. 1 taken along line Il-Il, all to a scale of 1:2.5.

Referring expressly to the details of Figs. 1 and 2, the brush body 10 of the invention has basically the shape of a circular disk comprising a thicker central area 11 and, except for a narrow low peripheral rib 12, a flat underside 13. The upper half of Fig. 1 shows the top view of the brush body 10, the lower half the bottom view, related to the normal operating position. The bores provided in the lower surface of the brush body 10 and serving to receive the bristles 14 which are shown only in the upper part of Fig. 2 have been omitted from the drawing for simplicity's sake.

In the embodiment shown, the greatest diameter of the brush body 10 is 40 cm. The thickness of the brush body is approx. 30 mm in its inner thicker area which has a diameter of approx. 15 cm max., and approx. 18 mm in the adjacent outer annular area 16. The peripheral rib 12 has a height of approx. 2 mm, measured from the underside 13 of the brush body 10, and a radial thickness of approx. 3 mm. The thicker central area 11 of the brush body 10 is provided with a substantially circular cylindrical opening 17 with three recesses 19 provided in axially symmetric arrangement relative to the central axis 18 of the brush body 10. The angular width of the said recesses is abt. 30 , relative to the central axis 18.In the particular embodiment shown, the dimensions of which may of course be modified to scale, the central opening 17 has an interior diameter of abt. 10 cm, and the radial depth of the recesses 19 is approx. 12 mm. As can be seen best in Fig.

2, the wall sections of the central opening 17 extending between the radial recesses 19 are of stepped design, with horizontally extending radial step faces 21 and 22 and axially extending radial step faces 23, 24 and 26.

These steps form in the brush body the functional elements of a bayonet coupling by means of which the cleaning brush 10, 14 can be coupled with the drive motor of a floor-cleaning machine not shown in the drawing, via a bayonet flange fixed against rotation on the power take-off shaft of the said drive motor which serves as a driver flange and which can be introduced from above into the opening 17 of the brush body 10.

A circle 27 shown in the drawing in broken lines marks about the central circle of the bristles fastened to the brush body in the sense that about the same number of bristle groups 14 are arranged on either side, i.e.

inwardly and outwardly of the said circle.

Along this circle 27, there are provided downwardly extending openings 28 passing through the brush body and permitting cleaning fluid which is dripped in operation upon the upside 29 and which flows radially outwardly when the brush 10, 14 rotates, to get to the underside 13 of the brush body and into the bristles 14 or on the floor surface to be cleaned.

These downwardly extending openings or channels 28 exhibit a rectangular cross-section in the form of a slot which widens towards the underside 13 of the brush body, as can be seen best in Fig. 2. The ratio between the greatest inner width of the downwardly extending openings 28, measured in circumferencial direction, and their width, measured in the radial direction, is between 2/1 and 4/1, the angular width of the said openings, measured from the central axis 18 of the brush body 10 is about 5 .

Viewed in radial direction, the downwardly extending openings 28 are arranged on the inside of a substantially annular rib 21 projecting from the upside 29 of the brush body 10 and defining on the upper face 29 of the brush body an inner substantially annular zone 29' against an outer annular zone 29".

At the same time, this rib forms a dam which prevents cleaning fluid dripped upon the inner annular zone 29' from escaping from the inner annular zone 29' into the outer annular zone 29" and beyond the latter's outer rim 32.

As can be seen best in Fig. 1, the downwardly extending openings 28 are arranged in recesses 33 of the annular rib 31 so that the upper orifices 34 extending at the level of the upside 29 of the brush body 10 are arranged in the base of the annular rib 31, which in the embodiment shown has a height of abt. 6 mm, measured from the upper face 29. If necessary, the rib 31 may be given a somewhat greater height.

The inner wall sections 38 and 39 adjacent the narrow lateral walls 36 and 37 Sr oarh of the recesses 33 of the annular rib 31, which preferably join the latter smoothly via a curvature of small radius, extend steeply, i.e. vertically or almost vertically, upwards from the upper face 29 of the brush body and form baffles for any cleaning liquid flowing radially outwardly on the brush body. In the representation of Fig. 1, they form sort of a flat funnel leading to the downwardly extending openings 33.

The inner wall sections 38 and 39 of the annular rib 31 leading to neighbouring downwardly extending openings 33 extend preferably along a straight line and form between them in the embodiment shown, at the edge 41, an obtuse angle a which in practice may be selected between 130 and 175 and which in the embodiment shown has a magnitude of 1 72'. The edge 41 points towards the center and acts to divide a flow of cleaning liquid flowing radially outwardly and to direct it to one or the other downwarly extending opening 33.

In the area of the recesses 33, the annular rib 31 is provided with narrow transverse ribs 43 of nose-shaped cross-section forming a radially inwardly directed extension of the crown 42 the said rib 31. The lower delimiting faces 44 of the said transverse ribs 43 slope outwardly at an angle of abt. 45 and adjoin the steeply inclined outer walls 46 of the downwardly extending openings 28.

These ribs 43 which act to direct downwarly in a reliable manner any radial flow of cleaning liquid that may result from the centrifugal forces produced by the rotating brush 10, 14 cover up about half of the radial width of the upper orifices 34 of the downwardly extending openings 28.

The brush body 10 exhibiting the features described above can be injection-moulded or expanded from polypropylene in a rational and economic manner, using simple tools.

From the functional point of view it offers the important advantage that when used for the intended purpose practically the full quantity of cleaning liquid-washing liquid, shampooing agent or the like-is introduced into the bristles 14 and upon the floor surface being momentarily cleaned so that an optimum rate of utilization is achieved.

Claims

1. A rotary brush body in the form of a disk having a plurality of fluid supply openings distributed annularly around the disk and extending through the disk from an upper surface to an underside surface thereof for supplying fluid to bristles on the underside surface, wherein the openings are located immediately adjacent an inwardly directed edge of an integral raised portion or portions on the upper surface of the disk, the said raised portion or portions forming a barrier which projects towards the centre of the disk between neighbouring openings for guiding fluid on the upper surface of the disk towards the openings.

2. A circular disk-shaped brush body made of a plastic material to be used for the rotary cleaning brush of a floor-cleaning machine, equipped with feeding means for washing liquid, a shampooing agent, or the like, which can be dripped upon the brush body from above to pass through downwardly extending openings in the said brush body and into the bristles fastened thereto, the said downwardly extending openings being arranged at regular angular distances within an annular rib protruding from the upside of the brush body and preventing the fluid dripped upon the brush body from escaping radially beyond the upper outer rim of the brush body, characterized in that the downwardly extending openings are arranged immediately adjacent the inner edge of the basis of the annular rib protruding on the upside of the brush body of which it is an integral part, and that the inner delimiting wall of the said annular rib projects between two neighbouring downwardly extending openings towards the center of the brush body so as to form baffles for directing the washing liquid dripped upon the brush body towards the downwardly extending openings.

3. A brush body according to claim 2, characterized in that the angle a formed between the inner baffles of the annular rib between two neighbouring downwardly extending openings is between 130 and 175 , preferably about 1 70'.

4. A brush body according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the height of the annular rib measured from the upside of the substantially disk-shaped brush body is between 5 and 8 mm.

5. A brush body according to any of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the upper orifices of the downwardly widening openings exhibit a rectangular inner cross-section with a side ratio of between 2/1 and 4/1, the narrower edges of the downwardly extending openings extending in the radial direction, and the angular widths of the downwardly extending openings, measured in the circumferential direction, being between 2 and 5', and the orifices being arranged within the base of the annular rib.

6. A brush body according to 5, characterized in that the upper orifices of the downwardly extending openings are arranged in recesses of the annular rib.

7. A brush body according to claim 6, characterized in that the baffles of the rib extending at an angle to the radial center plane of the downwardly extending openings join up smoothly, via a small angle of curvature, with the surfaces or walls of the recesses of the annular rib defining the transverse edges of orifices.

8. A brush body according to any of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that each of the upper orifices of the downwardly extending openings has at least half its radial width covered up by a horizontal rib which projects towards the center of the brush body, whose lower delimiting face slopes towards the outside and which preferably joins the radially outward delimiting face of the respective downwardly extending opening via a smooth curvature.

9. A brush body according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is designed as expanded plastics part preferably made from polypropylene.

10. A rotary brush including the brush body of any of the preceding claims.

11. A brush body constructed and arranged substantially as herein described and shown in the drawings.