ITUD940110A1 - MULTIFUNCTIONAL CLEANING APPARATUS - Google Patents

Abstract

Multifunctional cleaning apparatus, having a dispensing tool (20) comprising a suction nozzle (14) connected to a recovery tank (11) and cooperating with a spraying nozzle (15) detergent product, called spraying nozzle (15) being connected through a conduit (18.) to a tank (19), said tank (19) containing in a separate containment chambers (19a, 19b) the water and a detergent substance and being associated with dosing means and possible mixing (26 ) and to pump means (28) for dispensing, the delivery of the detergent product being enslaved by the actuation of a lever (21) present on the handle of the dispensing tool (20), having means (29-129), autonomous and temporally activated as desired by the operator, suitable to heat, even to vaporize, a defined quantity of water, called quantity of water, heated or in the form of steam, being delivered through the spray nozzle (15 ) uni completely or independently of the cleaning product.

Description

Description of the invention having as title:

"MULTIFUNCTIONAL CLEANING APPLIANCE"

FIELD OF APPLICATION

The present invention relates to a multifunctional cleaning apparatus as expressed in the main claim.

More particularly, the subject of the invention is an apparatus suitable for cleaning and washing any type of floor, carpet, upholstery or other surface, advantageously but not only domestic surfaces.

The cleaning apparatus according to the invention is of the washer-dryer type, ie of the type which delivers a jet of liquid detergent and then re-breathes it together with the dirt residues present on the surface to be cleaned.

The cleaning apparatus according to the invention is suitable for delivering a jet of liquid detergent mixture heated in a desired manner, as well as for delivering a jet of steam in its eventual operation as a simple blower.

STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE

Multifunctional cleaning apparatuses of the type washer-dryer referred to in the present invention are known in the art as illustrated for example in document IT-B-l.234.176.

Said devices are suitable for carrying out a cleaning operation consisting of the delivery of a fluid on the surface to be cleaned together with a suction action on the surface itself. For this purpose, the body of the appliance comprises a tank containing the detergent liquid which is sprayed and nebulized on the surface to be cleaned using a suitable tool.

Said tool also comprises a device for carrying out the suction action suitable to almost totally remove the fluid, mixed with the dirtying materials, from the treated surface.

The suction action can be simultaneous or subsequent to the fluid delivery action.

The delivery of the fluid, enslaved by pump means that deliver the cleaning liquid to the point of use, is performed by means of a lever placed on the handle of the suction pipe. The Italian patent application UD 92AQ00145 teaches to use a tank provided with two separate chambers, one containing the water and the other the detergent substance, consisting for example of liquid soap, connected to a dosing and possible mixing device.

The operator can in this way, by acting on said mixer, vary in a desired way the percentage of detergent substance present in the mixture used for cleaning.

This is mostly done according to the type of surface, the type and quantity of dirt, or rather according to the operator's specific choices.

A drawback often complained by operators in the use of cleaning appliances of this type is that of having, at the time of use, a detergent mixture that has a temperature that is too low for an effective and correct cleaning action.

Another drawback is that it is not possible to use the cleaning apparatus as a simple blower in a desired manner.

Furthermore, in known cleaning apparatuses there are no means which prevent overpressures such as deriving from operation of the pump in conditions of a closed delivery duct, nor means for recovering the liquid detergent mixture possibly present in the delivery duct.

In order to solve these drawbacks and to obtain other and further advantages, the present applicant has studied, tested and implemented the present invention.

EXPOSURE OF THE FOUND

The present invention is expressed and characterized in the main claim.

The secondary claims set out variants to the main solution idea.

The object of the invention is that, in a cleaning apparatus of the aforementioned washer-dryer type, to obtain a detergent mixture heated in a desired manner when it is dispensed onto the surface to be cleaned.

Still, according to the invention, an object is to be able to use the multifunctional cleaning apparatus as a simple blower.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for deactivating the delivery pump in the event of overpressures inside the delivery duct, as well as means for recovering and possibly reusing the mixture present in the duct at the moment of deactivation of the pump.

The multifunctional cleaning apparatus according to the invention is substantially of the type described in the Italian patent application UD 92A000145.

Among other things, it provides for the provision of two containment chambers, one for water, the other for the liquid detergent substance, which can be integrated into a single tank or comprise two distinct tanks.

Said two containment chambers are connected to a mixer which allows to feed the detergent mixture in the desired proportions.

According to the invention, the cleaning apparatus has, at least downstream of the delivery pump means, a rapid heating unit which can be activated temporally by the operator.

Said rapid heating unit can have an adjustable operation by the operator in order to obtain a more or less heated detergent mixture, even up to obtaining the vaporization of said detergent mixture.

According to a particular formulation of the invention, the rapid heating unit has only one state of activation and one of non-activation.

In this case, the selection of a more or less high flow rate of the detergent mixture, in conditions of the rapid heating unit activated, determines the delivery of a more or less hot detergent mixture, or of a steam detergent mixture in the case of delivery. low flow rate.

Advantageously, when the detergent mixture is delivered in the vapor state, it contains a low, or even zero, percentage of detergent substance.

In this case, the cleaning apparatus is used as a simple blower for particular steam cleaning operations.

According to a variant, on the delivery line there are valve means which intervene in the event that the cleaning apparatus becomes blocked, for example due to the excessive presence of limescale in the rapid heating unit.

Said valve means cause a deviation on the delivery line which excludes the passage of the detergent product through said rapid heating unit, allowing the cleaning apparatus to still operate, even if delivering only cold water, until any maintenance or replacement of the said rapid heating unit.

According to a variant of the invention, the cleaning apparatus comprises a further auxiliary tank, or sealed container, associated with means of.

Said auxiliary tank is filled with water and associated with conduit means connected to the dispensing tool of the detergent mixture. When the cleaning apparatus is switched on, the operator can activate said heating means and thus obtain, inside the container, water heated to the desired temperature or steam under pressure.

Said auxiliary tank is associated with solenoid valve means which allow to deliver said heated water, or steam under pressure, together with the detergent mixture in order to heat said mixture.

This improves the effectiveness of the cleaning action, in particular in the case of cleaning surfaces with greasy soiling substances.

According to the invention, the connection of said auxiliary tank with the dispensing tool takes place at least downstream of the connection between the dispensing tool itself and the duct of the detergent mixture.

In this way, it is possible in a desired manner to deliver only steam under pressure to obtain the functioning of the multifunctional cleaning apparatus as a blower.

According to the invention, the cleaning apparatus comprises pressure measuring means suitable for intervening on the delivery pump when an overpressure is detected in the delivery duct of the detergent mixture.

This can occur, for example, in the case in which, in conditions of activated pump, the steam or the detergent mixture is not delivered and therefore an overpressure occurs along the delivery duct.

In this case, the means for detecting the pressure cut off the electric power supply of the pump causing its deactivation.

According to a variant, valve means are present which discharge the water or the detergent mixture present along the delivery duct inside the recovery tank connected to the suction pipe.

According to another variant, the valve means discharge the water or the detergent mixture into the tank of liquid detergent substance in order to allow its reuse.

According to the invention, at least one desalination and / or decalcifier unit is present upstream and / or downstream of the dispensing pump means.

Said unit can, for example, be of the magnetic type, ie of the type suitable for magnetically reducing the aggregative capacity of calcium and therefore for avoiding encrustations and aggregations which are harmful to the operation and useful life of the cleaning appliance itself.

ILLUSTRATION OF DRAWINGS

The attached figures are provided by way of non-limiting example and illustrate some preferential solutions of the invention.

In the tables we have that:

- fig. 1 shows a possible multifunctional cleaning apparatus according to the invention;

- fig. 2 shows a possible operating diagram of the cleaning apparatus according to the invention;

- fig. 3 shows an alternative diagram to the operating diagram of fig. 2;

- fig. 4 shows a possible variant of the selector used in the cleaning apparatus of fig. 3;

- fig. 5 illustrates a possible rapid heating unit used in the cleaning apparatus of fig. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The cleaning apparatus 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 is substantially of the type referred to in the Italian patent application UD 92A000145.

In this case, it has a recovery tank 11 for the sucked material and a cover 12 carrying the actuation members for the various functions.

Said cleaning apparatus 10 further comprises a dispensing tool 20 comprising at least one suction mouth 14, associated with suction means located inside the device 10 and not shown and connected to the mouth 13 through a flexible tube 16.

The dispensing tool 20 also has a spraying nozzle 15 suitable for dispensing, simultaneously or before the suction action, a cleaning product, consisting of water or a detergent mixture, onto the surface to be cleaned.

In this regard, said spray nozzle 15 communicates, through a duct 18, with a tank 19 containing, advantageously but not necessarily in two separate containment chambers, 19a and 19b respectively, water and liquid detergent substance.

Said tank 19 is associated downstream to a doser-mixer 26, which allows the formation of a detergent mixture in the desired proportions, and to pump means 28 for dispensing.

The dispensing tool 20 has at least a first lever 21 for dispensing the detergent mixture through the spray nozzle 15. According to the invention, in the solution of fig. 2, at least downstream of the pump means 28 there is a rapid heating unit 29.

Said rapid heating unit 29 is interlocked with selector means 30 which can be activated by the operator and has, in this case, an activation condition and a non-activation condition. According to the invention, the selector means 30 are associated with the pump means 28 for dispensing and are suitable for regulating the flow rate of the detergent mixture according to at least a first level of low flow rate and a second level of high flow rate. This configuration allows to define a plurality of options identifiable with the various positions of the selector means 30.

In particular, position 0 defines the deactivation condition of the cleaning apparatus 10, while positions A and B respectively define the condition of low flow rate of unheated mixture and high flow rate of unheated mixture, being in these positions A and B the rapid heating group 29 is not activated.

Vice versa, the positions C and D of the selector 30 correspond to the activation positions of the rapid heating unit 29.

In particular, position C corresponds to the delivery of a high flow rate of detergent mixture heated to a given temperature, while position D, realizing a low flow rate, determines the delivery of the detergent mixture, or water, in the form of steam. According to a variant, the selector means 30 comprise further switch means 31 which act on the mixer 26.

Said switch means 31 have at least two positions for obtaining, in a first case, the dispensing of detergent mixture in a defined percentage, in the other the dispensing of water only.

According to a variant, the switch means 31 allow to obtain a mixture having the detergent substance in a desired and freely adjustable percentage.

At least downstream of the pump means 28, the invention provides a desalination and / or descaling unit 32a, for example of the magnetic type, suitable for preventing the formation of calcareous agglomerates which over time damage the cleaning apparatus 10 and shorten its useful life.

According to a variant, there is a desalination and / or descaling unit 32b upstream, or also upstream, of the pump means 28.

According to the invention, on the dispensing line between the pump means 28 and the dispensing tool 20 there are valve means 36 suitable for diverting the flow of dispensed mixture if a malfunctioning condition of the cleaning apparatus 10 occurs. .

In other words, if after a certain operating time, the formation of limescale in the rapid heating unit 29 becomes excessive and causes the operation of the cleaning apparatus 10 to be interrupted, the valve 36 allows the flow to be diverted by excluding said group of rapid heating 29.

The cleaning apparatus 10 can thus continue to operate by delivering only water or cold detergent mixture until the moment of intervention on the rapid heating unit 29.

A possible embodiment of said rapid heating unit 29, which makes an intervention in the event of anomalies and malfunctions easy and rapid, is illustrated in fig. 5.

In the present case, the rapid heating unit 29 comprises a casing 37 with a substantially U-shaped profile in which the resistances 38 are housed, with the relative electrical contacts 39 protruding from said casing 37. With said U-shaped casing 37 "an extractable case 40 is made to cooperate inside which the inlet and outlet ducts of the water are formed, said water coming out heated or in the form of steam.

Said extractable case 40 is advantageously made of a material with a high thermal transmission coefficient to allow the passage of the highest possible thermal flux.

Advantageously, the slits which are formed between the U-shaped case 37 and the case 40 are filled with conductive paste which ensures a high heat transmission.

This solution allows rapid replacement and maintenance interventions in the event of malfunctions due to excessive limescale formation as it is sufficient to extract the cartridge case 40, cleaning or possibly replacing it, to reactivate the optimal operation of the rapid heating unit 29.

According to the invention, on the delivery line between the tank 19 and the delivery tool 20, there are pressure switch means 33 suitable for intervening when the pressure along the delivery duct exceeds a defined level, for example in conditions of pump means 28 activated and spray nozzle 15 closed.

In this case, the pressure switch means 33 electrically deactivate the pump means 28 and determine their shutdown.

Said pressure switch means 33 also control a discharge valve 25 for discharging the water and the detergent mixture present in the delivery duct inside the recovery tank 11. According to a variant, illustrated with dashed lines in fig. 2, in order to realize the reuse of said water and detergent mixture which otherwise would not be used, the drain valve 25 is connected to the detergent substance tank 19b and discharges said water and detergent mixture into it.

As can be seen in fig. 2, the discharge valve 25 also operates in conditions of rapid heating assembly 29 excluded from the delivery line.

According to the formulation of fig. 3, there is a further auxiliary tank 17, equipped with a safety cap 22, containing water and having rapid heating means 129.

In this case, the cleaning apparatus 10 comprises selector means 130 which are suitable to act also on the mixer 26.

In this case, the selector 130 has an inactivity position 0, a position E corresponding to the delivery of a detergent mixture with a given percentage of detergent substance and a position F with the delivery of water only.

Several alternative positions can be provided to position E for dispensing a mixture with various and different percentages of detergent substance in the detergent mixture.

The selector 130 also provides at least one switch 23 which determines the activation of the rapid heating means 129 inside the auxiliary tank 17.

In this case, said switch 23 has a deactivation position (UP) and an activation position (DOWN) which determines the conversion into steam of the water contained inside the auxiliary tank 17.

The auxiliary tank 17 is connected to the dispensing tool 20 by means of a conduit 24 which connects with it downstream of the connection of the conduit 18 of the detergent mixture.

The delivery of pressurized steam is enslaved by the activation of a solenoid valve 41, associated with a pressure switch 42.

In this case, the opening of the solenoid valve 41 is enslaved by the actuation of a lever 27 present on the dispensing tool 20.

In this way, the cleaning apparatus 10 allows the detergent mixture to be dispensed in a desired manner together with a jet of pressurized steam, which determines the heating of said mixture and an improvement in the cleaning action; this is obtained by simultaneously acting on the two levers 21 and 27.

Alternatively, by acting on the selector 130, it is possible to deliver a jet of cold water and a jet of steam under pressure, if it is not necessary to use a detergent substance. Furthermore, only water, or possibly only detergent mixture, can be sent by acting only on the dispensing lever 21.

Finally, by acting only on the lever 27, only steam is delivered under pressure for the operation of the cleaning apparatus 10 as a simple blower.

Fig. 4 shows a variant 130a of the selector used in combination with the cleaning apparatus 10 operating with the diagram of fig. 3.

Said selector 30a has a key 34 for activating the pump means 28 and a key 35 for activating the suction nozzle 14.

Furthermore, the selector 130a has a switch 23 for activating the heating means 129 inside the auxiliary tank 17 to obtain the steam inside it and a switch 127 for opening the solenoid valve 41, which allows the delivery of said steam by means of the delivery tool 20.

Claims (1)

CLAIMS 1 - Multifunctional cleaning device? having a dispensing tool (20) comprising a suction nozzle (14) connected to a recovery tank (11) and cooperating with a spraying nozzle (15) of the detergent product, said spraying nozzle (15) being connected by means of a duct ( 18) to a tank (19), said tank (19) containing water and a detergent substance in separate containment chambers (19a, 19b) and being associated with dosing and possible mixing means (26) and pump means (28), the dispensing of the detergent product being enslaved by the actuation of a lever (21) present on the handle of the dispensing tool (20), characterized in that it has means <29-129), autonomous and temporally activated in a manner desired by the operator, suitable for heating, even to vaporize, a defined quantity of water, said quantity of water, heated or in the form of steam, being delivered through the spray nozzle (15) together or indepen depending on the cleaning product. 2 - Cleaning tool as in Claim 1, characterized in that the rapid heating means (29) are placed in line with the dispensing duct of the detergent product and act directly on it before dispensing it through the spray nozzle ( 15). 3 - Cleaning tool as in Claim 2, characterized in that the outlet temperature of the detergent product, that is the conversion into steam, is functional to the flow rate set by the operator through selector means (30). 4 - Cleaning tool as claimed in one or the other of the preceding claims, characterized in that there are deviation means (36) suitable for excluding the rapid heating means (29) from the delivery line in the event of their malfunctioning, for example due to the excessive formation of limestone. 5 - Cleaning apparatus as claimed in one or the other of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rapid heating means (29) have a case (40) carrying the duct for the passage of the water to be heated and removable for maintenance operations and / or replacement. 6 - Cleaning tool as in Claim 1, characterized in that the heating means (129) cooperate with an auxiliary tank (17) containing water and are controlled by the actuation of a switch (23) associated with selector means (130- 130a). 7 - Cleaning tool as in Claim 6, characterized in that the auxiliary tank (17) cooperates with solenoid valve means (41) associated with an autonomous delivery duct (24) connected to the delivery tool (20) downstream of the connection between the dispensing tool (20) and the detergent mixture pipe (18). 8 - Cleaning apparatus as claimed in Claim 7, characterized in that the opening of the solenoid valve means (41) is controlled by the actuation of independent lever (27) or switch (127) means. 9 - Cleaning tool as claimed in either of the preceding claims, characterized in that the selector means (30-130) comprise means suitable for acting on the mixer (26) to define the percentage of detergent substance present in the detergent mixture , said percentage being able to vary from 0 to a defined maximum value. 10 - Cleaning apparatus as claimed in either of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has pressure switch means (33), associated with the detergent mixture delivery duct and suitable for deactivating the pump means (28) for delivering of overpressure. 11 - Cleaning apparatus as claimed in either of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has discharge valve means (25) for discharging the water or detergent mixture present inside the delivery duct under nozzle conditions. spraying (15) closed. 12 - Cleaning apparatus as claimed in Claim 11, characterized in that the drain valve (25) drains the water or the detergent mixture into the recovery tank (11). 13 - Cleaning apparatus as claimed in Claim 11, characterized in that the drain valve (25) drains the water or the detergent mixture into the detergent substance tank (19b). 14 - Cleaning apparatus as claimed in one or the other of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has a desalination / descaling unit (32a) located at least downstream of the pump means (28) for dispensing.