RU2603600C2 - Cleaning device for cleaning a surface comprising a brush and a squeegee element - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: personal use and household items.

SUBSTANCE: present invention relates to a cleaning device for cleaning a surface (20), comprising a nozzle arrangement (10) and a vacuum aggregate (38) for generating an under-pressure in the suction area (34) for ingesting dirt particles (22) and liquid (24). Nozzle arrangement (10) contains one brush (12) rotatable about a brush axis (14). Brush (12) is provided with flexible brush elements (16) having tip portions (18) for contacting the surface to be cleaned and picking up dirt particles (22) and liquid (24) from the surface (20) during a pick-up period when the brush elements (16) contact the surface (20) during the rotation of the brush (12). Linear mass density of a plurality of the brush elements (16) is, at least at the tip portions, lower than 150 g per 10 km and a single squeegee element (32) for pushing or wiping dirt particles (22) and liquid (24) across or off the surface to be cleaned (20) during movement of the cleaning device (100). Squeegee element (32) is spaced apart from the brush (12) and extending substantially along a longitudinal direction (48) is substantially parallel to the brush axis (14). Suction area (34) is defined within the nozzle arrangement (10) between the squeegee element (32) and the brush (12). Drive means for driving the brush (12) in rotation, wherein the drive means are adapted to realize a centrifugal acceleration at the tip portions (18) which is, in particular during a dirt release period when the brush elements (16) are free from contact to the surface during rotation of the brush (12), at least 3,000 m/s².

EFFECT: device for cleaning solid floor is disclosed.

15 cl, 13 dwg, 3 tbl

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a cleaning device for cleaning a surface. Additionally, the present invention relates to a nozzle design for such a cleaning device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Currently, hard surfaces are cleaned first by vacuuming the floor and then washing it. Vacuuming removes coarse dirt, while washing removes stains. Many devices are known in the prior art, in particular those intended for the professional cleaning field, which state both vacuuming and washing at the same time. Devices for professional cleaning are usually specialized for large areas and completely flat floors. They are based on stiff brushes and suction power so that water and dirt can get out of the floor. Home appliances often use a combination of a stiff brush and a scraper with a scraper. Like devices for professional cleaning, these products use a brush to remove stains from the floor and a scraper combined with reduced pressure to lift dirt from the floor.

These scraper elements are usually made with a flexible rubber edge that is attached to the bottom of the cleaning device and simply slides along the surface to be cleaned, thereby pushing or erasing dirt particles and liquid from or to the surface being cleaned. The reduced pressure, typically created by a vacuum unit, is used to suck up collected dirt and liquid particles.

A scraper device for a vacuum cleaner system is known, for example, from EP 0 576 174 A1. A sweeper that uses the brush and scraper combination noted above is known, for example, from US 7,665,172 B1. The electric sweeper described in it contains a footrest assembly with a drive main shaker and a pair of edge shakers connected to the wheels so that the manual actuation of the sweeper rotates the wheels and thereby the edge shakers. However, the sweeper does not include a vacuum source and, therefore, is not able to collect water from the floor being cleaned. Thus, the drying performance of the floor is very low.

Another vacuum cleaner that is known in the art and also uses a combination of a rotary brush and a scraper is known from US 4,864,682 A. This vacuum cleaner contains a self-adjusting wiper strip assembly that automatically adjusts to the type of floor surface on which the vacuum cleaner is used. The assembly used in it requires a high suction power in order to obtain a satisfactory cleaning result. The brush used in this vacuum cleaner is a shaker (also referred to as adjutator) with stiff brush hairs to shake the floor, such as a carpet. These stiff hairs exhibit a very good cleaning effect, which in particular allows the use of a brush to remove stains. However, the drying performance of the floor is very low, since such a shaker is not able to lift liquid from the floor.

Prior art vacuum cleaning and washing devices often use brush elements that are intensively sprayed with water or a cleaning agent in order to improve stain removal. Such devices typically use a double scraper element having two scrapers that are placed on one side of the brush, as roughly shown in the attached FIG. 11. An additional source of vacuum creates suction in the channel between the specified design of the double scraper in order to again remove cleaning water from the floor.

However, in order to again remove intensely sprayed cleaning water from the floor, these devices must always be movable in the forward direction, in which the brush is located in front of the double scraper structure when viewed in the direction of movement of the device. Moving the device in the opposite opposite direction will leave the floor wet, since the cleaning water that is scattered by the brush is not removed from the scrapers during this reverse stroke.

In order to obtain a good cleaning result with the forward and reverse stroke of the device, the known cleaning devices are therefore provided with a nozzle with a double scraper on both sides of the brush. Such a construction is approximately shown in the attached FIG. 12. Even if such designs of a double scraper on both sides of the brush show good cleaning results, the nozzle of these devices becomes quite bulky. This again leads to unsatisfactory, limited performance. Especially in home appliances where it is often necessary to clean narrow corners, such bulky nozzles, due to their limited freedom of action, are disadvantages and inconvenient to use.

In addition, the use of double scraper structures, which are shown in the attached Figures 11 and 12, have some additional disadvantages. Due to the constant contact of the scrapers with the floor during the movement of the device, such double scrapers can create a high load of scratching the floor. Especially when double scraper structures are used on each side of the brush, this will lead to an increased risk of scratching the floor. Moreover, such scraper designs have the disadvantage that they are not open to coarse dirt, such as, for example, hairs or nuts, since coarse dirt often gets entangled inside the scraper or repels from the scraper, and thus is not able to enter the inlet suction. In addition, such double scraper nozzles are difficult to clean and do not have the ability to self-clean.

In order to overcome these disadvantages, other devices known in the art use two separate brushes that are placed parallel to each other (shown schematically in the attached Fig. 13). A cleaning device of this type is approximately known from US 1,694,937. The specified document discloses a polomoyechny machine, which is able to collect dirt from the floor with the help of two cylindrical floor brushes located parallel and close to each other. These brushes rotate at high speeds, one moving clockwise and the other counterclockwise. Thus, adjacent peripheries move together at a sufficiently high speed to transfer dirt vertically upward with considerable force in the form of a substantially flat jet. Wipe or scraper is used in addition to brushes in order to dry the floor. Due to two separate brushes and additional scrapers, the nozzle according to this solution also becomes cumbersome, which again leads to unsatisfactory freedom of action for the consumer.

EP 2 343 003 A1 also shows a cleaning device with two brushes rotating in opposite directions, the cleaning device being optimized for wet cleaning hard floors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved cleaning device that shows, compared with the prior art, an improved cleaning characteristic and at the same time has a small nozzle in order to guarantee high freedom of action.

This problem is solved using the design of the nozzle for a device for cleaning hard floors, containing:

- one rotational brush rotating around the axis of the brush, said brush being provided with flexible brush elements having end sections for contacting the surface being cleaned and collecting dirt and liquid particles from the surface during the collection period when the brush elements come into contact with the surface during brush rotation, moreover, the linear mass density of many elements of the brush at least in the end sections, below 150 g per 10 km and

- one scraper element for pushing or erasing particles of dirt and liquid along or from the surface to be cleaned during the movement of the cleaning device, said scraper element being located at a distance from the brush and extending substantially along the longitudinal direction, being substantially parallel to the axis of the brush, the suction area being defined inside the nozzle structure between the scraper element and the brush,

- drive means for driving the brushes into rotation, and this drive means is arranged to perform centrifugal acceleration at the end sections, which is, in particular, during the period of removal of dirt, when the brush elements are free from contact with the surface during rotation of the brush at least 3,000 m / s ² .

Moreover, according to a second aspect of the present invention, the aforementioned problem is solved by a hard floor cleaning device, which comprises the above-mentioned nozzle structure and a vacuum unit for creating a reduced pressure in the suction region for sucking particles of dirt and liquid.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims. It should be understood that the claimed nozzle design has similar and / or identical preferred embodiments, as well as the claimed cleaning device, which are defined in the dependent claims.

The present invention is based on the idea that by selecting a special combination of brush element density parameters and performed centrifugal acceleration at the end sections of the brush elements during their rotation, the disadvantages of the above cleaning solutions with a double scraper and a double brush can be overcome by using a single scraper element. Unlike cleaning devices known from the prior art, the nozzle design of the presented cleaning device comprises only one scraper element and preferably only one main brush. Due to the presence of only one brush and one scraper element, the nozzle thus becomes less bulky and shows improved maneuverability.

In this regard, the cleaning device also allows you to effectively clean narrow surfaces. Due to the selected parameters, i.e. linear mass density of flexible brush elements with an upper limit of 150 g per 10 km and centrifugal acceleration at the end sections of brush elements with a lower limit of 3,000 m / s ² , the acceleration being carried out by a drive means, it is possible to obtain excellent cleaning results, and the surface being cleaned is almost completely free at the same time from particles, and dried.

Unlike brushes used according to the prior art, which are used only to remove stains, a soft brush with flexible brush elements, which is presented here, also has the ability to collect water from the floor. Thus, the second element of the scraper is no longer required. The use of the parameters noted above regarding linear mass density and centrifugal acceleration of the brush elements also showed very good stain removal properties. Due to the flexible microfibre hairs, which are preferably used as brush elements, dirt particles and liquid can be collected from the floor when the microfiber brush elements / hairs come into contact with the floor during rotation of the brush. The ability to also collect fluid with a brush is mainly caused by capillary and / or other adhesive forces that arise due to the selected linear mass density of the brush elements and the resulting high speeds with which the brush is driven. Due to the very fine microfiber hairs, the brush is also open to coarse dirt.

During rotation of the brush, the brush elements contact the floor with their end sections and collect dirt particles and liquid from the floor during the collection period in which these end sections contact the floor. During the period of removal of dirt, in which the brush elements are inside the nozzle body and are free from contact with the surface, the centrifugal acceleration of the end sections of the brush elements becomes so high that the centrifugal forces that act on the dirt particles and liquids inside the microfibre hairs become stronger, than adhesive forces, due to which particles of dirt and liquid are displaced from the brush elements. Thus, dirt and liquid particles are automatically removed during the period of removal of dirt, when the elements of the brush during their rotation inside the nozzle body are free from contact with the surface. In addition to the centrifugal forces that are noted, other acceleration forces can be represented, in particular the acceleration forces that arise due to the deformation of the flexible elements of the brush. Such deformations can occur, for example, when the flexible elements of the brush come into contact with the floor during rotation or collide with particles of liquid or dirt.

The resulting accelerations at the end sections of the brush elements cause dirt particles and liquid droplets to be automatically removed from the brush when the brush elements lose contact with the floor during their rotation. Since not all dirt particles and liquid droplets can be directly sucked into the vacuum unit, a small amount of dirt and liquid will be thrown back to the surface in the area where the brush elements lose contact with the surface. However, this effect of re-spraying the surface is overcome by using a scraper element that collects this re-sprayed liquid and dirt, acting as a kind of wipe so that the remaining liquid and dirt can be sucked in further by the applied reduced pressure. In this regard, the scraper ensures that the remaining liquid and dirt do not leave the suction area again, without being sucked in by the vacuum unit. In this regard, it closes the suction area for dirt and liquid on one side of the nozzle body. Due to the selected brush combination, which, in addition to dirt, is also capable of collecting liquid, with one scraper element for pushing or erasing dirt and liquid on or from the surface to be cleaned, it is thus possible to almost completely free the surface of dirt particles, as well as liquid . This leads to improved cleaning properties and, at the same time, to a reduction in nozzle size.

By reducing the number of scrapers to only one element of the scraper, not only can the housing size be reduced, making the nozzle less bulky, but the scratching of the floor that can be caused by the scrapers can be significantly reduced. In addition, one element of the scraper is much easier to clean.

Due to the presented construction, where the scraper element is located at a distance from the brush and extends essentially along the longitudinal direction, which is preferably parallel to the axis of the brush, the brush and one scraper together form a suction region. This suction area is a reduced pressure area that is used to suck in dirt and liquid particles that have been collected either with a scraper element or with a brush. Said reduced pressure is preferably generated by a vacuum unit which is in some way connected to the suction region.

The brush is preferably placed on one side of the nozzle body, while the scraper element is placed on the other side of the body parallel to the brush so that the brush and the scraper element are behind each other when viewed in the intended direction of movement of the device. The scraper and brush are also located on the lower side of the nozzle body, which during use of the device faces the surface to be cleaned, and at least partially protrude from the nozzle body on this lower side. When moving the device, the scraper element slides along the surface to be cleaned and thereby pushes or erases dirt particles and liquid from or from the floor, while the brush collects dirt and liquid particles from the surface during its rotation. In this way, a suction inlet is created between the brush and the scraper element, which faces the surface to be cleaned during use of the cleaning device. This suction inlet leads to the suction region, in which the marked lower pressure is created above.

By applying this reduced pressure, the dirt and liquid particles collected by the scraper and brush are sucked in and sucked off the floor. In this regard, the brush and scraper element are always kept clean, so there is no risk of dirt spreading over the surface being cleaned. In other words, this leads to a kind of self-cleaning of the brush and scraper.

The brush elements may be made of plastic material, with polyester and nylon being suitable examples. In any case, the linear mass density of the plurality of brush elements at least at the end sections is below 150 g per 10 km. This ensures that at least the end sections, brush elements are flexible enough to undergo a bending effect, and are able to collect dirt particles and liquid droplets from the surface being cleaned.

Moreover, an increase in the wear of the brush elements is acceptable within this range of linear mass density. It should be noted that the linear mass density that is marked, i.e. linear mass density in grams per 10 km, also denoted as decitex value.

The experiments performed by the applicant confirmed that the decitex value in the above range is technically possible and that good cleaning results can be obtained with it. However, it has been shown that cleaning results can be further improved by using brush elements with an even lower upper limit of decitex, such as 125, 50, 20, or even 5 decitex (in g / km).

Using the latter order values, it is ensured that the cleaning results are excellent, water collection is optimal, wear is minimal, and power consumption and heat generation on the surface being cleaned are quite low. It should also be noted that the minimum value of 3,000 m / s ² in relation to the acceleration, which is prevailing at the end portion at least during the period of removal of dirt, when the brush elements are free from contact with the surface during rotation of the brush, is also confirmed by the experimental results, which were performed in the context of the present invention. These experiments showed that the cleaning characteristics of the device according to the present invention improve with an increase in the angular velocity of the brush, which implies an increase in acceleration at the end portions of the brush elements during rotation.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the drive means is configured to perform centrifugal acceleration at end portions of at least 7,000 m / s ^2, and more preferably centrifugal acceleration 12,000 m / s ² . When the driving means is configured to perform centrifugal acceleration of the brush elements in the above ranges, there is a possibility of dropping liquid droplets adhering to the brush elements in the form of droplet dust during a step in which the brush elements are free from contact with the surface being cleaned.

The combination of linear mass density of the brush elements and the acceleration at the ends of the brush elements is a combination that gives an optimal cleaning characteristic of the rotatable brush, in which almost all dirt particles and spilled liquid colliding with the brush are collected by the brush elements and removed in the position inside the nozzle body. Of course, an efficient collection of particles and liquids is preferred when it comes to cleaning, in which both the removal of dirt and the drying process are carried out simultaneously. An effective follow-up removal process is preferable in view of the fact that re-entry of dirt and / or liquid onto the surface to be cleaned is excluded. With the brush according to the present invention, together with the scraper element noted above and the operating parameters that are performed by the drive means, it is possible to trap the particles in droplets, thereby making the particles larger, which makes filtering easier.

The combination of the above noted parameters regarding linear mass density and performed centrifugal acceleration at the end sections of the brush elements was not found on the basis of knowledge of the prior art. The prior art does not even concern the possibility of an autonomous, optimal functioning of only one rotatable brush, which is used to clean the surface and is also able to lift dirt and liquid, and thus is able to reduce the number of required elements of the scraper, performing all the same or even improving cleaning properties.

When at least one rotatable brush is provided and operates, as described by the present invention, it is ensured that the liquid can be effectively removed from the surface to be cleaned, and the same applies to dirt particles that can be captured by the brush elements and / or taken away with the liquid. The cleaning process, which is carried out on one side of the nozzle body by a rotating brush cleaning the surface, and on the other side by a scraper element, which is constantly in contact with the surface and thereby wiping the surface, is particularly suitable for use on hard surfaces. Examples of hard surfaces are hard floors, windows, walls, table surfaces, hard material plates, side walls, etc.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reduced pressure generated by the vacuum unit is in the range of 0.3 kPa to 7 kPa, preferably in the range of 0.4 to 5 kPa, most preferably in the range of 0.5 to 3 kPa. Prior art vacuum cleaners need to apply higher reduced pressures in order to obtain acceptable cleaning results. However, due to the above noted brush properties, very good cleaning results can be achieved already in the above noted pressure ranges. Thus, smaller vacuum units can also be used. This increases freedom when choosing a vacuum pump.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the brush axis and / or the longitudinal direction of the scraper element are laterally, preferably perpendicular to, the intended direction of movement of the cleaning device. In this regard, during the movement of the device, the brush and scraper are able to collide with particles of dirt and liquid along the entire length of their longitudinal sides. By arranging the axis of the brush and the scraper element parallel to each other, an excellent interaction of the brush and the scraper element is established to collect dirt and liquid particles from the floor. A reduced pressure suction region is defined between the scraper element and the brush, which also essentially extends parallel to the axis of the brush.

In an additional preferred embodiment of the present invention, said scraper element comprises switching means for switching the scraper element to the closed position, in which the scraper element is capable of pushing or erasing dirt particles and liquid from or to the surface to be cleaned when the cleaning device moves forward along the surface in which the scraper element, when viewed in the direction of movement of the cleaning device, is located behind the brush, and for switching the element ntra of the scraper to the open position, in which dirt particles and liquid from the floor can enter the suction area through the hole between the scraper element and the surface being cleaned, when the cleaning device moves in the opposite direction on the surface, in which the scraper element, when viewed in the direction of movement of the cleaning device located in front of the brush.

The ability to switch the scraper element from the open to the closed position, depending on the direction of movement of the cleaning device, provides a good cleaning result with direct and also reverse nozzle travel. An open configuration exists to allow dirt to enter when the scraper approaches the dirt and liquid on the floor to the brush. And in the closed position, the scraper closes the gap to the floor, or, in other words, wipes or slides on the floor when the brush approaches dirt or liquid on the floor to the scraper.

In order to guarantee this switching mode, the scraper element is preferably made with a flexible rubber edge, which, depending on the direction of movement of the cleaning device, is configured to bend about the longitudinal direction of the specified rubber edge. This rubber edge preferably comprises at least one protrusion that is located near the lower end of the rubber edge, where the rubber edge is intended to touch the surface to be cleaned. The specified at least one protrusion is performed with the ability to at least partially lift the rubber edge from the surface when the cleaning device moves on the surface in the opposite direction, in which the rubber edge, when viewed in the direction of movement of the cleaning device, is located in front of the brush. Due to this rise of the rubber edge during the return stroke of the nozzle, in which the scraper element approaches the dirt on the floor to the brush, coarse dirt can also enter the nozzle during the return stroke through the hole created between the scraper element and the surface being cleaned. When the cleaning device is moved across the surface in the opposite direction forward, the protrusion is free from contact with the floor, leaving the rubber edge to slide freely on the floor in order to collect particles of dirt and water from the specified floor.

According to a further embodiment, the nozzle structure comprises a housing that at least partially surrounds the brush, the scraper element being attached to said housing. In this design, the brush is at least partially surrounded by the nozzle body and at least partially protrudes from the lower side of the specified nozzle body, which, during use of the device, faces the surface to be cleaned so that the brush elements come into contact with the specified surface outside the body during rotation of the brush . The scraper element is also preferably attached to said underside of the housing in order to contact the surface to be cleaned when the nozzle moves over said surface. During use of the device, the suction region in which the aforementioned reduced pressure is applied is determined in the space between the brush, the specified housing, the scraper element and the surface being cleaned, the suction inlet being located between the scraper element and the brush.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the cleaning device comprises positioning means for positioning the axis of the brush at a distance to the surface to be cleaned that is smaller than the radius of the brush with the elements of the brush fully extended, to wrinkle the part of the brush that contacts the surface during operation, and wrinkling takes place in the range of 2 % to 12% of the diameter of the brush.

As a result, the brush elements bend when the brush is in contact with the surface. As a result, as soon as the brush elements come into contact with the surface during the rotation of the brush, the appearance of the brush elements changes from an elongated view to a curved view, and as soon as the brush elements lose contact with the surface during the rotation of the brush, the appearance of the brush elements changes from a curved view to elongated view.

The practical brush squeezing range is from 2% to 12% of the brush diameter in relation to the fully extended state of the brush elements. In practical situations, the diameter of the brush, which is marked, can be determined by taking a suitable measurement, for example, using a high-speed camera or a strobe that operates at the brush speed.

The deformation of the brush elements, or, more precisely, the speed at which deformation can occur, is also affected by the linear mass density of the brush elements. Moreover, the linear mass density of the brush elements affects the power that is required to rotate the brush. When the linear mass density of the brush elements is relatively low, the flexibility is relatively high, and the power necessary to cause the brush elements to bend when they come in contact with the surface being cleaned is relatively low. This also means that the frictional power that is created between the brush elements and the surface is low, whereby heating of the surface and corresponding surface damage are prevented. Other preferred technical results of the relatively low linear mass density of the brush elements are a relatively high wear resistance, a relatively low probability of damage by sharp objects or the like, and the ability to follow the surface in such a way that contact is maintained even in the event of a significant surface roughness.

When the brush elements come in contact with a dirt particle or liquid, or, if the brush is wrinkled relative to the surface, the brush elements bend. As soon as the brush elements with dirt particles and liquid adhering to them lose contact with the surface, the brush elements are straightened, and in particular the end sections of the brush elements move with relatively high acceleration. As a result, centrifugal acceleration in the upper sections of the brush elements increases. As a result, droplets of liquid and dirt particles adhering to the elements of the brush are discharged from the elements of the brush, so to speak, since the acceleration forces are higher than the adhesive forces, as was noted according to the embodiment above. The values of the acceleration forces are determined by various factors, including the deformation and linear mass density, which are noted, as well as the speed with which the brush is set in motion.

A factor that may play an additional role in the cleaning function of the rotatable brush is the density of the elements of the brush. When the density is large enough, capillary effects can occur between the brush elements that enhance the rapid removal of fluid from the surface being cleaned. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the brushing density is at least 30 tufts of brushing elements per cm ² , wherein the number of brushing elements per beam is at least 500.

The placement of the brush elements in tufts forms additional capillary channels, thereby increasing the capillary forces of the brush to collect dirt particles and liquid droplets from the surface being cleaned.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the linear mass density of most of the total number of brush elements is at least at the end portions of less than 20 g per 10 km. An important advantage of this low decitex value is that brush element wear is minimal. In this case, the brush elements can be classified as very soft and flexible, unlike many situations known from the prior art.

In order to perform the centrifugal accelerations noted above at the ends of the brush elements, the drive means according to an embodiment of the present invention are configured to perform an angular speed of the brush, which is in the range of 3000 rpm to 15000 rpm, more preferably in the range of 5000 rpm minute up to 8000 rpm during operation of the device. Applicant’s experiments have shown that optimal cleaning results can be obtained when the brush is driven at an angular speed of at least 6,000 rpm.

However, the required centrifugal accelerations at the end sections of the brush elements depend not only on the angular velocity, respectively, on the frequency of the brush, but also on the radius, respectively, on the diameter of the brush. In this regard, according to a further embodiment of the invention, it is preferable that the brush has a diameter that is in the range of 10 to 100 mm, more preferably in the range of 20 to 80 mm, most preferably in the range of 35 to 50 mm, when the elements the brushes are in a fully extended state, and wherein the length of the brush elements is in the range of 1 to 20 mm, preferably in the range of 8 to 12 mm, when the elements of the brush are in a fully extended state.

As noted above, the presented cleaning device has the ability to give extremely good cleaning results. These cleaning results can even be improved by intensively wetting the surface to be cleaned. This is particularly preferred in the case of stain removal. The fluid used in the process of enhancing the adhesion of dirt particles to the brush elements can be provided in various ways. First of all, the rotatable brush and the flexible elements of the brush can be wetted with the liquid that is present on the surface being cleaned. An example of such a liquid is water or a mixture of water and soap. Alternatively, fluid for the flexible elements of the brush can be provided by intensively supplying the cleaning fluid to the brush, for example, by leaking fluid onto the brush or by injecting fluid into the hollow element of the brush shaft.

In this regard, it is preferable, according to an embodiment, that the cleaning device comprises means for supplying liquid to the brush with a speed that is below 6 ml per minute per cm of the width of the brush, in which the axis of the brush extends. It turns out that there is no need to carry out the fluid supply at a higher speed, and that the above noted speed is sufficient for the liquid to function as a holding / moving means for dirt particles. Thus, the ability to remove stains from the surface to be cleaned can be significantly improved. The advantage of using only a small amount of liquid is that it is possible to treat delicate surfaces, even surfaces that are labeled as sensitive to liquids, such as water. Moreover, for a given size of the reservoir containing the liquid supplied to the brush, the autonomous time is longer, i.e. it takes longer to empty the tank and need to be filled again.

It should be noted that instead of using a deliberately selected and intensely supplied liquid, it is also possible to use spilled liquid, i.e. fluid to be removed from the surface being cleaned. Examples are spilled coffee, milk, tea or the like. This is possible given the fact that the brush elements, as noted earlier, are able to remove liquid from the surface being cleaned, and that the liquid can be removed from the brush elements under the influence of centrifugal forces, as described above. The above noted effect of re-spraying the surface in the area between the brush and the scraper is overcome by the scraper element, which collects this re-sprayed liquid and dirt, acting as a kind of wipe so that the remaining liquid and dirt can then be sucked up by the applied reduced pressure. Thus, the scraper ensures that the remaining liquid and dirt do not leave the suction area again, without being sucked in by the vacuum unit. In this regard, it closes the suction area for dirt and liquid on one side of the nozzle body. Thus, the combination of the selected brush with a scraper leads to a very good cleaning and drying effect.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the cleaning device further comprises means for creating an air flow on the side of the brush facing away from the scraper element, in the area where the brush contacts the surface being cleaned during operation of the device. The specified air flow mainly has the function of counteracting the air flow that is created during rotation of the brush. Due to the high speeds with which the brush is driven, turbulent air jets can be created outside the nozzle body, which can cause dirt particles and liquid droplets on the surface to deflate from the area where the brush elements are the first to come into contact with the floor.

In order to eliminate such an unfavorable technical result, a means of creating an air flow in an area where the brush contacts the surface to be cleaned so that the air flow caused by the brushes can be compensated can be used. To this end, the generated counteracting air flow is preferably directed inward to create a suction effect that forces particles of dirt and liquid droplets to either directly enter the nozzle in front of the brush or collide with the brush and then collect with the brush, as explained above. The possibility of creating such an air flow is to place a small hole between the nozzle body and the brush on the front side of the brush, where the brush elements leave the nozzle body during rotation. This creates a second suction inlet on the front of the nozzle.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the cleaning device comprises a deflector for contacting the brush in the position when viewed in the direction of rotation, in front of the position where the brush contacts the surface being cleaned during rotation. Thus, the brush elements are compressed by the deflector, whereby the air, which is always present in the space between the brush elements during operation of the device, will be expelled from the specified space. In the area between the deflector and the surface being cleaned, the brush elements will again straighten and move apart from each other in order to increase the area between the brush elements. This sharp increase in the space between the brush elements creates an additional reduced pressure in the area where the brush elements first come into contact with the surface being cleaned. The additional reduced pressure creates an additional suction effect, with the help of which air and thus also dirt and liquid particles are sucked into the brush. Since air is sucked into the brush close to the position where the brush is compressed by the surface being cleaned, the above noted, undesirable turbulent air stream, which is caused by the rotation of the brush and its contact with the surface being cleaned, is effectively compensated.

Moreover, the diverter prevents drops of water or cleaning fluid from falling back onto an already cleaned surface. In the optimal case, the deflector is made with the possibility of sufficient contact with the brush in order to be able to guarantee the above-mentioned functions. In an embodiment, the deflector may, for example, be a simple part of the nozzle body, which protrudes toward the inside of the body and thereby contacts the brush elements during rotation of the brush. The diverter itself can be made either in the form of a rigid part of the nozzle body, or in the form of a flexible element that is attached to the nozzle body and is capable of at least partially bending when it comes into contact with the elements of the brush.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the brush is a spiral brush having tufts arranged around the periphery of the brush in a spiral pattern. This spiral configuration of the beams significantly reduces the required suction power. In general, in this context, it is preferable if the beams are arranged in rows with an intermediate distance.

Brief Description of the Drawings

These and other aspects of the invention will become apparent and explained with reference to an embodiment (s) described further in the following drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross section of a first embodiment of a nozzle structure of a cleaning device according to the present invention in a first operating position;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross section of a first embodiment of the nozzle structure shown in FIG. 1, in a second operating position;

FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross section of a second embodiment of a nozzle structure of a cleaning device according to the present invention in a first operating position;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross section of a second embodiment of the nozzle structure shown in FIG. 3, in the second operating position;

FIG. 5 shows a schematic top view (Fig. 5a) and a schematic cross section (Fig. 5b) of a scraper element of a cleaning device according to the present invention in a first operating position;

FIG. 6 shows a schematic top view (FIG. 6a) and a schematic cross section (FIG. 6b) of the scraper element shown in FIG. 5, in a second operating position;

FIG. 7 shows a schematic cross-section of a cleaning device according to the present invention in its entirety;

FIG. 8 shows a schematic cross section of an embodiment of a brush of a cleaning device;

FIG. 9 shows a graph that illustrates the relationship between the brush angular velocity and the self-cleaning ability of said brush;

FIG. 10 shows a graph that illustrates the relationship between centrifugal brush acceleration and self-cleaning ability of said brush;

FIG. 11 shows a schematic cross section of a first example nozzle structure according to the prior art;

FIG. 12 shows a schematic cross section of a second example nozzle structure according to the prior art; and

FIG. 13 shows a schematic cross section of a third example nozzle structure according to the prior art.

Detailed Description of Embodiments

FIG. 1 and 2 show a schematic cross section of a first embodiment of a nozzle structure 10 of a cleaning device 100 according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, the nozzle structure 10 is shown in a first operating position, while in FIG. 2, the nozzle structure 10 is shown in a second operating position. The nozzle structure 10 comprises a brush 12, which is rotatable around the axis 14 of the brush. Said brush 12 is provided with flexible brush elements 16, which are preferably made with thin microfibre hairs. Flexible brush elements 16 comprise end portions 18 that are configured to contact the surface being cleaned 20 during brush rotation 12 and collect dirt particles 22 and liquid 24 from said surface 20 during the collection period when brush elements 16 are in contact with surface 20.

The linear mass density of a plurality, preferably of most of the brush elements 16, at least at their end portions 18, is chosen to be below 150 g / 10 km. Additionally, the nozzle structure 10 comprises a drive means, for example, an engine (not shown) for driving the brush 12 in a predetermined direction of rotation 26. The specified drive means is configured to perform centrifugal acceleration at the end sections 18 of the brush elements 16, which, in particular the time of the dirt removal period when the brush elements 16 are free from contact with the surface 20 during rotation of the brush 12 is at least 3,000 m / s ² .

The brush 12 is at least partially surrounded by a nozzle body 28. The design of the brush 12 inside the nozzle body 28 is preferably selected so that the brush 12 protrudes at least partially from the lower side 30 of the nozzle body 28, which faces the surface to be cleaned 20 when using the device 100.

A scraper member 32 is also attached to said underside 30 of the nozzle body 28. This scraper member 32 is positioned so that it contacts the surface to be cleaned 20 during use of the device 100. The scraper 32 is used as a kind of wiping element to push or erase dirt particles 22 and liquids 24 across or from the surface 20 while moving the cleaning device 100. Said scraper 32 is preferably located at a distance from the brush 12 and extends substantially parallel to the axis 14 of the brush. The nozzle body 28, the scraper 32, and the brush 12 together define a suction region 34 that is located inside the nozzle body 28. It should be noted that the suction region 34 in the context of the present invention not only indicates the area between the brush 12, the scraper 32 and the nozzle body 28, but also indicates the space between the brush elements 16 during the rotation of the brush 12, which the brush elements 16 occupy while inside the nozzle body and also it denotes the region that is defined between the scraper 32 and the brush 12. The latter region will hereinafter also be referred to as the suction inlet 36, which leads to the suction region 34.

By means of the vacuum unit 38, which is shown only schematically in these figures, a reduced pressure is created in the suction region to suck in particles 22 of dirt and liquid 24 that collide with and collect with brush 12 and scraper 32. According to the present invention, said reduced pressure is preferably in the range between 0.3 and 7 kPa, more preferably between 0.4 and 5 kPa, most preferably between 0.5 and 3 kPa. This reduced pressure, compared to conventional vacuum cleaners that apply a reduced pressure of about 7 kPa, is extremely low. However, due to the above noted properties of the brush 12, very good cleaning results can be achieved already in the above noted pressure ranges. Thus, smaller vacuum units 38 can also be used. This increases the freedom of choice of the vacuum pump.

The main essence of the present invention is that by applying the above noted parameters regarding the linear mass density of the brush elements 16 and by performing centrifugal acceleration at the end portions 18 of the brush elements 16 in the above marked range, very good cleaning results and properties can be achieved stain removal by equipping the nozzle 10 with only one brush 12 and one scraper element 32.

Unlike nozzle designs known in the art that need to be equipped with at least two scrapers, one on each side of the brush, or that need to be equipped with two brushes that rotate counterclockwise in order to get good cleaning results, the solution presented to a very miniature nozzle size. The very good cleaning properties that can be achieved by the presented solution are mainly based on the brush 12, which, due to the above noted operating parameters, in contrast to the hard brushes used in the known solutions, is not only capable of collecting dirt particles 22 from the surface to be cleaned 20 but also to collect the liquid 24 from the surface to be cleaned 20.

Due to the ability of the brush 12 to collect also the water 24, the double-scraper solution, as approximately shown in FIG. 11 and 12 are no longer necessary. This is mainly based on the fact that water not only collects from the floor due to the reduced pressure created, but also rises intensively from the floor by means of brush 12. Even if the nozzle moves backward along the surface, as shown in FIG. 1, water 24 and dirt particles 22 that remain on the surface 20 after passing through the scraper 32 and the suction inlet 36, i.e. water and dirt that were not directly sucked from the surface 20 by the reduced pressure applied in the suction region 34 in the suction inlet 36 then collide with the brush 12 and thereby rise. A return stroke in this context refers to the movement of the nozzle structure 10 in the assumed direction of movement 40, in which the scraper element 32 collides with dirt and liquid particles 22, 24 present on the surface 20 before the brush 12 collides with them. This situation is approximately shown in FIG. one.

In the case when the brush 12 is intensively sprayed with water, which is often done in practice to improve the removal of stains on the surface 20, such a return stroke will leave behind a cleaning liquid on the surface if the brush 12 was not able to collect the sprayed water again. In this case, an additional scraper will have to be used in order to guarantee the removal of water from the floor 20. However, due to the properties of the brush 12, the speed at which the brush 12 is set in motion, and in combination with the scraper 32, this is not necessary according to the present invention .

In order to guarantee a good cleaning result in the reverse stroke (shown in Fig. 1), as well as in the forward stroke (shown in Fig. 2), the scraper member 32 preferably comprises switching means 42 for switching the scraper 32 from the open to the closed position and vice versa depending on the direction of movement 40 of the nozzle 10 relative to the surface 20. If the nozzle moves in a straight line (shown in Fig. 2), where the scraper element 32, when viewed in the direction of movement 40 of the cleaning device 100, is located behind the brush, the scraper p zmeschaetsya in the closed position. The scraper 32 is configured to push or erase dirt particles 22 and liquid 24 along or from the surface 20 in this closed position by sliding to one degree or another on the surface 20. With this direct stroke, the scraper 32 further acts as a kind of mash that collects the remaining water from the surface 20, which was not raised or was sprayed back from the brush 12 to the surface 20. The remaining water, which is collected by the scraper 32, can then be sucked in by applying a reduced pressure inside the suction region 34 Ania.

On the other hand, the scraper 32 is placed in its open position when the nozzle 10 moves in reverse (shown in Fig. 1), in which the scraper 32, when viewed in the direction of movement 40, is located in front of the brush 12 so that it will collide with particles 22 with dirt and liquid 24 on the surface 20 before the brush 12 collides with them. In this reverse stroke, the switching elements 42 switch the scraper 32 to its open position, in which dirt particles and liquid from the surface 20 can enter the suction region 34 through h the hole between the scraper 32 and the surface being cleaned 20. Thus, the dirt particles 22 and the liquid 24 are also able to enter the suction region 34 in the position of the suction inlet 36 and collide with the brush 12, with which they are collected from the surface 20.

If the scraper 32 is not switched to the indicated open position, only very small dirt particles 22 will be able to reach the suction inlet 36, while most of the dirt and liquid will become entangled with the scraper 32 and push along the surface 20, being unable to enter the suction region 34. Of course, this will lead to a poor cleaning and drying effect.

In order to guarantee this direction-dependent switching of the scraper member 32, the scraper 32 preferably comprises a flexible rubber edge 46, which is configured to bend about the longitudinal direction of the rubber edge 46 depending on the direction of movement 40 of the cleaning device 100. An enlarged schematic view of the scraper 32 is shown in FIG. 5 and 6. FIG. 5 shows the scraper 32 in its closed position, while FIG. 6 shows the condition of the scraper 32 in its open position.

The protrusions 50, which are located near the lower end of the rubber edge 46, where the scraper 32 is designed to touch the surface 20, are configured to at least partially lift the rubber edge 46 from the surface 20 when the cleaning device moves along the surface 20 in the opposite direction 40 (as shown in Fig. 1), in which the rubber edge, when viewed in the direction of movement 40, is located in front of the brush 12. In this case, the rubber edge 46 rises, which mainly occurs due to natural friction, which occurs between the surface 20 and the protrusions 50, which act as a kind of stopper that slows down the rubber edge 46 and makes it pass over the protrusions 50. Thus, the scraper 32 is forced to slide along the protrusions 50, and the rubber edge rises due to the protrusions, and in space holes 44 arise between the rubber edge 46 and the surface 20 (see Fig. 6a and b).

FIG. 3 and 4, which show a second embodiment of the nozzle structure 10, illustrate that the positions of the scraper 32 and the brush 12 compared to the first embodiment (shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) can be interchanged without departing from the protection scope of the present invention. The scraper 32 in this case is placed on the other side of the nozzle body 28 relative to the brush axis 14. Of course, in this case, the scraper member 32 should be in the open position when the nozzle 10 is moved in the forward direction, as shown in FIG. 3, where the nozzle moves in the direction 40, in which the scraper 32, when viewed in the direction of movement 40, is located in front of the brush 12. Otherwise, the liquid 24 and dirt particles 22 will again be unable to enter the suction region 34, respectively, into the suction inlet 36 .

On the other hand, the scraper 32 should be in its closed position when the nozzle according to this embodiment is reversed, as shown in FIG. 4, where the brush 12, when viewed in the direction of movement 40, is located in front of the scraper 32 and first collides with particles of dirt and liquid 22, 24. In this case, the scraper 32 again acts as a wipe, which slides on the surface 20 and collects the remaining particles 22, 24 of dirt and liquid on the surface 20.

Comparing the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and 2, with the second embodiment shown in FIG. 3 and 4, it should be noted that the rest of the structure, i.e. the brush properties as well as the properties of the nozzle body 28 remain the same. Even the direction of rotation 26 of the brush 12 must remain the same, since the direction of rotation 26 of the brush 12 must be directed so that the brush element 16 enters the nozzle body 28 on the side of the nozzle body 28, which also has a scraper 32. Otherwise, it does not will provide the above noted interaction of the brush 12 and the element 32 of the scraper.

The properties of the brush 12, however, remain the same. The brush 12 preferably has a diameter that is in the range of 20 to 80 mm, and the drive means may be able to rotate the brush 12 at an angular speed of at least 6,000 rpm. The width of the brush 12, i.e. the size of the brush 12 in the direction in which the axis of rotation 14 of the brush 12 extends can, for example, be of the order of 25 cm.

Bundles 54 are provided on the outer surface of the rod element 52 of the brush 12. Each bundle 54 contains hundreds of fiber elements called brush elements 16. For example, the brush elements 16 are made of polyester with a diameter of about 10 micrometers and a decitex value that is below 150 g per 10 km. The density of the elements 16 of the brush may be at least 30 tufts 54 per cm ² on the outer surface of the element 52 of the shaft of the brush 12.

The brush elements 16 can be arranged rather randomly, i.e. not at constant mutual distances. Moreover, it is noted that the outer surface 56 of the brush elements 16 may be uneven, which enhances the ability of the brush elements 16 to catch drops of liquid 24 and dirt particles 22. In particular, the brush elements 16 may be so-called microfibers, which do not have a smooth and more or less round periphery, but which instead have a smooth and more or less star-shaped periphery with recesses and grooves. The elements of the brush 16 should not be identical, provided that the linear mass density of most of the total number of elements 16 of the brush of the brush 12 does satisfy the requirement of less than 150 g per 10 km at least at the end sections 18.

By means of the rotary brush 12, in particular by means of the brush elements 16 of the rotary brush 12, dirt particles 22 and liquid 24 are collected from the surface 20 and moved to the collection position inside the cleaning device 100. Due to the rotation of the brush 12, a moment occurs at which the first contact with the surface 20 is executed in the first position. The contact length increases while the brush elements 16 are bent so that the end portions 18 of the brush elements 16 are in contact with the surface 20. The end portions 18, as noted, slide over the surface 20 and collide with dirt particles 22 and liquid 24 in the process, a collision can lead to a situation in which a certain amount of liquid 24 and / or dirt particles 22 moves from the surface being cleaned 20 and is taken away by brush elements 16 based on adhesive forces. In the process, the brush elements 16 can act more or less like a whip to trap and grab particles 22, 24, which closes with force and is able to hold particles 22, 24 based on a function that is similar to the operation of a tape brake. Moreover, the liquid 24 that is collected can pull a little liquid behind itself, and in the air there is a line of liquid that moves from the surface 20. The resulting accelerations at the end sections 18 of the brush elements 16 cause dirt particles 22 and liquid drops 24 to be automatically removed from the brush 12 when the brush elements lose contact with the floor 20 during their rotation. Since not all dirt particles 22 and liquid drops 24 can be directly sucked by the vacuum unit 38, a small amount of dirt and liquid will be thrown back to the surface 20 in the area where the brush elements 16 lose contact with the surface 20. However, this effect of re-spraying the surface 20 is overcome by the scraper member 32, which collects this re-sprayed liquid and dirt, acting as a kind of wipe so that the remaining liquid 24 and dirt 22 can then be sucked up by the applied pony wife pressure. In this regard, the liquid 24 and the dirt 22 do not leave the suction region 34 again, without being sucked.

Due to the selected technical parameters, the brush elements 16 have a soft friction effect on the surface 20, which helps to prevent the adhesion of the liquid 24 and dirt particles 22 to the surface 20.

When the brush 12 rotates, the movement of the brush elements 16 over the surface 20 continues until a moment arises at which contact is ultimately lost. When the contact state ceases, the brush elements 16 are forced to assume an initial, elongated state under the influence of centrifugal forces, which act on the brush elements 16 as a result of rotation of the brush 12. When the brush elements 16 are bent at the end, when there is a force to take the extended state again sections 18 of the elements 16 of the brush appears additional, pulling acceleration, in which the elements 16 of the brush swing from a bent state to an extended state, and the movement of the ele cops 16 brushes like a whip, which is waving. The acceleration at the end portions 18 during the time when the brush elements 16 have practically assumed an elongated state satisfies the requirement of at least 3,000 m / s ² .

Under the influence of the forces acting on the end sections 18 of the brush elements 16 during movement, as described, some amounts of dirt particles 22 and liquid 24 are removed from the brush elements 16, since these forces are much higher than the adhesive forces. As a result, the liquid 24 and the dirt particles 22 are forced to fly away in a direction that is facing away from the surface 20. The largest part of the liquid 24 and the dirt particles 22 is then sucked in by the vacuum unit. By means of the scraper element 32 and the reduced pressure created in the suction region 34, as explained above, it is ensured that the remaining part of the liquid 24 and the dirt 22, which is sprayed back from the brush 12 to the surface 20, is also collected and further sucked.

Under the influence of acceleration, the liquid 24 can be removed in small drops. This is preferred for further separation processes, such as those carried out by a vacuum unit 38 with a fan, in particular a centrifugal fan of a vacuum unit 38, which serves as a rotary separator for air and dirt. Note that suction forces, such as the forces exerted by a centrifugal fan, do not play a role in the above-described process of collecting fluid and dirt through the elements 16 of the brush. However, these suction forces are necessary to collect the dirt and fluids that have been collected by the scraper.

In addition to the functioning of each element 16 of the brush, which is described above, another effect may occur that contributes to the process of collecting particles 22 of dirt and liquid 24, namely the capillary effect between the elements 16 of the brush. In this regard, the brush 12 with the brush elements 16 is similar to the brush 12, which is immersed in a certain amount of paint, and the paint is absorbed by the brush 12 based on capillary forces.

From the above it is obvious that according to the present invention, the brush 12 has the following properties:

- soft tufts 54 with flexible elements 16 of the brush will be pulled by centrifugal forces during the contact-free part of the revolution of the brush 12;

- it is possible to have excellent compatibility between the brush 12 and the surface to be cleaned 20, since the soft tufts 54 will bend whenever they touch the surface 20 and straighten as much as possible under the influence of centrifugal forces;

- the brush 12 is constantly self-cleaning due to the sufficiently high acceleration forces, which ensures a constant cleaning result;

- the generation of heat between the surface 20 and the brush 12 is minimal due to the very low bending stiffness of the beams 54;

- a very uniform collection of liquid from the surface 20 and a very uniform overall cleaning result can be performed, even if wrinkles or dents are present on the surface 20, based on the fact that the liquid 24 is collected in bundles 54 rather than an air stream, as in many conventional devices; and

- dirt 22 is removed from the surface 20 in a soft but effective manner by means of tufts 54, and the most efficient use of energy based on the low stiffness of the brush elements 16 can be made.

Based on the relatively low linear mass density, it may be that the brush elements 16 have very low bending stiffness and are not able to remain in their original shape when placed in tufts 54. In traditional brushes, brush elements spring back as soon as they are released. However, the brush elements 16 having a very low bending stiffness, as noted, will not do so, since the elastic forces are so small that they cannot exceed the internal friction forces that are present between the individual brush elements 16. As a result, the tufts 54 will remain wrinkled after deformation and will only stretch when the brush 12 rotates.

Compared to traditional devices containing hard brushes for contacting the surface to be cleaned, the brush 12 that is used according to the present invention is able to produce cleaning results that are significantly better due to the principle of operation according to which the brush elements 16 are used to collect liquid 24 and dirt 22 and removing liquid 24 and dirt 22 from the surface to be cleaned 20, the liquid 24 and dirt 22 being discarded by the brush elements 16 before they contact the surface 20 again in the next cycle.

As a result of the brush 12 being crushed by the surface 20 to be cleaned, the brush 12 acts as a kind of gear pump that pumps air from the inside of the nozzle body 28 to the outside. This is a technical result, which is unfavorable, since dirt particles 22 are blown away and liquid droplets 24 are formed at positions where they are unattainable for the brush 12, and may fall down at unforeseen moments during the cleaning process.

In order to compensate for the pumping effect, which is noted, it is proposed to have a means of creating an air flow in the area where the brush 12 is in contact with the surface 20, and the air flow is used to compensate for the air flow created by the brush 12.

These tools can be performed in various ways. The first possibility of implementation is shown in the first embodiment, which is shown in Figures 1 and 2, where between the nozzle body 28 and the brush 12 there is a small hole 58 in the position where the brush elements 16 leave the nozzle body 28 during rotation of the brush 12. This hole 58 performs an additional suction inlet 60 to the suction region 34, which applies a reduced pressure (due to the described reduced pressure in the suction region 34) in the region where the brush elements 16 first contact the surface 20. This reduced pressure creates a stream of air that counteracts an undesirable turbulent stream of air, which is created in front of the brush 12 due to its rotation during use.

A second possibility of counteracting an undesirable turbulent air stream in front of the brush 12 is to equip the brush 12 with beams 54 of brush elements 16, which are arranged in rows on the brush 12 so that the required suction power will be significantly reduced.

Moreover, it is possible to use the diverter 62 to squeeze the brush 12 in position when viewed in the direction of rotation 26 before the brush 12 contacts the surface 20, as is approximately shown in the second embodiment, which is shown in Figures 3 and 4. The diverter 62 has the function of compressing brush elements 16 together by deflecting them. Thus, the air that is present in the space between the elements 16 of the brush is pushed out of the specified space. When the brush elements 16, after exiting the deflector 62, again move apart from each other, the space between the brush elements 16 increases so that air is sucked into the brush 12, in which a reduced pressure is created which draws in dirt particles 22 and 24 of the liquid. This again compensates for the air flow created by the rotary brush 12. Examples of deflectors that are marked are found in PCT / IB2009 / 054333 and PCT / IB2009 / 054334, both on behalf of the Applicant.

The flow of air to be compensated can be calculated using the following formula:

·f·W·F·(D·I-I²)Fs = $$\pi$$

· F · W · F · (D · II ² )

wherein:

Fs = air flow to be compensated (m ³ / s)

f = brush frequency (Hz)

W = brush width 12 (m)

F = brush compensation factor (-)

D = brush diameter 12 (m)

I = Wrinkle of brush 12 with surface 20 (m)

In a practical example, f = 133 Hz, W = 0.25 m, D = 0.044 m and I = 0.003 m. Regarding the brush compensation coefficient, we note that this coefficient was determined based on experiments with a brush having the features noted above, and turns out to be 0.4. With the values that are marked, the following compensating flow is calculated as follows:

·133·0,25·0,4·(0,044·0,003-0,003²)=0,005015 м³/сFs = $$\pi$$

133 · 0.25 · 0.4 · (0.044 · 0.003-0.003 ² ) = 0.005015 m ³ / s

As a result, in this example, it is preferable to have a compensating air flow of about 5 liters per second. Such an air flow can be very well performed in practice with one of the implementation possibilities, as noted above, so that you can actually do without the adverse effect of pumping out the brush 12.

Figure 7 provides a view of the cleaning device 100 according to the present invention in its entirety. According to this schematic construction, the cleaning device 100 comprises a nozzle body 28 in which the brush 12 is rotatably mounted on the axis 14. The drive means, which can be made in the form of a conventional motor, such as, for example, an electric motor (not shown), is preferably connected c or even located on the axis 14 of the brush in order to rotate the brush 12. Note that the motor can also be located in any other suitable position inside the cleaning device 100.

In the nozzle body 28, means such as wheels (not shown) are arranged to hold the axis of rotation 14 of the brush 12 at a predetermined distance from the surface to be cleaned 20, and this distance is selected so that the brush 12 is wrinkled. Preferably, the creasing range is from 2% to 12% of the diameter of the brush 12 with respect to the fully extended state of the brush elements 16. As a result, when the diameter is of the order of 50 mm, the crushing range can be from 1 to 6 mm.

As already explained above, the scraper member 32 is located at a distance from the brush 12 and is attached to the lower side 30 of the nozzle body 28. It extends substantially parallel to the axis 14 of the brush, thereby defining a suction region 34 inside the nozzle body 28 between the scraper member 32 and the brush 12, the suction region 34 having a suction inlet 36 that is located on the lower side 30 of the nozzle body 28 facing the surface to be cleaned twenty.

In addition to the nozzle body 28, brush 12, and scraper member 32, the cleaning device 100 is preferably provided with the following components:

- a handle 64, which provides easy control of the cleaning device 100 by the user;

- a reservoir 66 for containing cleaning fluid 68, such as water;

- a garbage collection container 70 for receiving liquid 24 and dirt particles 22 collected from a surface to be cleaned 20;

- a flow channel in the form of, for example, a hollow pipe 72 connecting the garbage collection container 70 to the suction region 34, the suction region 34 forming a suction inlet 36 on the lower side 30 of the nozzle 10. It should be noted that in the context of the present invention, a flow channel including a hollow the pipe 72 may also be designated as a suction region 34 in which the aforementioned reduced pressure is applied by the vacuum unit 38; and

- a vacuum unit 38 with a fan containing a centrifugal fan 38 ', located on the side of the garbage collection chamber 70, which is opposite to the side where the pipe 72 is placed.

For completeness, we note that other and / or additional structural details are possible within the scope of protection of the present invention. For example, an element for rejecting debris 22, 24 can be provided, which is thrown up so that the debris 22, 24 is first rejected before it finally reaches the debris collecting chamber 70. Also, a vacuum unit 38 with a fan can be placed on the side of the garbage collection chamber 70 other than the side that is opposite to the side where the pipe 72 is located.

According to an embodiment, which is shown in FIG. 8, the brush 12 comprises a shaft member 52. This rod element 52 is in the form of a hollow pipe provided with several channels 74 extending through the wall 76 of the rod element 52. In order to move the cleaning fluid 68 from the reservoir 66 into the hollow member 52 of the shaft of the brush 12, for example, a flexible pipe 78 can be provided that leads into the inside of the shaft member 52.

According to this embodiment, the cleaning fluid 68 can be supplied to the hollow rod element 52, in which, during rotation of the brush 12, the liquid 68 leaves the hollow rod element 52 through the channels 74 and wets the brush elements 16. Thus, the liquid 68 also scatters or falls on the cleaning surface 20. Thus, the cleaning surface 20 becomes moistened with the cleaning liquid 68. This particularly enhances the adhesion of dirt particles 22 to the brush elements 16 and, therefore, improves the ability to remove stains from surface to be cleaned 20.

According to the present invention, the speed with which the liquid 68 is supplied to the hollow member 52 of the shaft can be extremely low, and the maximum speed can be, for example, 6 ml per minute per cm of the width of the brush 12.

However, it should be noted that a sign of intensive water supply 68 to the surface being cleaned 20 using hollow channels 74 inside the brush 12 is not a necessary sign. Alternatively, the cleaning liquid may be dispensed by spraying the brush 12 externally, or by simply dipping the brush 12 in the cleaning water before use. Instead of using an intentionally selected fluid, it is also possible to use a fluid that has already been spilled, i.e. liquid to be removed from the surface to be cleaned 20.

The collection of cleaning water 68 from the floor, as already noted above, is carried out either by the scraper element 32, which collects water, acting as a kind of rubbing fluid moving to the suction region 34, where it is sucked up due to the reduced pressure created by the vacuum unit 38, or water is directly collected from the floor by brush 12. Compared to conventional devices containing hard brushes that are not able to collect water, brush 12 used according to the present invention is capable of collecting water. Thus, the cleaning results performed are significantly better.

The technical parameters related to the brush 12, the brush elements 16 and the drive means are the result of experiments that were performed in the context of the present invention.

Next will be described one of the experiments and the results of the experiment. Test brushes were equipped with various types of fiber materials used for brush elements 16, including relatively thick fibers and relatively thin fibers. Moreover, the placement density as well as the decitex values were changed. Details of the various brushes are presented in the following table.

placement density (beams / cm ² ) fibers per bundle decitex value
(g / 10 km) fiber material fiber length (mm) kind of fibers brush 1 160 9 113.5 nylon 10 springy, straight brush 2 25 35 31,0 nylon eleven solid enough, curled brush 3 40 90 16.1 - eleven very soft, twisted brush 4 fifty 798 0.8 polyester eleven very soft, twisted

The experiment involves rotating the brush under similar conditions and evaluating the results of cleaning, wear and tear on the surface 20 being treated with the brush 12. This provides an indication of heat generation on the surface 20. The result of the experiment is shown in the following table, in which rating 5 is used to indicate the best results , and lower scores are used to indicate poorer results.

stain removal water collection wear surface effect Brush 1 5 3 3 3 Brush 2 5 3 one four Brush 3 5 four four 5 Brush 4 5 5 5 5

Among other things, the experiment proves that it is possible to have elements 16 of the brush with a linear mass density in the range from 100 to 150 g per 10 km and obtain useful cleaning results, despite the fact that the water collection, wear pattern and energy consumption are not so good. It was concluded that a suitable limit value for linear mass density is 150 g per 10 km. However, it is clear that with significantly lower linear mass densities, the cleaning results and all other results are very good. In this regard, it is preferable to apply lower limit values, such as 125 g per 1 km, 50 g per 10 km, 20 g per 10 km or even 5 g per 10 km. With the latter order values, it is ensured that the cleaning results are excellent, water collection is optimal, wear is minimal, and power consumption and heat generation on the surface 20 are quite low.

Note that the minimum value of 3,000 m / s ² in relation to the acceleration that prevails at the ends 18 of the brush elements 16 for some time per revolution of the brush 12, in particular for some time during the period of removing dirt, in which there is no contact between the elements 16 brushes and surface 20, is confirmed by the results of experiments that were performed in the context of the present invention.

Next will be described one of the experiments and the results of the experiment. The following conditions apply to the experiment:

1) A brush 12 having a diameter of 46 mm, a width of about 12 cm and polyester elements 16 of a brush with a linear mass density of about 0.8 g per 10 km, placed in tufts 54 of about 800 brush elements 16, with about 50 tufts 54 per cm ² install on the motor shaft.

2) The weight of the brush assembly 12 and the motor is determined.

3) The power supply of the engine is connected to a timer to stop the engine after a period of operation of 1 second or a period of operation of 4 seconds.

4) The brush 12 is immersed in water, so that the brush 12 is completely saturated with water. Note that the brush 12 that is used is capable of absorbing a total weight of water of approximately 70 g.

5) The brush 12 is rotated at an angular speed of 1950 rpm and stopped after 1 second or 4 seconds.

6) Determine the weight of the node of the brush 12 and the engine and calculate the difference relative to the dry weight, which is determined in step 2).

7) Steps 4) and 6) are repeated for other values of the angular velocity, in particular, the values indicated in the following table, which additionally contains the weight of the water still present in the brush 12 at stops after 1 second and 4 seconds, and the values the corresponding centrifugal acceleration, which can be calculated according to the following formula:

·f)²·Ra = (2 $$\pi$$

F) ²

wherein:

a = centrifugal acceleration (m / s ² )

f = brush frequency (Hz)

R = brush radius 12 (m)

angular velocity (rad / s) weight of water present after 1 s (g) weight of water present after 4 s (g) centrifugal acceleration (m / s ² ) 0.204 8.27 7.50 959 0.260 5.70 4,57 1,551 0.323 3.70 3.11 2,393 0.448 2,52 1.97 4,620 0.580 1.95 1.35 7,741 0.715 1.72 1.14 11,765 0.828 1.48 1.00 15,780 0.957 1.34 0.94 21,069

The relationship that is found between the angular velocity and the weight of the water for two different stops is shown in the graph of Figure 9, and the relationship that is found between the centrifugal acceleration and the weight of water for two different stops is shown in the graph of Figure 10, in which the weight of the water is indicated on the vertical axis of each of the graphs. From the graph in Figure 9 it is obvious that the discharge of water by the brush 12 is greatly reduced when the angular velocity is less than about 4000 revolutions per minute. In addition, it turns out to be very stable at angular speeds that are higher than 6000 rpm to 7000 rpm.

The transition in the discharge of water by brush 12 can be detected at an angular speed of 35,000 rpm, which corresponds to a centrifugal acceleration of 3.090 m / s ² . To illustrate this fact, the graphs of Figures 9 and 10 contain a vertical line indicating the values of 3500 rpm and 3.090 m / s ^2, respectively.

Based on the experimental results explained above, it can be concluded that the value of 3,000 m / s ² with respect to the acceleration at the ends 18 of the brush elements 16 during the contact-free period is the real minimum value with respect to the self-cleaning ability of the brush elements 16, which satisfy the requirement of having a linear mass density that is lower than 150 g per 10 km at least at the end sections 18. Adequate characterization of the self-cleaning function is important to obtain good cleaning results, as already has been explained above.

For completeness, we note that according to the present invention, in the cleaning device 100, the centrifugal acceleration may be lower than 3,000 m / s ² . The reason is that the acceleration that occurs at the ends 18 of the brush elements 16 when the brush elements 16 are straightened can be expected to be higher than normal centrifugal acceleration. The experiment shows that a minimum value of 3,000 m / s ² is acceptable with respect to the acceleration, which is the normal centrifugal acceleration in the case of the experiment, and which may be a higher acceleration, which is caused by the specific behavior of the brush elements 16 after passing the mud collection period, and According to the present invention, there is a space for straightening in the operating cleaning device 100, which leaves room for normal centrifugal acceleration during other x rotation periods (e.g. mud collection period) have a lower value.

Even if one brush according to the present invention is preferred, it is clear that additional brushes can also be used without departing from the protection scope of the present invention.

It will be clear to those skilled in the art that the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the examples discussed above, but that some changes and conversions are possible without deviating from the scope of protection of the present invention, which is defined in the attached claims. While the present invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the figures and description, such illustration and description should be considered only as illustrative or exemplary, and not limiting. The present invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments.

For clarity, we note that the fully elongated state of the brush elements 16 is a state in which the brush elements 16 extend completely radially relative to the axis of rotation of the brush 12, with no curved end portion in the brush elements 16. This state can be fulfilled when the brush 12 rotates at a normal operating speed, which is the speed at which acceleration of 3,000 m / s ² at the ends 18 of the brush elements 16 can be performed. Only for the area of the elements 16 of the brush of the brush 12 it is possible to be in a fully extended state, while for another area this is not possible due to obstacles encountered by the elements 16 of the brush. Typically, the diameter D of the brush 12 is determined with all elements of the brush 16 in a fully extended state.

The end sections 18 of the brush elements 16 are the outer sections of the brush elements 16 when viewed in the radial direction, i.e. sections that are farthest from the axis of rotation 14. In particular, the end portions 18 are portions that are used to collect dirt and liquid particles 22 and which must slide along the surface to be cleaned 20. In the case where the brush 12 is wrinkled relative to the surface 20, the length of the end portion is approximately the same as the wrinkle.

The present invention can be summarized as follows. By using the parameters noted above regarding the linear mass density of the brush elements and by performing centrifugal acceleration at the end sections of the brush elements in the above range, very good cleaning results and stain removal properties using the nozzle equipment with only one brush and one element can be achieved. scraper.

In contrast to nozzle designs known in the art, which must be equipped with at least two scrapers, one on each side of the brush, or which should have been equipped with two brushes rotating counterclockwise in order to obtain good cleaning results presented solutions result in a very miniature nozzle size. The very good cleaning properties that can be achieved by the presented solution are mainly based on the brush, which, due to the above mentioned operating parameters, in contrast to the hard brushes used in the known solutions, is not only able to collect dirt particles from the surface, but also to collect liquid with the surface to be cleaned.

Due to the brush's ability to also collect water, a double scraper solution is no longer necessary. Due to the presence of only one scraper element and only one brush, the nozzle becomes less bulky. Due to the reduced number of scrapers (only one), scratching is significantly reduced. The proposed nozzle design at least on the side of the brush is open to coarse dirt. The brush and scraper together form a channel. By spraying the brush, the suction area, and therefore also the scraper, is constantly cleaned. Among other things, very good cleaning results can be achieved with a very small but highly efficient nozzle having only one scraper and preferably only one brush.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and the aforementioned description, such illustration and description should be considered as illustrative or exemplary, and not limiting; the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other changes to the disclosed embodiments may be understood and made by those skilled in the art in the practice of the claimed invention from the study of the drawings, disclosure and appended claims.

In the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps. One element or another block may fulfill the functions of several elements listed in the claims. The mere fact that some measurements are listed in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that the combination of these measurements cannot be used to profit.

Any reference position in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection.

Claims (15)

1. The design of the nozzle for the device (100) for cleaning a hard floor, containing:
- one rotational brush (12), rotatable around the axis (14) of the brush, said brush (12) containing flexible brush elements (16) having end sections (18) for contacting the surface being cleaned (20) and collecting particles (22) dirt and liquid (24) from the surface (20) during the collection period when the brush elements (16) come into contact with the surface (20) during rotation of the brush (12), and the linear mass density of the plurality of brush elements (16) is at least at the end sections is less than 150 g per 10 km,
- one element (32) of the scraper for pushing or erasing particles (22) of dirt and liquid (24) along or from the surface to be cleaned (20) during the movement of the cleaning device (100), and the specified element (32) of the scraper is located at a distance from the brush (12) and extends essentially along the longitudinal direction (48), being substantially parallel to the axis (14) of the brush, and inside the nozzle structure (10) between the scraper element (32) and the brush (12), a suction region (34) is formed, and
- drive means for bringing the brushes (12) into rotation, the drive means being configured to create centrifugal acceleration at the end sections (18), which, in particular, during the period of removing dirt, when the brush elements (16) are free from contact with the surface when rotating the brush (12), is at least 3,000 m / s ² . 2. The nozzle design according to claim 1, in which the axis (14) of the brush and / or the longitudinal direction (48) of the scraper element (32) extend transversely, preferably perpendicularly to the intended direction (40) of movement of the cleaning device (100). 3. The nozzle design according to claim 1, wherein said scraper element (32) comprises switching means (42) for switching the scraper element (32) to the closed position, in which the scraper element (32) collides or erases dirt particles (22) and liquid (24) along or from the surface to be cleaned (20), when moving the cleaning device (100) along the surface (20) in the forward direction, in which the scraper element (32), when viewed in the direction (40) of the movement of the cleaning device (100) , is located behind the brush (12), and to switch the scraper element (32) to the open floor An abrasion in which dirt particles (22) and liquid (24) from the surface to be cleaned (20) enter the suction area (34) through the opening (44) between the scraper element (32) and the indicated surface (20) while moving the cleaning device ( 100) on the surface (20) in the opposite direction, in which the scraper element (32), when viewed in the direction (40) of the movement of the cleaning device (100), is located in front of the brush (12). 4. The nozzle design according to claim 1, which comprises a nozzle body (28) that at least partially surrounds the brush (12), the scraper element (32) being attached to the specified body (28). 5. The nozzle design according to claim 1, further comprising positioning means for positioning the axis (14) of the brush at a distance from the surface to be cleaned (20), which is smaller than the radius of the brush (12) with fully extended elements (16) of the brush, to wrinkle part of the brush in contact with the surface (20) during operation, and crushing is in the range from 2% to 12% of the diameter of the brush. 6. The nozzle design according to claim 1, in which the density of the elements (16) of the brush is at least 30 tufts (54) of elements (16) of the brush per cm ² and in which the number of elements (16) of the brush per beam is at least 500. 7. The nozzle design according to claim 1, in which the linear mass density of most of the total number of elements (16) of the brush is at least at the end sections (18) of less than 20 g per 10 km. 8. The nozzle design according to claim 1, in which the drive means is configured to create an angular speed of the brush (12), which is in the range from 3000 to 15000 rpm, more preferably in the range from 5000 to 8000 rpm during operation devices (100). 9. The nozzle design according to claim 1, wherein the brush (12) has a diameter that is in the range of 10 to 100 mm, more preferably in the range of 20 to 80 mm, most preferably in the range of 35 to 50 mm, when the elements (16) the brushes are in a fully extended state, and the length of the brush elements (16) is in the range of 1 to 20 mm, preferably in the range of 8 to 12 mm, when the brush elements (16) are in a fully extended state. 10. The nozzle design according to claim 1, comprising means for supplying liquid (68) to the brush (12) at a speed that is below 6 ml per minute per cm of the width of the brush (12) along which the axis (14) of the brush passes. 11. The nozzle design according to claim 1, containing means (58, 62) for creating an air flow on the side of the brush facing away from the scraper element (32) in the region where the brush (12) is in contact with the surface being cleaned (20) during operation of the device (one hundred). 12. The nozzle design according to claim 1, comprising a deflector (62) for contact with the brush (12) in the position when viewed in the direction of rotation (26), to the position where the brush (12) is in contact with the surface being cleaned (20) during rotation. 13. The nozzle design according to claim 1, wherein the brush (12) is a spiral brush having tufts (54) arranged around the periphery of the brush (12) in a spiral pattern. 14. A device for cleaning a hard floor to clean the surface (20), comprising:
- design (10) nozzles according to claim 1, and
- a vacuum unit (38) to create a reduced pressure in the area (34) of the suction for the suction of particles (22) of dirt and liquid (24). 15. The device for cleaning a hard floor according to claim 14, wherein said reduced pressure generated by the vacuum unit is in the range from 0.3 to 7 kPa, preferably in the range from 0.4 to 5 kPa, most preferably in the range from 0, 5 to 3 kPa.

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