WO2021184811A1 - Balayeuse - Google Patents

Balayeuse Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2021184811A1
WO2021184811A1 PCT/CN2020/130552 CN2020130552W WO2021184811A1 WO 2021184811 A1 WO2021184811 A1 WO 2021184811A1 CN 2020130552 W CN2020130552 W CN 2020130552W WO 2021184811 A1 WO2021184811 A1 WO 2021184811A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
assembly
brush
sweeping apparatus
sweeper
catcher
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/CN2020/130552
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Wai Chung Lee
Wai Tong Chan
Tin Yi Chan
Zhe Ming LIU
Yan Jia WANG
Original Assignee
Techtronic Cordless Gp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Techtronic Cordless Gp filed Critical Techtronic Cordless Gp
Publication of WO2021184811A1 publication Critical patent/WO2021184811A1/fr

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    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
    • E01H—STREET CLEANING; CLEANING OF PERMANENT WAYS; CLEANING BEACHES; DISPERSING OR PREVENTING FOG IN GENERAL CLEANING STREET OR RAILWAY FURNITURE OR TUNNEL WALLS
    • E01H1/00—Removing undesirable matter from roads or like surfaces, with or without moistening of the surface
    • E01H1/02—Brushing apparatus, e.g. with auxiliary instruments for mechanically loosening dirt
    • E01H1/05—Brushing apparatus, e.g. with auxiliary instruments for mechanically loosening dirt with driven brushes
    • E01H1/053—Brushing apparatus, e.g. with auxiliary instruments for mechanically loosening dirt with driven brushes having vertical axes
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
    • E01H—STREET CLEANING; CLEANING OF PERMANENT WAYS; CLEANING BEACHES; DISPERSING OR PREVENTING FOG IN GENERAL CLEANING STREET OR RAILWAY FURNITURE OR TUNNEL WALLS
    • E01H15/00—Removing undesirable matter, e.g. rubbish, from the land, not otherwise provided for

Definitions

  • the present disclosure generally relates to a sweeping apparatus. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a motorized sweeper intended for picking up leaves and debris from lawns, patios, and other surfaces.
  • a lawn sweeper is a lawn care equipment that is used to move across a lawn to pick up leaves, twigs, grass clippings, and other debris from a garden or a yard.
  • Conventional non-motorized lawn sweepers are configured to use high-velocity brushes to perform sweeping while the user is pushing the walk-behind lawn sweeper forward.
  • the wheels and the brushes are geared together such that the brushes are rotated to toss the debris into the collection bag at the rear of the lawn sweeper.
  • the non-motorized lawn sweeper configured to stop rotating the brushes when the sweeper is moving backward.
  • the rotation speed of the brushes is directly proportional to the rotation speed of the wheels.
  • a conventional lawn sweeper has an effective collection width equivalent to the width of the brushes 11. Leaves and debris located beyond the effective collection width, such as along the width of the wheels 12, cannot be collected. In the case of using the lawn sweeper along a walking path edge, a garden edge, or a riser, the leaves trapped at the edges may not be cleaned effectively due to the limitation of the brushes 11.
  • the height of the brushes is generally adjustable by using a height adjustment knob or the like at the front of the housing to select a height setting on a height selector, such that the brushes can slightly penetrate through the grasses to achieve the best sweeping performance.
  • the lawn may not be flat, and the surface may be uneven with bumps and troughs.
  • the operator may have to adjust the height of the brush frequently when using the lawn sweeper on uneven terrain.
  • the handle height is also depending on the condition of the terrain. As shown in FIG. 1B, the terrain may be flat, convex, or concave. When using a conventional lawn sweeper on a convex terrain, the operator is required to lift the lawn sweeper in order to sweep effectively.
  • the collection bag or known as leaf catcher, is a basket pivotally mounted at the rear of the lawn sweeper for receiving the leaves and debris.
  • the size of the collection bag varies depending on the available space between the housing and the operator. Generally, the size cannot be too large, or otherwise, the sight of the operator is blocked when operating the lawn sweeper from behind. The discharge of the leaves and debris contained therein requires the lifting of the mass, which is not practical if the size of the collection bag is too large. Therefore, a conventional apparatus may not be able to collect a large number of leaves, and the collection bag may be difficult to be removed for disposal.
  • the electrical lawn sweeper traditionally consists of a control switch to activate the lawn sweeper, thereby it can be activated with one hand.
  • the control switch is usually provided as a bail at the handle for the operator to actuate while pushing or pulling the lawn sweeper.
  • a motorized sweeper configured to pick up debris from lawns, patios, and other surfaces.
  • a sweeping apparatus comprising a front housing, a handle assembly, and a catcher assembly attachable to the front housing.
  • the front housing includes a battery receptable, a drive assembly and a brush assembly.
  • the catcher assembly is configured to receiving at least part of debris swept by the brush assembly.
  • the battery receptable receives one or more batteries for powering the drive assembly.
  • the sweeping apparatus comprises one or more front wheels and optionally one or more auxiliary wheels.
  • the sweeping apparatus comprises a height adjustment mechanism to adjust the height of the front housing
  • the sweeping apparatus comprises at least one side brush attachable to the front housing, the side brush extends at least partly in front of the one or more front wheels.
  • the at least one side brush is driven by a side brush motor separate to the drive assembly.
  • the at least one side brush is releasably attachable to either side of the front housing.
  • the at least one side brush is driven by the drive assembly through a belt drive, a chain drive, a gear drive, or other mechanical connections.
  • the drive assembly comprises a motor, a clutch assembly and a belt drive.
  • the clutch assembly comprises a ring gear having a plurality of apexes engaged to a plurality of posts and balls for providing mechanical overload protection to the drive assembly.
  • the brush assembly comprises at least one pair of plates on a brush shaft.
  • the handle assembly comprises a safety switch mechanism activatable only by actuating a first means and a second means simultaneously.
  • the first means is a bail
  • the second means is a button
  • the safety switch mechanism comprises a switch and a relay mechanism that transmits the actuating actions of the first means and the second means to the switch.
  • the relay mechanism comprises a cantilever member and a relay pin, the cantilever member is disposed in a space between the relay pin and the switch when the second means is actuated.
  • the cantilever member is movable along a first axis and the relay pin transmits the actuating actions along a second axis.
  • the catcher assembly comprises a catcher with an internal space and a separator that separates the internal space of the catcher into at least two parts.
  • the separator is movable to adjust the relative size of the at least two parts of the internal space.
  • the separator is pivotable relative to one end.
  • one end of the separator is slidable.
  • FIG. 1A illustrates the limitation in effective collection width of a conventional lawn sweeper
  • FIG. 1B illustrates the use of a conventional lawn sweeper on uneven terrain
  • FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the sweeper in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure
  • FIG. 3 is a front view of the sweeper of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 4 is a left view of the sweeper of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 5 is a right view of the sweeper of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the sweeper of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 7 is an internal perspective view of the sweeper of FIG. 2 showing the battery compartment;
  • FIG. 8 is an internal perspective view of the sweeper of FIG. 2 showing the drive assembly
  • FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the drive assembly and the brush assembly of the sweeper of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the drive assembly of the sweeper of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 11 is a top perspective view of the height adjustment mechanism of the sweeper of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 12 is a top view of the safety switch mechanism of the sweeper of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 13 is an exploded view of the safety switch mechanism of the sweeper of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 14 is an internal perspective view of the safety switch mechanism of the sweeper of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 15A is an internal side view of FIG. 14 when the button is not pressed;
  • FIG. 15B is an internal side view of FIG. 14 when the button is pressed
  • FIG. 16A is an internal side view of the side brush of the sweeper of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 16B shows an internal construction of a second configuration of the side brush driven by the motor of the drive assembly
  • FIG. 16C is a side view of the sweeper of FIG. 2 when the side brush is raised up;
  • FIG. 17 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the use of the side brush of the sweeper of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 18A is a perspective view of the catcher assembly of the sweeper of FIG. 2 when the separator is in the initial position;
  • FIG. 18B is a perspective view of the catcher assembly of the sweeper of FIG. 2 when the separator is in the stowed position for creating more space;
  • FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the catcher assembly with a slidable crossbar in the sweeper of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 20 is a top perspective view of the catcher assembly installed in the sweeper of FIG. 2 when the separator is in the initial position.
  • a sweeper 100 such as a walk-behind lawn sweeper, an outdoor sweeper, or other types of sweepers, for sweeping the grass or debris in a lawn in accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • the term “debris” may include leaves, twigs, grass clippings, pine cones, pine needles, and other debris.
  • the sweeper 100 is electrically powered and includes a front housing 110, a handle assembly 130, a catcher assembly 500, and a support frame 120 extending from the front housing 110 to the handle assembly 130 for holding the catcher assembly 500.
  • the front housing 110 comprises a battery compartment 450, a drive assembly 400, a brush assembly 440, and a front deck 111.
  • the front deck 111 has a rearward opening 110A and a bottom opening 110B.
  • the catcher assembly 500 is attachable to the front housing 110 and is configured to receiving at least part of the debris swept by the brush assembly 440 through the rearward opening 110A.
  • the front deck 111 may additionally comprise a guard 112, which is a stripe arranged longitudinally across the front deck 111 for protecting the brush assembly 440.
  • the front housing 110 is movable through and supported by a wheel arrangement comprising one or more front wheels 311 and optionally one or more auxiliary wheels 321.
  • a wheel arrangement comprising one or more front wheels 311 and optionally one or more auxiliary wheels 321.
  • two front wheels 311 are linked together by a front linking rod 312, and two auxiliary wheels 321 are linked together by a rear linking rod 322.
  • the wheel arrangement may be formed from various types and combinations of wheels, including tracks (such as in tank tracks) , chains, belts (such as in snow belts) , or other forms of wheel arrangements.
  • the sweeper 100 may be a hand push sweeper or a self-propelled sweeper.
  • a separated motor (not shown) or the drive assembly 400 is configured to drive the one or more front wheels 311 and/or the one or more auxiliary wheels 321.
  • the auxiliary wheels 321 are rear wheels each connected to a side plate 330 of the front housing 110.
  • the support frame 120 comprises a first side tube 121 and a second side tube 122, both extending rearwardly and upwardly from the front housing 110 to the handle assembly 130.
  • the first and second side tubes 121, 122 are connected to the front deck 111 via one or more joint plates 331, wherein each of the joint plate 331 may include a knob 332 for allowing the first and second side tubes 121, 122 slidably connected thereto.
  • One or more knobs 126 are also provided on the first and second side tubes 121, 122 for adjusting the length thereof using a telescopic tube assembly.
  • the handle assembly 130 is positioned at a height and an angle that conveniently enable an operator to steer or guide the sweeper 100 along the ground or lawn surface.
  • the handle assembly 130 is illustrated as a U-shape bar as evident from the drawings, it is within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure that the handle assembly 130 may include two hand grips, each connected to and fixed relative to the first side tube 121 and the second side tube 122 respectively.
  • a bail 131 is arranged in parallel with the handle assembly 130 for activating the sweeper 100.
  • the drive assembly 400 is provided within the front housing 110 having a plurality of ventilation openings 471.
  • the plurality of ventilation openings 471 is characterized in that water ingress is prevented and the air ventilation is guaranteed to avoid overheat of the drive assembly 400.
  • the ventilation openings 471 are at least partially covered by covers or water shields.
  • the drive assembly 400 comprises a belt drive 430 which is configured to drive the brush assembly 440 to sweep the debris from the ground or lawn surface.
  • the support frame 120 may further comprise an upper crossbar 123. At least part of the support frame 120, particularly the first side tube 121, the second side tube 122, and the upper crossbar 123, may collectively form a framework for holding and attaching the uppermost periphery of a catcher assembly 500 for collecting the debris swept up from the ground or lawn surface by the sweeper 100.
  • the sweeper 100 comprises one or more rings 124A, 124B positioned on the first and second side tubes 121, 122 for securing the catcher assembly 500.
  • the upper crossbar 123 is attached onto the upper rings 124A or the lower rings 124B to mount the catcher assembly 500 of different size thereon.
  • the support frame 120 is preferably constructed of relatively lightweight but durable material, such as tubular steel, plastic, aluminum, wood, or any combination thereof.
  • the catcher assembly 500 is configured to be able to be removed from the support frame 120 and be emptied when necessary.
  • the upper crossbar 123 is positioned at the higher end of the support frame 120 and connected between the first side tube 121 and the second side tube 122.
  • the first side tube 121 and the second side tube 122 are further extended rearwardly and upwardly with a handle assembly 130 attached thereto.
  • the angle of the handle assembly 130 extending from the support frame 120 may be adjustable using one or more adjustable joints connecting between the handle assembly 130 to the support frame 120 (not shown) .
  • For a hand push sweeper in order to move the sweeper 100 forward, the operator pushes the handle assembly 130 forward to move the sweeper 100 on an operating surface via the wheel arrangement.
  • the catcher assembly 500 is essentially a box-like structure having a trapezoidal shape, with a generally flat and relatively rigid bottom, left and right sides having increasing heights from the front to the back, a closed back, a partially opened front, and an opened top.
  • a preferred shape of the catcher assembly 500 is described, it is within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure that the catcher assembly 500 may have a different shape provided that the catcher assembly 500 can perform the function of collecting the debris swept up by the sweeper 100.
  • the shape of the catcher assembly 500 may be in the shape of a rectangle, prism, cube, or other shapes, and may have rounded corners and/or curved sides.
  • the catcher assembly 500 may be made of any appropriate material or a combination of materials, such as fabric, plastic, canvas, or the like.
  • the bottom of the catcher assembly 500 may have a sheet of metal as a support for carrying the debris.
  • the catcher assembly 500 may be attachable to the support frame 120 using hooks or other connectors.
  • the brush assembly 440 comprises a brush shaft 442, and at least one pair of plates 441 extending radially outwardly from the brush shaft 442. In certain embodiments as evident from FIG. 6, the brush assembly 440 comprises two pairs of plates 441.
  • the brush assembly 440 is preferably disposed at least partially within the front housing 110 and partially outside the front housing 110 through the bottom opening 110B, thereby a rotational movement of the brush assembly 440 can sweep the debris from the ground or lawn surface into the catcher assembly 500.
  • the brush shaft 442 is rotatably disposed within and with respect to the front housing 110 about a horizontal axis A and fixedly connected to the lower pulley 432 of the belt drive 430 at one side of the brush shaft 442 for transferring the rotational torque from the motor 411 to the sweeping brushes 441.
  • each individual plate 441A of the pair of plates 441 is extended in opposite directions from the brush shaft 442.
  • the pair of plates 441 at the left side of the brush shaft 442 may be arranged with an offset of 90 degrees from the pair of plates 441 at the right side of the brush shaft 442.
  • the sweeping brush 441 may be made of any appropriate material, such as metal, alloy, plastic, or the like.
  • the shape of the plate 441A may be a flat plate, or arranged in a concave or a convex shape.
  • the plate 441A may further have a plurality of bristles distributed along an edge of the plate 441A.
  • the brush assembly 440 having two pair of plates 441 is described and depicted, it is apparent that the number of brushes and the orientation of the plates 441A may vary without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.
  • the purpose of the brush assembly 440 with the arrangement of the plates 441A is to effectively sweep the debris up from the ground or lawn surface through the bottom opening 110B, and into the catcher assembly 500 through the rear opening 110A.
  • the sweeper 100 of the present disclosure is a motorized sweeper
  • the brush shaft 442 is configured to rotate in a counter-clockwise manner without depending on the motion of the wheels, and thereby the debris is swept backwardly to the catcher assembly 500. Even if the operator is moving the sweeper 100 to a backward direction, the brush shaft 442 is still driven by the motor 411 to rotate in a counter-clockwise manner.
  • the battery compartment 450 On the top of the front deck 111, there is provided the battery compartment 450.
  • the battery compartment 450 is preferably covered by and protected by a cover 452.
  • FIG. 3 shows the cover 452 in a closed state 452B
  • FIG. 7 shows the cover 452 in an open state 452A.
  • the cover 452 is connected to the front deck 111 via one or more hinge joints or other mechanical joints.
  • the battery compartment 450 is a chamber comprising one or more battery receptables 401 for receiving one or more batteries 451, and a safety key receiver 453A for receiving a safety key 453.
  • the battery 451 supplies power to the sweeper 100 for powering at least the drive assembly 400.
  • the sweeper 100 can be operated with any number of batteries 451.
  • the sweeper 100 is operated with an 18V lithium-based battery pack or a 36V lithium battery pack. In another example, the sweeper 100 is operated with two battery receptables 401 for receiving two 18V lithium batteries 451.
  • the one or more batteries 451 supply power to the sweeper 100 in parallel, series or other electrical arrangement such that at least the drive assembly 400 is powered for driving the brush assembly 440. In certain embodiments, the one or more batteries 451 also supply power to the side brush 700 for electrically drive the motorized brush head 703 to rotate.
  • the front housing 110 includes a drive assembly 400 positioned within the front housing 110, and a brush assembly 440 (shown in FIG. 9) disposed at least partially within and under the front housing 110.
  • the drive assembly 400 may be positioned above the front deck 111 or in a separated compartment within the front housing 110 without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of the drive assembly 400 and the brush assembly 440 of the sweeper 100.
  • the drive assembly 400 comprises any types of prime movers, preferably a motor 411, a clutch assembly 412 driven by the motor 411, and a belt drive 430.
  • the motor 411 may be an electric powered brushed motor, brushless motor, induction motor, or other types of motor obvious to one skilled in the art.
  • the drive assembly 400 is configured to drive the brush assembly 440 via a belt drive 430.
  • the drive assembly 400 or a separated motor is configured to drive the front wheels 311 such that the sweeper 100 can be self-propelled.
  • the output of the clutch assembly 412 drives an upper pulley 431 of the belt drive 430.
  • the belt drive 430 is formed by the upper pulley 431 connected at one end of the drive shaft 427, a corresponding lower pulley 432 at a lower part of the belt drive 430, and a belt 433 connecting the two pulleys 431, 432.
  • the lower pulley 432 being concentric with the brush assembly 440, is arranged to rotationally drive the brush assembly 440 at a speed determined by the speed of the motor 201 through the plurality of gears in the clutch assembly 412.
  • the belt 433 is a flat belt or a toothed belt.
  • the pulleys 431, 432 and the belt 433 may each include axial ribs.
  • the radius of the upper pulley 431 is smaller than the radius of the lower pulley 432, such that the belt drive 430 can provide speed reduction. It is apparent that the motor 411 may be connected to the brush assembly 440 through other means, such as gear drive or chain drive, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 10 shows an exploded view of the drive assembly 400 of the sweeper 100.
  • the driving torque from the driving motor 411 is inputted from the motor shaft 411A to the clutch assembly 412.
  • the clutch assembly 412 comprises a ring gear 421 having a plurality of apexes 421A circumferentially spaced along the periphery of the ring gear 421, a plurality of sun gears and planetary gears (not shown) within the ring gear 421, a first plate 423, a second plate 426, a spring 424 arranged between the first plate 423 and the second plate 426, and a plurality of posts and balls 422 engaging with the plurality of apexes 421A.
  • the spring 424 biases the first plate 423, which correspondingly acts on the posts and balls 422, and which in turn acts on the ring gear 421.
  • the engagement and/or friction between the balls 422 and the apexes 421A of the ring gear 421 keeps the ring gear 421 from spinning, such that motor output can be transmitted to the clutch shaft 425 through the gears in the clutch assembly 412.
  • the engagement and/or friction between the balls 422 and the apexes 421A of the ring gear 421 is insufficient to keep the ring gear 421 from spinning.
  • the ring gear 421 slips and transmission through the gears in the clutch assembly 412 is disabled. Therefore, the clutch assembly 412 can provide mechanical overload protection to the drive assembly 400.
  • the clutch shaft 425 from the clutch assembly 412 is connected to and drives the upper pulley 431 and transfers the driving torque from the motor shaft 411A to the belt drive 430.
  • a height adjustment mechanism 340 comprising a height adjustment lever 313.
  • the front wheels 311 are adjustable by the height adjustment lever 313, which is mounted on one side of the front deck 111 for adjusting the height of the front housing 110.
  • the height adjustment lever 313 is positioned at to the inner side of one of the front wheels 311. By moving the height adjustment lever 313 to an adjustable position, the front wheels 311 may be vertically displaced to a different height relative to the front deck 111.
  • an adjustment in the height of the front wheels 311 can change the relative position of the brush assembly 440, thereby the brush assembly 440 can be configured to a high brush setting or a low brush setting for slightly penetrate through the grasses to achieve the best sweeping performance.
  • the front wheels 311 are adjusted to a lower position 311A, the front deck 111 and the brush assembly 440 are further away from the ground surface, which is suitable for sweeping in a lawn with longer grasses.
  • the height adjustment lever 313 is connected to the front linking rod 312 via an adjustment rod 315.
  • the adjustment rod 315 is configured to engage to and receive by one of the grooves 314A on the height selector 314 with a plurality of teeth 314B. As the height selector 314 is fixed to the front deck 111, the adjustment rod 315 can move along to different grooves 314A for selecting the vertical height of the front wheels 311. Described above is a preferred implementation of the height adjustment mechanism 340, and it is apparent that the height adjustment mechanism 340 may be structured in other arrangements known to one skilled in the arts.
  • the handle assembly 130 comprises a safety switch mechanism activatable only by actuating a first means and a second means simultaneously.
  • the safety switch mechanism is partially provided in a first switch housing 210 and a second switch housing 220.
  • the first and second switch housing 210, 220 may be positioned at an end of or proximate to an end of the first side tube 121 and the second side tube 122 respectively.
  • the first means is a bail 131 arranged in parallel with the handle assembly 130
  • the second means is a button 221 in the first switch housing 210 or the second switch housing 220. As illustrated in FIGS.
  • the button 221 is provided in the second switch housing 220, and the safety switch mechanism comprises a relay mechanism 225 and a switch 223 for activating the drive assembly 400.
  • the relay mechanism 225 transmits the actuating actions of the first means and the second means to the switch 223.
  • the switch 223 is enabled only when the bail 131 and the button 221 are actuated.
  • the relay mechanism 225 comprises a pivotable switch 226 coupled to the bail 131, a cantilever member 222, and a relay pin 224.
  • the button 221 is connected to the cantilever member 222 and coupled to a button spring 227 arranged under the button 221.
  • the cantilever member 222 is movable along a first axis D1. When the button 221 is actuated, the cantilever member 222 is disposed in a space between the relay pin 224 and the switch 223, thereby the relay pin 224 can transmits the actuating actions across the cantilever member 222 to the switch 223 along a second axis D2.
  • the relay pin 224 is a pin having a generally cylindrical shape rotatable about a central axis for transmitting the actuating action of the bail 131.
  • the relay pin 224 comprises a first tab 224A and a second tab 224B extending out from the circumferences of the relay pin 224 at two different directions. Therefore, when a force is applied to the first tab 224A, the relay pin 224 is rotated and the second tab 224B is moved in the same rotational direction.
  • the pivotable switch 226 has one end connected to the bail 131, and the other end having a third tab 226A extending out.
  • the cantilever member 222 has a tapered fin structure 222A for coupling the vertical movement of the button 221 to the relay pin 224.
  • FIG. 15A shows the safety switch mechanism of the sweeper 100 when the button 221 is not pressed.
  • the first tab 224A of the relay pin 224 does not contact the switch 223.
  • the pivotable switch 226 acts on the second tab 224B of the relay pin 224 causing the relay pin 224 to pivot.
  • the first tab 224A moves towards the switch 223 but is still unable to contact the switch 223.
  • FIG. 15B shows the safety switch mechanism of the sweeper 100 when the button 221 is pressed.
  • the button 221 moves downwards along the first axis D1 to overcome a biasing force by a button spring 227.
  • the cantilever member 222 moves into the space between the relay pin 224 and the switch 223.
  • the pivotable switch 226 acts on the second pin 224B of the relay pin 224 causing the relay pin 224 to pivot.
  • the first tab 224A pushes the tapered fin structure 222A of the cantilever member 222 to contact the switch 223.
  • the switch 223 is actuated.
  • the cantilever member 222 stays in place due to friction and the switch 223 keeps actuated. Once the operator releases the bail 131, the switch 223 returns to unactuated status.
  • the sweeper 100 further comprises at least one side brush 700 extended at least partly in front of the one or more front wheels 311, which is either affixed to or releasably attachable to the front housing 110 from either side or both sides.
  • the side brush 700 includes a motorized brush head 703 rotating in a direction that drives the debris from outside to the front of the brush assembly 440.
  • the at least one side brush 700 may be driven by a side brush motor separate to the drive assembly 400, such that the side brush 700 rotates with a rotational speed independent from the brush assembly 440.
  • the side brush 700 is driven by the drive assembly 400, such that the rotational speed of the side brush 700 is correlated with the rotational speed of the brush assembly 440.
  • the motor 411 also drives the side brush shaft 724 to rotate the brush head 703 through a belt drive 720, a chain drive, a gear drive, or other mechanical connections.
  • the elongated arm 701 has one end attachable to the front housing 110 from one side.
  • the motor 411 inside the front housing 110 drives the side brush 700, which may include a gear transmission.
  • a vertical portion 702 is connected thereto which leads to the brush head 703.
  • the belt drive 720 is formed by arranging a drive belt 723 between the first pulley 722 and the second pulley 721, wherein the second pulley 721 is at the other end of the elongated arm 701.
  • the motor 411 drives the first pulley 722 to rotate, and the drive belt 723 is fitted around the first pulley 722 and the second pulley 721, but is twisted by 90 degrees from one end to another end.
  • the second pulley 722 is connected to the brush head 703 through the side brush shaft 724.
  • the elongated arm 701 is connected to the front housing 411 via a rotatable joint 704, thereby the elongated arm 701 of the side brush 700 can be raised.
  • FIG. 16C shows the configuration of the sweeper 100 when the side brush 700 is raised up to disengage the brush head 703. At raised position, the operator may also use the brush head 703 to sweep up to the fence or wall.
  • the sweeper 100 without a side brush 700 has an effective collection width equivalent to the width of the brushes, which may be approximately 50-55cm.
  • the leaves located beyond the effective collection width, particularly those along the path of movement of the wheels 311, 321, are not collected.
  • the leaves are driven from outside to the collection region for sweeping into the catcher assembly 500. This is especially essential for sweeping a walking path edge, garden edge, or regions next to a side wall or a vertical structure.
  • the side brush 700 is installed to position the brush head 703 in front of the front wheels 311, with a diameter large enough to extend the collection region beyond the front wheels 311.
  • the side brush 700 When viewing the sweeper 100 from above, if the side brush 700 is attached to the right side of the sweeper 100 near the right front wheel 312, the side brush 700 should be rotating in a counter-clockwise direction.
  • the diameter of the brush head 703 is in the range of 5cm to 20cm. In one embodiment, the diameter of the brush head 703 is 10cm.
  • the brush head 703 may be driven by the motor 441 used for driving the brush assembly 440 directly or indirectly via a plurality of gears and belt, or otherwise as illustrated in FIG 16, be driven by an independent side brush motor 711.
  • the side brush 700 operates at a rotational speed ranging from 100 to 200 rotations per minutes.
  • an elongated arm 701 is extended out from the front side of the front deck 111 towards one of the front wheels, such that the side brush 700 and the corresponding brush head 703 are disposed to one side of the front housing 110 and substantially positioned along the movement direction of the sweeper 100 and in front of the front wheel.
  • the elongated arm 701 has one end welded to or otherwise fixed to the front housing 110, and another end connected to the brush head 703 through a vertical portion 702.
  • the side brush motor 711 is disposed within the vertical portion 702 for driving the brush head 703 to rotate.
  • the brush head 703 comprises a plurality of bristles secured circumferentially around a shaft of the side brush motor 711. Between the brush head 703 and the side brush motor 711, there may be provided a side brush clutch assembly 712 arranged for preventing overloading of the side brush motor 711.
  • the brush head 703 may include radially extending bristles arranged in different patterns, with different lengths, diameters, tilting angles, materials, and/or hardness.
  • the brush head 703 may be associated with the drive assembly 400 or the belt drive 430 so that the brushed head 703 can be driven by the drive assembly 400 or the belt drive 430 without the need of a separate side brush motor 711.
  • the catcher assembly 500 of the present disclosure comprises a catcher 510 with an internal space for storing debris.
  • the catcher assembly 500 further comprises a separator 520 disposed in the catcher 510 for maximizing the space and storing more debris.
  • the separator 520 separates the internal space of the catcher 510 into at least two parts.
  • the separator 520 may be a sheet of fabric, plastic, canvas, or other suitable material, with a lower end pivotably attached to the bottom side of the catcher 510.
  • the separator 520 is movable between at least two positions. As shown in FIG. 18A, the initial position of the separator 520 is illustrated.
  • the separator 520 has an upper end attached to a separator handle 521 with a coupler 522 thereon.
  • the coupler 522 on the separator handle 521 is attached to and fixed on the mount 530, such that the separator 520 is rested at the bottom or lower part of the catcher 510.
  • the collected leaves and debris are generally not densely packed, with a fair amount of space.
  • the separator 520 can squish the collected debris to leave more space for collecting more debris.
  • the operator can pivotally move the separator 520 to the stowed position, as illustrated in FIG. 18B.
  • the operator may disengage the coupler 522 from the mount 530, move the separator 520 to the upper side of the catcher 510, and attach the coupler 522 to the upper crossbar 123. Therefore, the separator 520 is movable to adjust the relative size of the at least two parts of the internal space, and the collected debris is squished together by the separator 520 to leave more space for collecting more debris.
  • the sweeper 100 may comprise one or more separators 520, and the coupler 522 may have a different shape or structure as long as the coupler 522 can be used to secure the separator 520 without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
  • one end of the separator 520 is slidable and the other end is attached to the catcher 510.
  • the upper end is attached to a slidable crossbar 124.
  • the slidable crossbar 124 is installed between two sleeves 541, which is slidable along the first side tube 121 and the second side tube 122, respectively.
  • the operator may pull the slidable crossbar 124 up to the upper crossbar 123, and thereby the collected debris is squished together by the separator 520 to leave more space for collecting more debris.
  • the separator handle 521 is attached to and fixed on the one or more mounts 530 at the rear opening 111A, and provides an opening for the debris swept up by the one or more plates 441A to be collected by the catcher assembly 500.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Harvester Elements (AREA)

Abstract

Une balayeuse pour ramasser des feuilles et des débris de pelouses et de surfaces dures est divulguée. La balayeuse (100) est un appareil de balayage motorisé comprenant un boîtier avant (110), un ensemble poignée (130) et un ensemble collecteur (500) pouvant être fixé au boîtier avant (110). Le boîtier avant (110) comprend un réceptacle de batterie (401), un ensemble d'entraînement (400) et un ensemble brosse (440). L'ensemble collecteur (500) est conçu pour recevoir au moins une partie des débris balayés par l'ensemble brosse (440). Le réceptacle de batterie (401) reçoit une ou plusieurs batteries (451) pour alimenter l'ensemble d'entraînement (400). La balayeuse (100) comprend en outre au moins une brosse latérale (700) pouvant être fixée au boîtier avant (110). L'ensemble poignée (130) comporte un mécanisme de commutation de sécurité pouvant être activé uniquement par actionnement simultané d'un premier moyen et d'un second moyen. L'ensemble collecteur (500) comprend un collecteur (510) doté d'un espace interne et un séparateur (520) qui sépare l'espace interne du collecteur en au moins deux parties.
PCT/CN2020/130552 2020-03-18 2020-11-20 Balayeuse WO2021184811A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
HK22020004513 2020-03-18
HK22020004513.0 2020-03-18
HK22020019803.8 2020-11-10
HK22020019803 2020-11-10

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2021184811A1 true WO2021184811A1 (fr) 2021-09-23

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WO (1) WO2021184811A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
RU217754U1 (ru) * 2023-01-25 2023-04-17 Федеральное государственное бюджетное образовательное учреждение высшего образования "Поволжский государственный технологический университет" Механическое устройство для уборки территории

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0686371A1 (fr) * 1994-06-09 1995-12-13 Kränzle, Josef Balai mécanique comportant au moins une brosse latérale amovible
JPH10201690A (ja) * 1997-01-23 1998-08-04 Toyota Autom Loom Works Ltd スイーパ
WO2008022699A2 (fr) * 2006-08-21 2008-02-28 Alfred Kärcher Gmbh & Co. Kg Balayeuse manuelle
CN201801834U (zh) * 2010-07-19 2011-04-20 南通明驰环保机械制造有限公司 前抛式扫地机
CN107326854A (zh) * 2017-08-28 2017-11-07 西安聚投未来网络科技有限公司 一种便携式的多功能环卫清扫设备
CN207875504U (zh) * 2017-12-05 2018-09-18 河南森源重工有限公司 防超载底盘组件及扫路车

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0686371A1 (fr) * 1994-06-09 1995-12-13 Kränzle, Josef Balai mécanique comportant au moins une brosse latérale amovible
JPH10201690A (ja) * 1997-01-23 1998-08-04 Toyota Autom Loom Works Ltd スイーパ
WO2008022699A2 (fr) * 2006-08-21 2008-02-28 Alfred Kärcher Gmbh & Co. Kg Balayeuse manuelle
CN201801834U (zh) * 2010-07-19 2011-04-20 南通明驰环保机械制造有限公司 前抛式扫地机
CN107326854A (zh) * 2017-08-28 2017-11-07 西安聚投未来网络科技有限公司 一种便携式的多功能环卫清扫设备
CN207875504U (zh) * 2017-12-05 2018-09-18 河南森源重工有限公司 防超载底盘组件及扫路车

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
RU217754U1 (ru) * 2023-01-25 2023-04-17 Федеральное государственное бюджетное образовательное учреждение высшего образования "Поволжский государственный технологический университет" Механическое устройство для уборки территории

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