WO2022047596A1

WO2022047596A1 - Cleaning device

Info

Publication number: WO2022047596A1
Application number: PCT/CH2021/050020
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thomas Rohrer; Hartmut WEGNER
Original assignee: Thomas Rohrer; Wegner Hartmut
Priority date: 2020-09-02
Filing date: 2021-08-30
Publication date: 2022-03-10
Also published as: CH717803A1; CH717803B1; EP4208303A1

Abstract

Cleaning device (11) for cleaning a surface, comprising a guide element (13) having a carrying element (19) on its first end, wherein the guide element serves for guiding the carrying element. Furthermore, the cleaning device comprises a cylindrical brush (21) arranged rotatably on the carrying element. The cleaning device also comprises a pipe (27), which is arranged on the guide element, and a nozzle (35), which is arranged on the first end of the pipe. The first end of the pipe comes to lie on that side on which the carrying element is mounted on the guide element. The pipe has on its second end an interface (31) for receiving liquid and/or gas. The cleaning device comprises a support (23) arranged on the carrying element. The brush and the support are arranged on opposite ends of the carrying element.

Description

cleaning device

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a cleaning device according to the preamble of claim 1. A second aspect of the invention is a cleaning system according to claim 14, a third aspect is a method for cleaning a surface according to claim 17 and a fourth aspect is a cleaning lance according to claim 21.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Cleaning devices are known from the prior art which first treat a soiled surface with steam and then remove the dirt from the floor surface using a tool in the form of a brush. Such a device is shown in DE 102017002948 A1. It has a fixed association between a steam field and a brush following this steam field. The cleaning device is intended to be attached below a floor cleaning machine. This makes it impossible to use this cleaning device on surfaces that have steps, let alone a stairwell. The cleaning device must be attached to a floor cleaning machine, which also severely limits the accessibility of the cleaning device.

A disadvantage of large cleaning devices such as that from DE 10 2017 002 948 A1, in addition to their own size, is the size of the area processed by these devices. If the dirt only covers a small area, a large area will still be cleaned. This in turn loosens the dirt all over the area to be treated, resulting in a larger amount of loosened dirt. This dirt must then be disposed of. Because of the greater amount of dirt that has been loosened, the effort required to dispose of the dirt also increases.

WO 2004017805 shows a floor cleaning device which comprises a cleaning tool and a steam generator upstream of it. The steam is routed from the steam generator through a steam pipe system to the cleaning tool and exits onto the floor. The steam outlet is arranged such that the steam before effective surface of the cleaning tool hits the floor. This means that the steam can act on the dirt for a short time, which the floor cleaning device also depends on. Because only a certain exposure time of the steam on the dirt leads to the desired cleaning performance of this floor cleaning device.

There are also handier cleaning devices that pump a liquid or a vapor mixture onto a surface in order to then treat it with a brush attached to the cleaning device. An example of this can be found in EP 1 491 129. In the embodiment shown, the processing of dirt takes place in two steps; First, the dirt is softened with the liquid or the vapor mixture and then, in a second step, it is abrasively removed with the brush. The brush can be attached to a lance-like device that can be operated with one hand. In such a device, the steam is guided along the longitudinal direction of the device.

TASK

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning device which enables soiling on surfaces to be removed easily and quickly and at the same time is easy to operate. Furthermore, it is a further object of the present invention to propose a method which enables dirt to be removed efficiently and quickly.

DESCRIPTION

The solution to the task is achieved with a cleaning device by the features listed in the characterizing section of patent claim 1 . Further developments and/or advantageous embodiment variants are the subject matter of the dependent patent claims.

This invention satisfies the foregoing needs by providing a cleaning implement for cleaning a surface, comprising a guide member having a support member at its first end, the guide member serving to guide the support member. Furthermore, the cleaning device includes a ment rotatably arranged and cylindrical brush, the brush being driven by a drive shaft. The cleaning device also includes a tube which is arranged on the guide element and a nozzle which is arranged at the first end of the tube. The first end of the tube comes to rest on that side on which the support element is attached to the guide element. At its second end, the tube has an interface for receiving liquid and/or gas. The cleaning device includes a support which is arranged on the carrying element and which rests on the surface when the cleaning device is in operation. The brush is located at a first end of the support member and the support is located at a second end of the support member opposite the first end. Ideally, those ends of the support element which are at the greatest distance from one another are provided for this purpose.

By resting the support on the surface during a cleaning work, the cleaning device can be held in a stable position. This leads to a simpler operation of the cleaning device. The support is attached to the surface in such a way that it is offset from the point to be cleaned in such a way that the brush comes to rest on the point on the surface to be cleaned. The user of the cleaning device can better control the force exerted by the brush on the surface due to the support. This effect is best seen when the support and brush are spaced apart. For this reason, the brush and the support are mounted on opposite sides of the support member.

The tube on the guide member can provide a means of assisting the cleaning work performed by the brush. The agent can be in the liquid, gaseous or mixed gas-liquid state. The nozzle on the tube is intended to convey the agent transported in the tube onto the surface to be cleaned. The agent can also be just water, in which case the gaseous state is formed by water vapour. Due to the temperature effect of the water, the water vapor or the water-water vapor mixture on the dirt, the dirt can be more easily removed from the surface. In a second step, the loosened dirt particles are removed by the water pumped onto the surface. carried away or washed away. The water in the pipe is thus used both to dissolve the dirt on the surface and then to transport the loosened dirt particles away. In operation, there does not have to be a clear separation between these two work steps. The dissolving and the removal of the dirt mostly take place at the same time.

In a preferred embodiment, the guide element is in the form of a handle. A guide element designed as a handle enables the tasks of a guide element to be fulfilled with a small amount of material. The low cost of materials also leads to a low mass, which in turn simplifies the handling of the entire cleaning device. The handle can be dimensioned in such a way that it can be gripped with one hand, which in turn also makes it easier to operate and transport the cleaning device. In addition, the handle offers the possibility of hanging the cleaning device on the handle. This means that the cleaning device takes up minimal space when stowed away.

Preferably, the support comprises at least one wheel or skid. The support can be provided to absorb a large part of the weight of the cleaning device. Due to a support in the form of a wheel or a skid, the cleaning device can be moved back and forth with little effort. The cleaning device does not have to be picked up from the floor, which greatly simplifies operation. Compared to a skid, a wheel has less resistance to movement. Again, the skid is simpler in construction and offers a less expensive option than the wheel.

As mentioned above, the brush has a cylindrical structure. The cleaning surface of the brush can be formed either by the lateral surface or a base surface of the cylinder. The cleaning effect of the brush comes about through its rotation. Advantageously, the brush can rotate in both directions. By changing the direction of rotation, dirt can be removed in an even shorter time.

In a further preferred embodiment, the drive shaft is driven by an electric motor. The electric motor forms an electric drive. So must for driving the drive shaft and turning the brush electric power are provided. Even a small version of the electric motor can generate a large amount of torque. In addition, the electric motor offers the advantage that the high torque is already available at low speeds. The delay time of the electric motor when starting or stopping is also very short, allowing precise control of the brush. Another advantage of the electric motor for use in mobile devices such as in a cleaning device is its small size and its small mass.

The electric motor mentioned above must be supplied with electricity in order to operate. The electric power can come from different sources, but the use of a battery is ideal for a mobile application. Preferably, a battery is provided on the cleaning device to provide power to the electric motor. As a result, the cleaning device is not dependent on an external energy supply for operation and can be used energetically self-sufficient. It is also conceivable that a rechargeable battery is used as the energy source.

Preferably, the battery is attached to the guide member. Thus, the battery is attached away from the support member. This prevents the battery from being exposed to the water that escapes from the cleaning device when cleaning a surface. Furthermore, the weight is distributed more evenly over the length of the guide element because not all components are attached to the support element. The advantage of the more even weight distribution comes into its own when cleaning wall surfaces if the cleaning device has to be swiveled upwards.

In a further preferred embodiment, the contact surface of the brush with the surface to be cleaned forms an active surface and the nozzle is directed towards the active surface. The effective area is thus defined as the contact area of the brush with the surface to be cleaned, with an area lying within the contact area also being regarded as the effective area. The size and shape of the contact surface depends on the shape of the brush. The contact area is not defined as that area which is formed when the brush first contacts the surface. In a brush with a lateral surface as a cleaning surface can originally circular cross-section can be reshaped into a truncated circle. The area that results from the section of the circular cross section that is cut off in the process forms the contact area.

The nozzle is aimed at the active surface, whereby the agent, which is sprayed out of the nozzle, is conveyed directly onto the surface area to be cleaned. This results in essentially simultaneous processing of the dirt on the surface with the agent conveyed through the nozzle and the brush. The effective area is always defined as a closed area. In the case of an annular contact surface between the brush and the surface to be cleaned, the effective surface is defined as the closed circular surface of the contact surface. If the medium conveyed onto the surface is a water-water vapor mixture, the water-water vapor mixture can spread over the active surface in such a way that the dirt on the active surface is exposed to the temperature of the water-water-vapour mixture. At the same time, at least a large area of the active surface is processed by the brush. The dirt loosened by the brush is carried away by the water from the nozzle in a second step.

It is also conceivable that the active surface is formed by the perpendicular projection of the outline of the brush to the surface to be cleaned.

In a further preferred embodiment, the effective area of the cleaning tool is at most 320 cm ² , preferably at most 160 cm ² . The limited size of the effective area is aimed at removing certain types of dirt on a surface. The advantage of the limited effective area is the removal of only those contaminants that are intended to be removed. Loosening the dirt from a large area has the disadvantage that above a certain amount of loosened dirt, it has to be drawn up or vacuumed off so that the dirt does not stick to the surface again. With a small effective area, so much dirt is loosened that it can also be washed away with the water required for this. Both working time and material consumption are kept to a minimum in this way.

In a further preferred embodiment, the axis of rotation of the wheel runs parallel to the axis of rotation of the brush. This allows the support element with the wheel and to make the brush as compact as possible. In this version, the outer surface of the brush forms the cleaning surface of the brush.

The nozzle is advantageously directed tangentially to the outer surface of the brush. Thus, the agent flowing out of the nozzle will hit the surface to be cleaned at an inclined angle and flow onto the dirt sideways. This supports the brush in removing the dirt on the surface and at the same time flushes away the loosened dirt.

The cleaning device preferably has a mass of less than 10 kg, in particular less than 7 kg. The mass of up to 10 kg allows the cleaning device to be operated with just one hand if necessary. Due to its low mass, the cleaning device can also be used on a wall surface. When cleaning floor surfaces, a large part of the weight is absorbed by the support, which further facilitates the operation of the cleaning device.

Together with the support element, the guide element preferably has a T-shaped structure. Thus, the connection point between the guide element and the support element comes to lie approximately in the middle of the support element. This leads to an even distribution of force on the support element due to the brush and support arranged on the support element.

Preferably, the axis of rotation of the brush is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the handle. In such an embodiment, the lateral surface of the cylindrical brush comes to rest on the surface to be cleaned. Thus, the outer surface of the brush is intended to carry out the cleaning work.

Advantageously, the cylinder axis of the brush forms its axis of rotation.

The cylindrical brush preferably has a smaller height than its diameter, in particular its radius. This leads to a smaller effective surface of the brush, which in turn facilitates the targeted cleaning of small areas with the help of the brush. In a further preferred embodiment, the effective area of the brush is smaller than the base area of the cylindrical brush. The base is formed by the surface perpendicular to the cylinder axis of the brush.

A second aspect of the invention relates to a cleaning system with

- a water tank for storing water,

- a steam generator, which is connected to the water tank and can heat the water supplied from the water tank and thereby generate steam,

- a pump that increases the pressure of the water-steam mixture in the steam generator,

- a control unit that is connected to the steam generator and that allows a specific ratio of water and steam to be set, and

- A cleaning device according to the invention.

In a preferred embodiment, the steam generator has a heating element which is preferably operated with fossil fuels. The heating element of the steam generator makes it possible to set the amount of energy to be supplied to the water and adjust it to the amount of water. The advantage of a heating element that runs on fossil fuels is that the heating and evaporation of the water is carried out in an energy-efficient process. At the same time, the use of fossil fuels allows the cleaning system to be used independently by carrying a container with fossil fuels. This means that the cleaning system can be used in a mobile and flexible manner.

In a further preferred embodiment, the cleaning device is designed in such a way to absorb a water-water vapor mixture amount of up to 12 dm ³ per minute with a ratio of about 50% water and 50% water vapor. The cleaning device in the cleaning system does not depend on a large amount of water-steam mixture due to its efficient dirt removal and can carry out the removal of dirt with a limited amount of water and steam.

A third aspect of the invention relates to a method for cleaning a surface according to the following steps; - Provision of water in a tank,

- supplying the water from the tank to a steam generator,

- heating the water so that a water-water vapor mixture is produced,

- increasing the pressure of the water-steam mixture using a pump,

- supplying the pressurized water-steam mixture to a cleaning device,

- Conveying the water-steam mixture onto the surface to be cleaned and

- simultaneous processing of the surface to be cleaned with a rotating brush, which is attached to the cleaning device.

The water-steam mixture in the cleaning device has a temperature of 100°C to 200°C and a maximum pressure of 30 bar.

When cleaning a surface, the method described above makes use of a brush, which is intended to remove the dirt abrasively, and a water-water vapor mixture, which is essentially conveyed onto the dirt at the same time. The water-steam mixture ensures a high temperature on the brush and on the surface treated by the brush, which softens the dirt. At the same time, the proportion of water in the water-steam mixture supports the abrasive treatment of the dirt when the mixture is aimed at the dirt. Due to the softening of the contamination due to the high temperature of the water-steam mixture, a maximum pressure of 30 bar is sufficient to also use water for the abrasive removal of the contamination. However, to speed up the process and ensure complete cleaning, a rotating brush is also used to remove dirt. The water from the water-steam mixture, the proportion of which increases due to the condensation of the steam in the mixture during the cleaning process, helps to remove the dirt that has already been dissolved. Water vapor is the gaseous aggregate state of water. The above method achieves quick and efficient removal of contaminants on a surface to be cleaned.

The water/steam mixture preferably has a temperature of 110.degree. C. to 150.degree. This forms an ideal temperature range in which the dirt can be softened. This temperature range is particularly suitable for softening dried chewing gum residues on a surface.

The water-steam mixture preferably has a pressure of not more than 20 bar, more preferably not more than 10 bar. High pressure helps in abrasive water removal of contaminants. Generating a high pressure, on the other hand, causes the pump to consume more energy, which reduces the energy efficiency of the cleaning process.

The water in the steam generator is advantageously heated to such an extent that the proportion by weight of water in the water-steam mixture is between 40% and 60%, preferably between 45% and 55%. Thus, there is an almost balanced weight distribution between the liquid and gaseous water in the mixture. The 40% - 60% water content range provides an ideal mix for utilizing the heat effect of water vapor and the momentum of water on a soiled surface.

This product has the advantage that dirt can be removed from small areas in a targeted manner. The dirt can also be in the form of graffiti or unwanted writing such as graffiti. The unique design allows the attached brush to easily reach remote places or corners. For example, by tilting the guide member, an area in a gap can be treated as long as the gap allows passage of the support member with the brush and the support.

In a further preferred embodiment, the cleaning device has a separate line along the guide element. This line is intended to convey an additional aid in the form of a liquid onto the surface to be cleaned. This tool is intended to support the removal of dirt such as graffiti, oil stains or similar, for which cleaning agents and/or solvents are required in addition to the water-water vapor mixture. The separate line has an interface for receiving the additional tool. The adjuvant is preferably stored in a separate container or canister from which it is conveyed directly to the separate line. The separate line can be arranged either inside the guide element or outside it.

In another preferred embodiment, the cleaning device has a separate line along the guide element for discharging compressed air or for sucking it in. In this embodiment, either compressed air is ejected onto the surface to be cleaned in the separate line, or small dirt is sucked in by a suction effect. By emitting compressed air, small pieces of dirt such as confetti, cigarette butts, etc. can be conveyed to a specific location. If the small dirt is concentrated in one place, it can be caught by a suction function. A compressor is provided for generating compressed air, which does not have to be attached to the cleaning device. The separate line may have an interface that serves as a connection point between the separate line and the compressor. To operate the suction function, a suction effect must be generated. This can be generated by a suction device, which sucks in the air in the line via a connection point on the separate line. Along with the air, small pieces of dirt are sucked in, which can be collected in a container or bag provided for this purpose.

A further aspect of the invention relates to a cleaning lance with a pronounced length compared to its cross-sectional area, which comprises a cleaning device according to the invention. The cleaning lance is characterized by its shape. The lance thus has a pronounced orientation in its longitudinal direction. This is many times greater than that in the other directions. At the same time, a lance is characterized by the fact that its user can grasp and lift it with one hand.

Said optional features can be implemented in any combination, provided they are not mutually exclusive. In particular where preferred ranges are specified, further preferred ranges result from combinations of the minima and maxima specified in the ranges. Further advantages and features of the invention result from the following description of exemplary embodiments of the invention with reference to schematic representations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described below by way of example with reference to the figures. It shows in a schematic representation that is not true to scale:

FIG. 1: A three-dimensional view of a cleaning device with a cylindrical support element;

FIG. 2: a more detailed view of the carrying element of the cleaning device from FIG. 1;

FIG. 3: a three-dimensional view of a cleaning device with a cuboid support element;

FIG. 4: a view of the carrying element of the cleaning device from FIG. 3 from below;

FIG. 5: a schematic view of a cleaning system with a cleaning device according to the invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In the following, the same reference numbers stand for the same elements or elements with the same function (in different figures). An additional apostrophe can be used to differentiate between elements of the same type or with the same function or with a similar function in a further embodiment.

FIG. 1 shows a cleaning device 11 which is provided for the targeted cleaning of dirt. The cleaning device 11 has a handle 13 . A handle 16 is attached to the first end 15 of the handle 13 , while a support element 19 is provided at the second end 17 . The support member 19 includes, inter alia, a brush 21 and a wheel 23. The wheel 23 serves as a support for the cleaning device 11, so that when the cleaning device 11 is supported on the floor, the wheel 23 at least can absorb half the weight of the cleaning device 11. The handle 16 makes it possible to carry the cleaning device 11 with just one hand. The supporting element 19 has a cylindrical structure, with its cylinder axis being arranged perpendicularly to the stem 13 . The stem 13 is attached at about the middle of the cylinder height of the support member 19, so that the stem 13 and the support member 19 are T-shaped together. The brush 21 and the wheel 23 are attached to the two opposite ends of the support member 19 to form the top and bottom surfaces of the cylindrical support member 19, respectively. The second end 17 of the handle comes to rest approximately midway between the brush 21 and the wheel 23 . The brush 21 is also cylindrical. The cylinder axes of the wheel 23, the support member 19 and the brush 21 are all parallel to each other. At the same time, as a result, the cylinder axis of the wheel 23 and the cylindrical brush 21 is arranged perpendicularly to the handle 13 . Both the wheel 23 and the brush 21 protrude beyond the support element 19 in the radial direction. As a result, the support element 19 never comes into contact with the ground.

A cover 24 is fitted around the brush 21 . This essentially covers about half of the outer surface of the brush 21. The cover 24 is shaped as a hollow semi-cylinder which has the same cylinder axis as the brush 21. The brush 21 comes to rest between the top and bottom surfaces of the cylindrical cover 24 . That half of the brush 21 which faces the first end 15 of the handle 13 is surrounded by the cover 24 .

The brush 21 has an electric drive. This is powered by a battery 25 or a rechargeable battery. The battery 25 or rechargeable battery is intended to be attached to the handle 13 of the cleaning device 11 . The battery 25 or rechargeable battery is attached approximately in the middle of the handle 13, the distance to the first end 15 of the handle 13 being shorter than that to the second end 17. From the battery 25 or the rechargeable battery there is a line along the handle 13 arranged up to the electric drive of the brush 21.

The cleaning device 11 has a pipe 27 for conducting a mixture of gas and liquid. The tube 27 is attached to the stem 13 such that it is substantially parallel to the stem 13 . The tube 27 has an interface 31 at a first end 29 . A nozzle 35 is attached to its second end 33 . the Interface 31 is used to receive a liquid-gas mixture through the tube 27. The nozzle 35 at the second end 33 conveys the liquid-gas mixture carried in the tube 27 onto the surface to be cleaned. The nozzle 35 is bent on the support element 19 in such a way that the direction of the nozzle 35 is essentially tangential to the outer surface of the cylindrical brush 21 .

A second handle 36 perpendicular to the handle 13 is attached to the first end 15 of the handle 13 . This is arranged on that side of the handle 13 on which the brush 21 is attached. The length of the second handle 36 is approximately as large as half the length of the support element 19. Both the diameter and the length of the second handle 36 are selected in such a way that a person can grasp the second handle 36 with one hand. The second handle 36 offers, among other things, the possibility of hanging the cleaning device 11 on this second handle 36, for example on a hook which can be mounted on a wall or ceiling.

FIG. 2 shows the second end 17 of the handle 13 of the cleaning device 11 from FIG. 1, to which the carrying element 19 is attached. The brush 21 comprises a steel brush whose diameter is a multiple of its width. About half of the brush 21 is covered by the cover 24 and cannot be seen. The tube 27 for guiding the liquid-gas mixture is guided along the stem 13 and arranged on the support element 19 in such a way that the tube 27 projects beyond the support element 19 with its second end 33 . The tube 27 has a vertical deflection at its second end 33 so that the opening of the tube 27 points in the direction of the brush 21 . In this direction, the tube 27 protrudes until it comes to rest with the brush 21 at the same height. At this point of the tube 27 another right-angled deflection is provided, so that the opening of the tube 27 is directed approximately tangentially to the lateral surface of the brush 21. In order to be able to have a tangential orientation to the outside of the brush, the first deflection is far enough away from the central axis of the brush 21 that such a second deflection is possible. The second deflection forms the second end 33 of the tube 35. At the second end 33 of the tube 27, as already mentioned above, a nozzle 35 is provided. The nozzle 35 conveys the mixture carried in the tube 27 onto the surface to be cleaned. The nozzle 35 is aligned in such a way that it sprays the mixture approximately tangentially to the outside of the brush 21 . The embodiment in FIG. 3 essentially differs in the design of the support element 19 and the brush 21 from the embodiment in FIG. The support element 19 is attached to the second end 17 of the stem 13 in an articulated manner. The support element 19 has a rectangular basic shape. The stem 13 is attached to the center of a longitudinal side of the rectangular support member 19 . Due to its articulated mounting, the handle 13 can pivot in the longitudinal direction of the rectangular support element 19 . The stem 13 is attached to the upper side of the support element 19 .

At its first end 15 the handle 13 has a handle 36 which is arranged perpendicularly to the handle 13 and is also directed perpendicularly to the pivoting direction of the handle 13 . The handle 36 extends on two sides of the handle 13 so that it forms a T together with this. Among other things, the cleaning device 11 can be hung on a hook on the handle 36 .

A brush 21 is provided on the support element 17 and comes to lie on the underside of the support element 19 . At the other end of the rectangular support member 19, two wheels 23,23' are attached to the underside of the support member 19. The wheels 23, 23' are of the same size and, together with the brush 21, form the contact between the cleaning device 11 and the floor. The wheels 23, 23' are arranged at the corners of the support element 19 and thereby prevent the cleaning device 11 from tilting sideways. The wheels 23, 23' are mounted in such a way that they can each rotate about the axis perpendicular to the surface.

The brush 21 has a cylindrical shape, with the cleaning surface of the brush 21 being formed by the base of the cylinder. A round disc 37 with a diameter about half the diameter but the same central axis as the brush 21 is attached to the brush. This disk 37 is provided as a bearing for receiving a belt 39 . The belt 39 drives the disc 37 and thus also the brush 21 and causes them to rotate. The belt is driven by a drive shaft 41 attached to the support element 19 of the cleaning device 11. The drive shaft 41 is attached to the support element 19 in such a way that it comes to lie perpendicular to the plane spanned by the support element 19, with one end of the drive shaft 41 being below and the other end above the support member 19. At that end of the drive shaft 41, which is below the support member, is a Drive pulley 43 mounted on brush 21 with the same dimensions as pulley 37. The two disks 37, 43 come to rest at the same height, as a result of which the belt 39 is directed parallel to the plane spanned by the support element 19. An electric motor 45 is attached to the drive shaft 41 . This is intended for the conversion of electrical work into mechanical work. A battery 25 is attached to the handle 13 of the cleaning device 11 . The battery 25 provides the electrical energy required to drive the electric motor 45 attached to the drive shaft 41 . The battery 25 is mounted away from the first end of the stick 13 by a quarter of the total length of the stick 13 .

On top of the brush 21 there is a tube 27 for feeding a liquid-gas mixture to the brush. The tube 27 comes to lie perpendicular to the plane spanned by the support element. The length of the tube 27 is slightly larger than the diameter of the brush 21.

FIG. 4 shows the support element 19 of the cleaning device 11 from FIG. 3 from below. As already described above, the base of the brush 21 forms its cleaning surface. The spurs of the brush 21 are arranged such that the cleaning surface of the brush 21 is an annulus. The center of the circular ring is not interspersed with spores and is therefore free. The brush includes a body to which the spurs are attached. The tube 27 is guided through the middle of this base body in such a way that it forms a connection from the top of the base body to its underside. At the exit on the underside of the body of the brush 21, the tube 27 has an end to which a nozzle 35 is attached. The nozzle 35 is intended to be directed perpendicular to the surface to be cleaned.

The cleaning device 11 is preferably integrated in a cleaning system. FIG. 5 shows a schematic representation of a cleaning system with a cleaning device 11 according to the invention. The cleaning system includes a container or tank 47 for collecting and storing water. A steam generator 49 is connected to the water tank 47 via a pipe so that the water is guided from the water tank 47 to the steam generator 49 . A heating element 51 for heating the water is provided in the steam generator 49 . The steam generator 49 is connected to a control unit 53, which is used to set Development of a certain ratio of water and water vapor in the steam generator 49 is used. The control unit 53 achieves this by activating the heating element 51 in the steam generator 49. The steam generator 49 transmits the information about the ratio of water and water vapor in the steam generator 49 to the control unit 53 as feedback. The control unit 53 can react to this feedback from the steam generator 49 and corresponding commands to the heating element 51. A specific ratio of water and water vapor in the steam generator 49 can thus be achieved. The steam generator 49 is also connected to a pump 55 . The pump 55 increases the pressure of the water-steam mixture from the steam generator 49 to a pressure desired or required for cleaning. Another line is arranged between the pump 55 and the cleaning device 11 . This preferably has a greater length than the other lines in the cleaning system, since this allows the cleaning device 11 to be transported further away from the other components in the cleaning system without having to accept any losses in its function. The line between the pump 55 and the cleaning device 11 is able to promote the pressurized water-steam mixture as loss-free as possible from the pump 55 to the cleaning device 11.

Whilst specific embodiments have been described above, it is obvious that different combinations of the illustrated embodiment possibilities can be used insofar as the embodiment possibilities are not mutually exclusive.

REFERENCE LIST:

11 cleaning device

13 guiding element

15 First end of the guide element

16 First grip

17 Second end of guide element

19 support element

21 brush

23, 23' support

24 Cover around brush

25 battery/ rechargeable battery

27 tube

29 First end of the tube

31 interface on the pipe

33 Second end of the tube

35 nozzle

36 Second handle

37 First drive pulley

39 straps

41 drive shaft

43 Second drive pulley

45 electric motor

47 water tank

49 steam generators

51 heating element 53 control unit

55 pump

Claims

EXPECTATIONS

1. Cleaning device (11) for cleaning a surface, comprising a guide element (13) with a support element (19) at its first end, wherein the guide element (13) serves to guide the support element (19), a rotatable on the support element (19). arranged and cylindrical brush (21), the brush (21) being driven by a drive shaft (41), a support (23) arranged on the carrying element (19) which rests on the surface when the cleaning device (11) is in operation, the brush (21) is arranged at a first end of the support element (19) and the support (23) is arranged at a second end of the support element (19) opposite the first end, a tube (27) which is arranged on the guide element (13). and a nozzle (35) which is arranged at the first end of the tube (29), the first end of the tube (29) coming to rest on that side on which the support element (19) is attached to the guide element (13). and the tube (27) at its two th end (33) has an interface (31) for receiving liquid and/or gas, characterized in that the nozzle (35) is directed towards an active surface, the active surface being defined by the vertical projection of the outline of the brush (21) is formed to the cleaning surface.

2. Cleaning device (11) according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide element (13) is in the form of a handle.

3. Cleaning device (11) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the support comprises at least one wheel (23) or a skid.

4. Cleaning device (11) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the brush (21) can rotate in both directions.

5. Cleaning device (11) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the drive shaft (41) is driven by an electric motor (45). A cleaning device (11) according to claim 5, characterized in that a battery (25) is provided on the cleaning device (11) to supply power to the electric motor (45). Cleaning device (11) according to Claim 6, characterized in that the battery (25) is attached to the guide element (13). Cleaning device (11) according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the contact surface of the brush (21) forms an active surface with the surface to be cleaned. Cleaning device (11) according to Claim 8, characterized in that the effective area of the cleaning device (11) is at most 320 cm ² , preferably at most 160 cm ² . Cleaning device (11) according to one of Claims 3 to 9, characterized in that the axis of rotation of the wheel (23) runs parallel to the axis of rotation of the brush (21). Cleaning device (11) according to one of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the nozzle (35) is directed tangentially to the outer surface of the brush (21). Cleaning device (11) according to one of Claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the cleaning device (11) has a mass of less than 10 kg, in particular less than 7 kg. Cleaning device (11) according to one of Claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the guide element (13) together with the support element (19) has a T-shaped structure. Cleaning system with a water tank (47) for storing water, a steam generator (49) which is connected to the water tank (47) and can heat the water supplied from the water tank (47) and generate steam, a pump (55) which the pressure of the water-water vapor mixture in the Increased steam generator (49), a control device (53) which is connected to the steam generator (49) and which allows the setting of a specific ratio of water and steam, and a cleaning device (11) according to one of Claims 1 to 13. Cleaning system according to claim 14, characterized in that the steam generator (49) has a heating element (51) which is preferably operated with fossil fuels. Cleaning system according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that the cleaning device (11) is designed in such a way to absorb a water-water vapor mixture amount of up to 12 dm ³ per minute with a ratio of about 50% water and 50% water vapour. Method for cleaning a surface according to the following steps;

- providing water in a tank (47),

- feeding the water from the tank (47) into a steam generator (49),

- heating the water so that a water-water vapor mixture is produced,

- increasing the pressure of the water-steam mixture using a rump (55),

- Feeding the pressurized water-steam mixture to a cleaning device (11) and

- Promote the water-steam mixture on the surface to be cleaned characterized by

- simultaneous processing of the surface to be cleaned with a rotating brush (21), which is attached to the cleaning device (11), and that the water-water vapor mixture in the cleaning device (11) has a temperature of 100°C to 200°C and a pressure of a maximum of 30 bar. Process according to Claim 17, characterized in that the water-steam mixture has a temperature of 110°C to 150°C. Method according to Claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the water-steam mixture has a pressure of at most 20 bar, preferably at most 10 bar. Method according to one of Claims 17 to 19, characterized in that the water in the steam generator (49) is heated to such an extent that the proportion by weight of water in the water-steam mixture is between 40% and 60%, preferably between 45% and 55% Cleaning lance with a pronounced length compared to its cross-sectional area before comprising a cleaning device (11) according to any one of claims 1 to 13.