Floor cleaning apparatus with offset cleaning unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11638511-B2
Application number	US-201916531409-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2019
Priority date	Oct 2, 2014
Publication date	May 2, 2023
Grant date	May 2, 2023

Abstract

An apparatus for cleaning a floor includes a housing, wheels by which the apparatus is adapted to move; a motive device for moving the apparatus, a steering mechanism, and a cleaning assembly including a cleaning unit and an offset mechanism adapted to move the cleaning unit to or from an offset position projecting beyond one lateral side of the apparatus. In another embodiment, an apparatus for cleaning a floor includes a housing, wheels by which the apparatus is adapted to move, a motive device for moving the apparatus, a steering mechanism, and a cleaning assembly including a cleaning unit and a swing mechanism indirectly linking the cleaning unit to the steering mechanism such that when the apparatus is in an operative mode, the cleaning unit reorients its position in synchronization with the path of travel of the apparatus. Optionally, a lifting device may raise and lower the cleaning assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A floor cleaning apparatus for cleaning a floor, the apparatus adapted to traverse a path of travel, comprising:
a housing;
a plurality of wheels by which the floor cleaning apparatus is adapted to move across the floor in a direction of travel, the direction of travel at least partially defining a front end, a back end, and first and second lateral sides of the floor cleaning apparatus;
a motive device for moving the apparatus across the floor;
a steering mechanism operationally coupled to at least one of the plurality of wheels to guide the path of the floor cleaning apparatus; wherein the steering mechanism may comprise at least one of a steering wheel, hand gears, hand levers, steering linkage, a user interface, a dash board, and a steering axle; and
a cleaning assembly comprising;
a cleaning unit that cleans the floor when the floor cleaning apparatus is in an operative mode, wherein the cleaning unit comprises at least one of a brush assembly, dispenser, burnishing device, polishing device, sweeping device, vacuum device, scrubbing pads and/or combinations thereof;
a swing mechanism linking the cleaning unit to the steering mechanism such that when the floor cleaning apparatus is in the operative mode, the cleaning unit reorients its position in synchronization with the path of travel of the floor cleaning apparatus; wherein the swing mechanism links the cleaning unit and steering mechanism via at least one of a pivot wheel, support plate, endless belt, endless cable, or Bowden Belt; and
an offset mechanism separate from the swing mechanism, the offset mechanism adapted to move the cleaning unit between a non-offset position and an offset position, the cleaning unit being selectively placed in the operative mode in either of the non-offset and offset positions; wherein the offset mechanism comprises mechanical actuation or electrical actuation; wherein the mechanical actuation comprises a manual shifting device, linkage to a foot pedal, linkage to a hand operated lever, button activation, switch activation, or a touch panel; and wherein the electrical actuation comprises an input device to actuate a DC motor or AC motor.

2. The floor cleaning apparatus of claim 1 comprising a lifting device adapted to selectively raise and lower the cleaning assembly; wherein the lifting device comprises a framework powered to raise and lower the cleaning assembly.

3. The floor cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cleaning unit comprises any of:
a motor-driven scrubbing brush;
a scrubbing pad;
a polisher;
a vacuum system;
a spray extractor;
a reservoir for storing fresh cleaning liquid;
a reservoir for storing spent cleaning liquid;
a device for dispensing fresh cleaning liquid onto the floor; and
a squeegee/vacuum system for recovering spent cleaning liquid from the floor.

4. The floor cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cleaning the cleaning unit has a fixed working width defined by a working width of a cleaning implement of the cleaning unit that effects cleaning of the floor; and wherein the cleaning implement comprises brushes or a scrubbing pad driven by a motor.

5. The floor cleaning apparatus of claim 4 wherein the cleaning implement comprises a plurality of motor-driven scrubbing brushes adapted to clean the floor in the operative mode in either of the non-offset and offset positions.

6. The floor cleaning apparatus of claim 4 wherein the cleaning implement comprises a squeegee/vacuum system for recovering spent cleaning liquid from the floor in the operative mode in either of the non-offset and offset positions.

7. The floor cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the swing mechanism links the cleaning unit to the steering mechanism at a pivot wheel that is spaced from the steering mechanism, the rotation of the pivot wheel in response to steering changes defining a pivot axis about which the cleaning unit pivots, and particularly wherein the pivot wheel and pivot axis move with the cleaning unit between the non-offset position and the offset position.

8. The floor cleaning apparatus of claim 7 wherein the pivot wheel and steering mechanism define a transition ratio between a degree of turn of the steering mechanism and a degree of turn of the cleaning unit.

9. The floor cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein when the steering mechanism guides the path of the cleaning apparatus towards a first lateral side of the cleaning apparatus, the cleaning unit pivots in synchronization with the steering mechanism towards a second opposite lateral side of the cleaning apparatus.

10. The floor cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cleaning unit includes one or more biasing members configured to facilitate movement of the offset mechanism and thus of the cleaning unit to and from an offset position, and wherein when the cleaning unit is in the offset position, the biasing members bias the cleaning unit towards the offset position, but permit the cleaning unit to move toward the non-offset position, toward an underside of the apparatus whenever said cleaning unit is operating in an offset position and bumps into an obstacle, and wherein after engagement with the obstacle has discontinued, the cleaning unit returns to the offset position with the assistance of the biasing members; and wherein the biasing members comprise one or more springs that facilitate movement of the offset mechanism.

11. The floor cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein in the offset position, the cleaning unit projects beyond only one lateral side of the floor cleaning apparatus.

12. A floor cleaning apparatus for cleaning a floor, the apparatus adapted to traverse a path of travel, comprising:
a housing;
a plurality of wheels by which the floor cleaning apparatus is adapted to move across the floor in a direction of travel, the direction of travel at least partially defining a front end, a back end, and first and second lateral sides of the floor cleaning apparatus;
a motive device for moving the apparatus across the floor;
a steering mechanism; wherein the steering mechanism may comprise at least one of a steering wheel, hand gears, hand levers, steering linkage, a user interface, a dash board, and a steering axle; and
a cleaning assembly comprising:
a cleaning unit, wherein the cleaning unit comprises at least one of a brush assembly, dispenser, burnishing device, polishing device, sweeping device, vacuum device, scrubbing pads, and/or combinations thereof;
a swing mechanism linking the cleaning unit to the steering mechanism and configured such that, when the floor cleaning apparatus is in an operative mode, the cleaning unit reorients its position in synchronization with the path of travel of the floor cleaning apparatus, wherein the swing mechanism links the cleaning unit and steering mechanism via at least one of a pivot wheel, support plate, endless belt, endless cable, or Bowden Belt; and
an offset mechanism operable independent of the swing mechanism, the offset mechanism adapted to move the cleaning unit to or from an offset position,

wherein the offset mechanism is configured to enable the cleaning unit to move from a non-offset position and cleaning mode to an offset position and cleaning mode, or from an offset position and cleaning mode to a non-offset position and cleaning mode, and wherein the floor cleaning apparatus is configured to operate selectively in either the offset cleaning mode or the non-offset cleaning mode, and wherein the offset mechanism comprises mechanical actuation or electrical actuation; wherein the mechanical actuation comprises a manual shifting device, linkage to a foot pedal, linkage to a hand operated lever, but

Assignees

• Diversey Inc

Inventors

• Baertsch Andre
• Gehrig Peter
• Jaehde Philipp

Classifications

• A47L11/4038

  Disk shaped surface treating tools · CPC title

• A47L11/4061

  Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated · CPC title

• A47L11/4013

  Contaminants collecting devices, i.e. hoppers, tanks or the like · CPC title

• A47L11/305

  the tools being disc brushes · CPC title

• A47L11/4055

  for lifting the tools to a non-working position · CPC title