Cleaning machine having joint device and cleaning machine having drive device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12569100-B2
Application number	US-202117501763-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2021
Priority date	Apr 15, 2019
Publication date	Mar 10, 2026
Grant date	Mar 10, 2026

Abstract

The invention relates to a cleaning machine, including a cleaning head, a holding rod device and a joint device by means of which the holding rod device is articulated to pivot on the cleaning head. Arranged on the holding rod device is a connection element that has a first region and a second region, wherein the second region is at a spacing from the first region in a transverse direction and the transverse direction is oriented transversely to a longitudinal axis of the holding rod device, wherein the connection element is connected by way of the second region to a joint of the joint device with which a pivot axis is associated, and wherein the connection element is connected by way of the first region to the holding rod device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A cleaning machine, comprising
a cleaning head; a drive motor for rotary driving at least one cleaning roller and being arranged on the cleaning head; a holding rod device; and a joint device with which the holding rod device is articulated to pivot on the cleaning head; wherein arranged on the holding rod device is a connection element that articulates the holding rod device to the cleaning head and that has a first region and a second region; wherein the first region and the second region are connected in one piece to one another and the connection element takes the form of an angled element; wherein the second region is at a spacing from the first region in a transverse direction and the transverse direction is oriented transversely to a longitudinal axis of the holding rod device; wherein the connection element is connected by way of the second region to a joint of the joint device with which a pivot axis is associated; wherein the joint is a first joint of the joint device with a first pivot axis and the second region is directly connected to a shaft of the first joint; wherein the connection element is connected by way of the first region to the holding rod device at an underside of the holding rod device; wherein there is arranged or formed in the cleaning head a recess in which the joint is positioned, with the second region penetrating into the recess, at least with a part of the second region, and the shaft being seated in the recess; wherein the first pivot axis lies within the cleaning head between an underside of the cleaning head and an upper side of the cleaning head and in or below the recess; wherein the holding rod device is pivotal about the first pivot axis between a first position and a second position and in relation to a longitudinal axis of the holding rod device, the first region of the connection element is oriented at least approximately parallel to an enveloping plane at the upper side of the cleaning head; wherein in the second position the cleaning machine has its minimal height H in a height direction between the underside of the cleaning head and the upper side of the cleaning head, further comprising a first roller unit, a second roller unit, and a drive device for driving the first roller unit and the second roller unit in rotation, wherein the drive device has the drive motor that, in relation to a longitudinal direction of the cleaning head, is positioned between the first roller unit and the second roller unit, wherein the drive device comprises a gear device through which torque of the drive motor is transmissible to the first roller unit and the second roller unit, and wherein the gear device comprises a step-down gear, wherein a speed of rotation of the first roller unit and a speed of rotation of the second roller unit are less than a motor speed of the drive motor; wherein the gear device has a pinion arrangement, which acts as a two-stage step-down gear, and a belt arrangement, which acts as a one-stage step-down gear, wherein the belt arrangement is coupled to the pinion arrangement in a manner applying torque; and wherein the pinion arrangement has a first gearwheel-and-pinion combined unit coupled to the drive motor, and a second gearwheel-and-pinion combined unit coupled to the first gearwheel-and-pinion combined unit and to the belt arrangement.

2 . The cleaning machine according to claim 1 , wherein the second region is arranged at an angle to the first region, or wherein a transverse web is arranged between the first region and the second region.

3 . The cleaning machine according to claim 1 , wherein the first region is oriented coaxially relative to the longitudinal axis of the holding rod device.

4 . The cleaning machine according to claim 1 , wherein there is arranged on the cleaning head at least one cleaning tool, having at least one of the following:
the pivot axis of the joint is oriented at least approximately parallel to a planar surface on which the cleaning head is supported by the at least one cleaning tool, for a correct cleaning operation; the pivot axis is oriented at least approximately parallel to an enveloping plane of the at least one cleaning tool, in respect of contact with a surface to be cleaned; the pivot axis is oriented at least approximately parallel to an axis of rotation of the at least one cleaning tool; the pivot axis is oriented at least approximately parallel to a width direction of the cleaning head between a first lateral side and a second lateral side; the pivot axis is oriented transversely to a straight-ahead direction of travel of the cleaning head during a correct cleaning operation; the cleaning head has a front end and a rear end, wherein it extends in a longitudinal direction between the front end and the rear end, and the pivot axis lies transversely to the longitudinal direction of the cleaning head; at least one of the joint and the pivot axis lies between the front end and the rear end of the cleaning head, and lie at a centre between the front end and the rear end or closer to the centre than to the front end and to the rear end; at least one of the joint and the pivot axis lies, relative to the longitudinal direction of the cleaning head, closer to the rear end than to the front end.

5 . The cleaning machine according to claim 1 , wherein the connection element has a jaw-like opening that faces a rear end of the cleaning head.

6 . The cleaning machine according to claim 1 , wherein, in relation to the pivot axis, the holding rod device has the first position with at least one of the following:
the holding rod device is positioned, in relation to a longitudinal direction of the holding rod device, transversely to the cleaning head; the first region of the connection element is positioned transversely to the cleaning head; the cleaning machine has its greatest height in the height direction between the underside of the cleaning head and the upper side of the cleaning head; the second region of the connection element is positioned transversely to the cleaning head; the second region of the connection element is oriented at an obtuse angle to the cleaning head, relative to a jaw-like opening of the connection element between the first region and the second region; the obtuse angle of the orientation of the second region to the cleaning head corresponds to the difference between 270° and an obtuse angle between the first region and the second region.

7 . The cleaning machine according to claim 6 , wherein a fixing device for the purpose of fixing the first position with force locking is provided.

8 . The cleaning machine according to claim 7 , wherein the fixing device takes a form such that, if the cleaning head is set on a subsurface that is inclined by 10° to the horizontal in relation to the direction of gravity, the first position is maintained.

9 . The cleaning machine according to claim 7 , wherein the fixing device has a magnet device.

10 . The cleaning machine according to claim 1 , wherein a fixing device has a first element, which is arranged or formed on the cleaning head, and a second element, which is arranged or formed on the connection element, wherein the first element and the second element cooperate for the purpose of the force-locking fixing in the first position.

11 . The cleaning machine according to claim 10 , wherein the second element is arranged or formed on the second region of the connection element.

12 . The cleaning machine according to claim 10 , wherein the first element is a magnet or comprises a magnet that is arranged on the cleaning head, and the second element is

Assignees

• Kaercher Alfred Se & Co Kg

Inventors

• Moser Fabian
• Scharmacher Michael
• Kirschbaum Simon
• Rufenach Christoph

Classifications

• A47L2201/06

  Control of the cleaning action for autonomous devices; Automatic detection of the surface condition before, during or after cleaning · CPC title

• A47L2201/04

  Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection · CPC title

• A47L11/4075

  Handles; levers · CPC title

• A47L11/4069

  Driving or transmission means for the cleaning tools · CPC title

• A47L11/4041

  Roll shaped surface treating tools · CPC title