Patent Application
20110047730
The present invention relates to a system for using a cleaning chemical with a floor cleaning machine and a method of distributing cleaning chemicals from the machine.
Floor cleaning machines, which include scrubbers, are well-known devices utilized for cleaning and maintaining floor surfaces. Generally, there are two types of scrubbers, both of which distribute water, or a cleaning fluid solution, on a floor where it can be worked by brushes or pads to clean the floor.
Typically, in a first type of scrubber an operator simply adds a cleaning chemical to a fluid, for example, clean water, that is in an onboard fluid tank. The operator meters a predetermined amount of the cleaning chemical into a measuring device, such as a measuring cup, and then pours the cleaning chemical into the onboard fluid tank which results in a cleaning fluid. Often the rate at which the machine draws the cleaning chemical out of the onboard fluid tank is varied by the operator.
However, various floors and surfaces have different physical characteristics that require them to be cleaned with different cleaning fluids or approaches. Further, the various floors and surfaces are subject to different kinds and amounts of debris and dirt. Consequently, the above-described first type of scrubber is not optimized for dealing with various types of floors and various kinds and amounts of dirt and debris. Instead, this first type of scrubber simply puts down whatever cleaning solution (defined in the first type of scrubber as fluid that flows from the onboard fluid tank) is in the onboard fluid tank regardless of the floor type or debris encountered. As a result, it has been found that this first type of scrubber is ineffective and inefficient at cleaning floors.
Further, even if the operator recognizes that a particular floor or a particular dirt/debris problem on a floor requires a different cleaning approach or cleaning solution, the operator may have to empty the entire onboard fluid tank so that a proper overall cleaning solution can be attained. It can be readily appreciated that emptying the entire onboard fluid tank wastes cleaning chemicals, fluid, operator time, and undesirably takes the scrubber out of service.
On the other hand, some operators may recognize the need for a different cleaning chemical ratio in the onboard fluid tank for a particular cleaning problem and thereby may try to increase or decrease the cleaning chemical ratio by further adding water or a cleaning chemical to the onboard fluid tank. It has been found, however, that many times the operator's calculation for increasing or decreasing an overall cleaning chemical ratio of a cleaning solution in the onboard fluid tank is incorrect or is made too casually. This results in wasted cleaning chemicals and an inefficient cleaning method.
In a second type of scrubber, cleaning chemical metering systems are utilized to draw a cleaning chemical from a separate chemical container and combine it with clean water as the water flows out of the onboard fluid tank, where an overall cleaning solution for the second type of scrubber is defined as the combination of the cleaning chemical with the fluid from the onboard fluid tank.
There are numerous disadvantages associated with the current known designs for this second type of scrubber. For example, when the chemical metering system is activated, it only permits fluid (e.g., water) to be drawn from the onboard fluid tank at a single, fixed rate. Since some cleaning circumstances call for increased or decreased fluid flow, this is a disadvantage. Further, the chemical metering system makes it difficult to change a type of cleaning chemical and a rate at which the cleaning chemical is drawn from the separate chemical container.
For example, one design of this second type of scrubber locates a means for changing a rate change of fluid being drawn from the onboard fluid tank at the front of the scrubber, while the operator's station is at the rear of the scrubber. This same design also requires the use of specially designed chemical containers that are only available from the manufacturer of the scrubber, which have their own signaling means to alert the operator of level/amount of cleaning chemicals remaining in the chemical containers. These specially designed chemical containers add to the expense of the system and do not permit an operator to use chemical containers from other suppliers that may be less expensive and equally, if not more, effective.
It would, therefore, be preferable for a scrubber operator to have the opportunity to tailor not only the type of cleaning fluid to be used on a particular floor, but also to tailor the type, amount, and/or concentration of the selected cleaning chemical to be combined with the fluid from the onboard fluid tank and to permit the operator to do so from a convenient location. It would also be preferable that the overall cleaning solution concentration (i.e., the overall combination of the cleaning chemical with the fluid) be easily selectable so that the cleaning chemical and time are both optimized.
A chemical distribution system for an automatic floor scrubber, which has a body portion mounted on a set of wheels, comprises the following elements. A fluid tank contains a fluid solution and has a fluid tank line. A valve control has a valve control line. An adjustment valve is connected to the fluid tank line and is also connected to the valve control line. The adjustment valve also has a valve fluid line.
At least one chemical container is disposed on or within a floor scrubber body portion, where the chemical container contains a cleaning chemical solution and has a chemical container line connected to the chemical container. A chemical pump is connected to the chemical container line and the chemical pump has a chemical pump line. A pump control has a pump control line electrically connected to the chemical pump and the pump control also has a flow meter feedback line. A tee has a first port that is connected to the valve fluid line, a second port is connected to the chemical pump line, and a third port is connected to a tee line.
A flow meter is connected to the tee line. Also, the flow meter is connected to the flow meter feedback line, so as to be connected in a closed feedback loop to the pump control and the chemical pump. Further, the flow meter is connected to at least one outlet line to distribute a combination of the fluid solution and the cleaning chemical solution to pads and/or a floor.
The advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description when considered in light of the accompanying drawings in which:
It is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative orientations and step sequences, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts. Hence, specific dimensions, directions or other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed are not to be considered as limiting, unless expressly stated otherwise.
The automatic floor scrubber 10 is constructed of a body portion 12 mounted on a set of wheels 14 (one or more not shown but common in the art) that permits the body portion 12 to be moved over a floor F. Machine controls 16 are provided for an operator to turn the machine 10 on and off, to steer and control the speed of the machine 10 and monitor machine performance, among other functions provided by automatic scrubbers in general. The machine controls 16 are provided at a rear portion 18 of the machine 10, where the operator is located.
In general, the flow of fluids 22, 24, 24a-n, 26, 26′ throughout
The fluid solution 22 flows out of the fluid tank 44 via gravity, or may be drawn out by a pump (not shown). Subsequently, the fluid solution 22 is combined with a chemical solution 24 to result in an overall cleaning solution 26. The overall cleaning solution 26 is then sprayed or distributed by the floor outlet line 42 directly onto the floor F as shown, or by respective outlet lines 34, 40 to floor cleaning pads 46, 48, via one or more nozzles (not shown). As a result, the floor cleaning pads 46, 48 scrub the overall cleaning solution 26 on the floor F surface to clean the floor F.
Further to the construction of the scrubber 10, one or more motors 50 may be located in the body portion 12 as well. The motors 50 power drive systems (not shown) that move the machine 10 over the floor F. One such drive system may have an electric motor powered by one or more batteries (not shown), which would also be located in the body portion 12. The motor 50 is connected to various controls and functioning parts and is electronically linked to the machine controls 16. The motor 50 may be physically linked to the wheels 14 so that the operator can control the scrubber 10 at the desired speed over the floor F.
The same motor 50, or different motors located in the body portion 12, may rotate the floor cleaning pads 46, 48. The pads 46, 48 may be located at a forward portion 52 of the body portion 12, although other locations are permissible. The pads 46, 48 are readily replaceable, as they wear out over time with use. Therefore, different pads 46, 48 can be used for different floor surfaces F and different cleaning circumstances.
The body portion 12 also supports a recovery tank 54. The recovery tank 54 is connected to a vacuum system (only partially shown). The vacuum system, which may be powered by the motor 50, vacuums an overall cleaning solution 26. Once the overall cleaning solution 26 has been worked into the floor F, it typically contains debris that is undesirable to leave on the floor F, and it is undesirable to leave the floor F wet because it is slippery.
Hence, the vacuum system draws cleaning solution from the floor F into the recovery tank 54. The recovery tank 54 can then be emptied in a preferred location at the operator's convenience.
One or more squeegees 56 may be used to direct and collect the cleaning solution from the floor F. The squeegee(s) 56 is typically located at the rear portion 18 of the machine 10 and positioned against the floor F to wipe the floor F of any excess cleaning solution 26 that then contains debris and other contaminants.
The container receptacle 58 may be a separate component that is attached to the body portion 12 or it may be integrally formed, one-piece and unitary with the body portion 12. In the depicted embodiment 10, the container receptacle 58 is a separate component that is attached to the body portion 12 with mechanical fasteners 59, like screws that are common in the art. Other means, in addition to or separately from mechanical fasteners, may be utilized as well.
The container receptacle 58 preferably comprises a five sided holding device with four sides 60 and a bottom surface 62 connected to the sides. It is preferred that the sides 60 and bottom surface 62 are fluid tight, since on the other side of the sides 60 and bottom surface 62, there is the fluid solution 22 of the fluid tank 44.
Preferably, the top 64 of the container receptacle 58 is open so that removable chemical containers 66 of solution can be easily added or removed from the receptacle 58. It is within the scope of the present invention for the container receptacle 58 to have a top cover (as shown in
The container receptacle 58 depicted in
A standard removable chemical container 66 is depicted as being partially located in the container receptacle 58. Preferably, the container receptacle 58 is of a predetermined depth so as to maintain the removable chemical container 66 securely during operation of the machine. It is also preferred that the container receptacle 58 has sufficient depth so that the removable chemical container 66 sits low enough on the machine 10 so as not to interfere with the operation, including storage, of the machine 10. It is also within the scope of the present invention for the removable chemical container 66 to reside entirely within the container receptacle 58, like the internal chemical containers 66a, . . . , n depicted in
A quick connect connection 70 is provided on an end 72 of a chemical container line 28. The connection 70 may be such as a male-female coupling or a threaded connection that permits the chemical container line 28 to be easily and yet securely connected to the removable chemical container 66. Preferably, the chemical container line 28 extends beyond the connection 70 and into the removable chemical container 66, as shown by the dashed line extending into the removable chemical container 66 that is illustrated in
This arrangement permits almost any known floor removable chemical containers 66 to be used with the present invention at any time. For example, an operator may begin with one removable chemical container 66 for one floor area F. During cleaning, the operator may determine that a different solution is required based on a different floor type and/or different dirt or debris encountered. The operator may remove the original removable chemical container 66 from the container receptacle 58, disconnect it from the chemical container line 28, connect a different removable chemical container (not shown) to the chemical container line 28, locate the removable chemical container 66 in the container receptacle 58 and continue cleaning. It can be appreciated that the removable chemical container 66 could first be located the in the container receptacle 58 and then a different removable chemical container could be connected to the chemical container line 28.
It can also be appreciated that multiple containers 66 located in separate container receptacles 58, each of which could have a different removable chemical container 66 with a different cleaning chemical therein, could be located in the machine 10. These individual receptacles 58 would be similar to those illustrated in
The chemical container line 28 extends from the quick connect connection 70 rearwardly from the container receptacle 58. In the depicted embodiment 10, the chemical container line 28 extends into the body portion 12 rearwardly to the rear portion 18. The chemical container line 28 may be a single continuous line or it may comprise a plurality of lines 28a, b, . . . , n connected together as discussed later for a second embodiment 10′ and illustrated in
The chemical pump 74 may be any fluid pump, such as, but not limited to, bellows, centrifugal, diaphragm, drum, flexible liner, gear, manual or hand, piston, rotary lobe or vane, or peristaltic.
A chemical pump line 30 extends from the pump 74. As shown in
The fluid tank line 36 from the fluid tank 44 is connected to the input side of an adjustment valve 80, which is controlled by way of a valve control line 82 from a valve control 84. The valve control line 82 may be electrically, mechanically, or manually controlling. The output side of the adjustment valve 80 is connected to a valve fluid line 32 which is connected to a second port of the tee 78.
As a result of the two incoming connections to the tee 78, the fluid solution 22 flows from the fluid tank 44 through to the second port of the tee 78 by gravity or a fluid pump (not shown). Then, in the tee 78, the chemical solution 24 from the chemical container 66 combines with the fluid solution 22 from the fluid tank 44 to result in the overall cleaning solution 26 that flows from the third port of the tee 78, by way of the tee line 38. In turn, the tee line 38 is connected to a flow meter 86.
The flow meter 86 may be of any known design for determining fluid flow through a fluid line. The flow meter 86 is used to communicate an open loop feedback flow rate through the tee line 38, by way of a flow meter feedback line 88, to the pump control 76 and then by way of a pump control line 90 to the chemical pump 74. Also, the flow rate through the tee line 38 can be communicated, preferably electrically, to an operator by way of a flow display line 92 that is connected to a flow display 94 that is visible by the operator who, as mentioned earlier, is located at the rear of the scrubber 10.
The flow meter 86 is then connected to various means of distributing the overall cleaning solution 26 to the floor F so as to clean the floor F. As shown in
The flow of the fluid solution 22 and chemical solutions 24, 24a-n, the setting of the ratio of chemical solutions 24, 24a-n over fluid solution, and the pumping rate of overall cleaning solutions 26, 26′ is provided by the chemical pump 74 in conjunction with the flow meter 86 and pump control 76, which are in a closed feedback loop. These functions are provided to the scrubber operator at the rear portion 18 of the scrubber 10, 10′ which makes it convenient for the operator.
Also, even though the placement of the containers 66, 66a-n is shown located in the front 52 of the machines 10, 10′, it can be appreciated that these containers 66, 66a-n could be located anywhere (for example, in the rear 18 or on the sides) in much the same manner as that described for the front portion 52 of the body portion 12. The location selection would depend on scrubber design-wise considerations or if the location would provide operational convenience to the operator. In any case, the containers 66a-n could be integrally formed, one-piece and unitary with the body portion 12.
In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the present invention has been described in what is considered to represent its preferred embodiments. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.
This application claims the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. §119(e), of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/275,621, filed Aug. 31, 2009, under 35 U.S.C. §111(b), which application is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61275621 | Aug 2009 | US |
