CLEANING DEVICE

Abstract

A cleaning device has a housing and a handle connected to the housing, with which the housing is moveable by hand with its underside over a floor. A brush roller is mounted in the housing so as to rotate and to be electrically rotatably drivable. The brush roller rests with a brush structure on the floor and the rotating brush roller picks up dirt particles with its brush structure as it passes over. A receiving compartment for dirt particles, which is arranged in the housing along the brush roller. A direction of rotation of the brush roller is towards the receiving compartment, so that dirt particles picked up from the floor by the brush roller are conveyed into the receiving compartment.

Description

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a cleaning device that is movable over a floor by way of a handle.

Cleaning devices, which are moved by hand over a floor with a handle, are known in various embodiments. A simple cleaning device of this type is, for example, a broom. Cleaning devices are also known in which a base plate can be pushed over the floor with the aid of a handle, and a dry or damp wiping cloth can be attached to the underside of the base plate. Cleaning devices with brush rollers are also known.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to propose a cleaning device that has a good cleaning function for floor cleaning and is adaptable to different cleaning tasks.

With the above and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a cleaning device, comprising:

• • a housing having an underside;
  • a handle connected to the housing and configured to enable the housing to be moveable by hand with the underside over a floor;
  • a brush roller rotatably mounted in the housing and electrically drivable, the brush roller resting with a brush structure on the floor and the rotating brush roller picking up dirt particles with the brush structure upon passing over the floor; and
  • a receiving compartment for receiving the dirt particles arranged in the housing along the brush roller, and the brush roller having a direction of rotation directed towards the receiving compartment, so that the dirt particles picked up from the floor with the brush roller are conveyed into the receiving compartment.

In other words, the objects of the invention are achieved by a cleaning device with a housing and a handle connected to the housing, with which the housing can be moved by hand with its underside over a floor to be cleaned. A brush roller is mounted in the housing so that it can rotate and be electrically driven in rotation. The brush roller rests with its brush structure on the floor and the rotating brush roller picks up dirt particles with its brush structure as it passes over. In addition, an emptiable receiving compartment for dirt particles is arranged in the housing along the brush roller, whereby the direction of rotation of the brush roller is towards the receiving compartment, so that dirt particles picked up from the floor by the brush roller are conveyed into the receiving compartment.

With the help of the handle, a person can move the cleaning device comfortably and without bending over a floor to be cleaned. When the rotary drive for the brush rollers is activated, dirt particles that have passed over are transported into the receiving compartment. The receiving compartment can then be conveniently emptied after completion of a cleaning process.

Advantageously, the end of the handle can be connected to the housing via a universal joint, so that the housing resting on the floor can be easily moved in all directions.

In addition, the handle can be detachably assembled from several handle parts, so that small sales and shipping units of the cleaning device are advantageously possible and storage is also possible in a space-saving manner.

Since the brush roller has an elongated shape, it is convenient if the housing has a flat, rectangular shape and the brush roller is arranged in a lateral edge region, preferably with the length of a rectangular side, most preferably a longitudinal rectangular side.

Constructively simple, an electric motor with gearbox and with at least one energy supply element, preferably at least one battery (e.g., a rechargeable battery), can be arranged on and in the brush roller as the rotary drive of the brush roller.

For activation of the brush roller, a conveniently operated on/off switch, preferably a foot switch, for the electric motor can be arranged on the housing top.

In a particularly preferred further embodiment of the cleaning device, the housing has two housing parts that can be detachably connected to one another:

A first housing part has a base plate which forms part of the bottom wall of the housing and to which the handle is attached, preferably in such a way that the handle is attached centrally via a universal joint on the upwardly facing side of the base plate.

A second housing part is designed as a cover shell part that can be detachably connected to the base plate, and can preferably be detachably plugged onto and fixed to the base plate by means of plug-in elements and/or clip elements. Such plug-in elements and/or clip elements can be elements and counter-elements integrated and formed on the cover shell part and on the base plate. In principle, detachable individual elements, for example clip parts, are also possible for connecting the housing parts.

The brush roller is arranged in the cover shell part, preferably in a shell side area. The cover shell part can cover the base plate (which is usually smaller than the cover shell part) and/or the brush roller can protrude or overlap the base plate so that the underside of the base plate and the brush roller are flush with the floor when the cleaning device is in the use position.

The brush roller can be covered by a shell edge region with a gap distance up to a floor gap. The floor gap is preferably large enough to allow dirt particles to pass over it and be picked up by the downstream rotating brush roller and transported further into the receiving compartment.

Advantageously, the shell edge region at least partially covering the brush roller can be made of transparent material so that a person can detect and check the roller rotation and dirt particle collection by simple visual inspection.

The receiving compartment is preferably designed in the cover shell part as a laterally extendable and drainable drawer compartment.

The receiving compartment is open at the top and has a floor wall, a roller-remote longitudinal sidewall and a roller-near longitudinal sidewall. The roller-remote longitudinal sidewall is higher than the roller-near longitudinal sidewall, with the roller-remote longitudinal sidewall resting against the underside of the top wall of the cover shell part when the receiving compartment is in the inserted state. In contrast, the roller-near longitudinal sidewall is comparatively lower and forms a feeding gap for dirt particles between the underside of the top wall of the cover shell part and the roller-near longitudinal sidewall when the receiving compartment is pushed in.

The brush roller bearings are designed to be easily detachable for roller exchange. Different brush rollers adapted to different cleaning tasks can be available and easily exchanged.

In particular, brush rollers with different brush structures can be used for different cleaning tasks. The term brush structure is to be understood in a broad and comprehensive sense and is expressly not limited to brushes and/or hair, as found, for example, on a broom. Likewise, the brush structure on the circumference of the brush rollers can also be formed, for example, by spaced lamellae and/or ribs, for example made of an elastomer material (such as rubber).

A particularly preferred brush structure is formed by preferably elastic lamellae spaced apart on the circumference of the brush roller in circumferential direction, which extend essentially over the roller length and/or are set obliquely towards the roller length centre in circumferential direction. Between the elastic longitudinal ribs there can also optionally be arranged longitudinal ribs which are spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction and are preferably elastic and whose respective length or longitudinal extent is shorter, preferably significantly shorter, than that of the lamellae.

Of course, the first housing part with the base plate can be used both with and without the cover shell part, i.e. in the latter case as a separate cleaning device. For this purpose, a dry or damp wiping cloth can be attached to the underside of the base plate, which engages over the base plate with at least two opposite edge regions and is held there releasably by means of retaining elements. Common elements such as hooks, spring tongues, hook-and-loop fasteners (Velcro® fasteners), etc. can be used as retaining elements. Particularly advantageously, the second housing part can be attached to a base plate equipped with a wiping cloth in this way as a cover shell part, whereby a combined cleaning effect is achieved by the wiping cloth and the brush roller.

Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a cleaning device, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.

The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary cleaning device according to the invention in its functional position;

FIG. 2 shows the cleaning device of FIG. 1 with a housing having two housing parts before the connection of the housing parts; and

FIG. 3 shows the cleaning device in the assembled state of the two housing parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail and first, in particular, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown an exemplary cleaning device 1 according to the invention with a handle 2 and with a flat, floor-side and rectangular housing 3 connected to it. The housing 3 can be pushed by a person with the handle 2 over a floor 4 with dirt particles 5, for example in the direction of the arrow 6. The housing 3 contains a brush roller 7 with an electric rotary drive. The electric rotary drive can be switched by means of a foot switch 8 on the top of the housing 3. When the device passes over the dirt particles 5, the rotating brush roller 7 picks up the dirt particles 5.

The function of the cleaning device 1 and its design are explained in greater detail in the enlarged views shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3:

FIG. 2 shows that the housing 3 has two housing parts 9, 15 that can be plugged to one another. A first housing part 9 has a base plate 10 and forms part of the lower wall of the housing 3. A universal joint 11 is arranged centrally on the base plate 10 as a connection to the handle 2. This allows the base plate 10, which rests on the floor 4, to be moved by hand in any direction, as indicated by the arrows 12. The handle 2 is obviously composed of several longitudinal parts that are plugged together, but this does not necessarily have to be the case. The handle 2 may also be telescopingly length-adjustable.

In FIG. 2, a wiping cloth 13 covering the base plate 10 is attached to the underside of the base plate 10, which overlaps the base plate 10 from below with two opposite edge regions 14a, 14b and is detachably held there by means of holding elements (not shown in detail). The first housing part 9 with a wiping cloth 13 on the base plate 10 can be used separately as a cleaning device without the second housing part 15. Likewise, the combination of first housing part and second housing part can be used both with wiping cloth 13 and without wiping cloth 13 as a cleaning device.

The second housing part 15 is designed as a cover shell part 16 that can be detachably attached to the base plate 10. For this purpose, an indentation 18 is cut out in the area of the universal joint 11 in the cover shell part 16 for free access of the universal joint 11 and simple lateral attachment of the cover shell part 16. The detachable plug-in connection is implemented here, for example, by four pins 17 projecting downwards from the cover shell part 16 and the corresponding counter receptacle 19 on the base plate 10.

As can be clearly seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, the brush roller 7 is arranged in a lateral edge region (shell edge region) of the cover shell part 16 and extends over the length of the longer rectangular side of the cover shell part 16. In particular, it can be seen from FIG. 2 that the cover shell part 16 covers the comparatively smaller base plate 10 and projects or engages over the base plate 10 with the brush roller 7 in such a way that the brush roller 7 comes to lie next to the base plate 10. This means that the underside of the base plate 10 and the brush roller 7 are essentially flush with the floor 4.

The brush roller 7 is covered by a shell edge region 20 with a gap distance. The shell edge region 20 is guided downward to such an extent that a floor gap 21 remains between floor 4 and shell edge region 20. The gap width of the floor gap 21 is for example selected to be as large as the maximum diameter of dirt particles to be picked up by the cleaning device 1.

The shell edge region 20 partially covering the brush roller 7 is made of transparent material so that the rotating brush roller 7 and its function are visible.

In FIG. 3, the arrow 22 indicates the direction of rotation of the brush roller 7, whereby it is evident that dirt particles are picked up and transported upwards into a receiving compartment 23 in the manner of a drawer compartment. FIG. 3 shows the receiving compartment 23 in a partially extended position. For emptying, the receiving compartment 23 can be pulled out completely.

The receiving compartment 23 is arranged downstream of the brush roller 7 and has a roller-remote longitudinal sidewall 24 and a roller-near longitudinal sidewall 25. The roller-remote longitudinal sidewall 24 is obviously higher than the roller-near longitudinal sidewall 25. In the inserted state of the receiving compartment 23, the roller-remote longitudinal sidewall is in contact with the underside of the upper wall of the cover shell part 16. The roller-near longitudinal sidewall 25 is comparatively lower and, in the inserted state of the drawer compartment 23, forms a feeding gap 26 for conveyed dirt particles between the underside of the top wall of the cover shell part 16 and the longitudinal sidewall 25 near the roll.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a preferred brush structure 27 on the circumference of the brush roller 7 consisting of elastic ribs and lamellae. The brush structure 27 can be formed from elastic lamellae 28, 28a, which are spaced apart in circumferential direction of the brush roller 10, project from the brush roller 10 and are set obliquely in circumferential direction towards the longitudinal centre of the roller. Elastic, spaced-apart longitudinal ribs 29 are arranged between the elastic lamellae 28a, 28b.

Claims

1. A cleaning device, comprising: a housing having an underside;a handle connected to said housing and configured to enable said housing to be moveable by hand with said underside over a floor;a brush roller rotatably mounted in said housing and electrically drivable, said brush roller resting with a brush structure on the floor and said rotating brush roller picking up dirt particles with said brush structure upon passing over the floor; anda receiving compartment for receiving the dirt particles arranged in said housing along said brush roller, and said brush roller having a direction of rotation directed towards said receiving compartment, so that the dirt particles picked up from the floor with the brush roller are conveyed into said receiving compartment.

2. The cleaning device according to claim 1, which comprises a universal joint connecting an end of said handle to said housing.

3. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein said handle is detachably assembled from a plurality of handle parts.

4. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein: said housing has a substantially flat, rectangular shape; andsaid brush roller is arranged in a lateral edge region.

5. The cleaning device according to claim 1, which comprises an electric motor with gearbox and at least one energy supply element, forming a rotary drive of said brush roller on and in said brush roller.

6. The cleaning device according to claim 5, wherein the energy supply element is at least one battery or at least one rechargeable battery.

7. The cleaning device according to claim 5, which comprises an on/off switch for said electric motor arranged on a top side of said housing.

8. The cleaning device according to claim 7, wherein said on/off switch is a foot switch.

9. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein: said the housing has first and second housing parts that are detachably connectable to one another;said first housing part has a base plate, which forms part of the bottom wall of said housing and to which said handle is attached; andsaid second housing part is a cover shell part which is detachably connectable to said base plate;said brush roller is arranged in said cover shell part; andsaid cover shell part covers said base plate and/or projects with said brush roller over said base plate at an edge, in such a way that the underside of said base plate and said brush roller rest flush with the floor in a use position of the cleaning device.

10. The cleaning device according to claim 9, wherein: said handle is attached centrally via a universal joint to said base plate;said second housing part is detachably plugged onto and fixed to said base plate by plug-in elements and/or clip elements; andsaid brush roller is arranged in a shell side region of said cover shell part.

11. The cleaning device according to claim 9, wherein said brush roller is covered by a shell edge region with a gap spacing up to a floor gap.

12. The cleaning device according to claim 10, wherein the covering shell edge region is made of transparent material.

13. The cleaning device according to claim 10, wherein said receiving compartment in said cover shell part is formed as a laterally extendable drawer compartment.

14. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein: said receiving compartment has a roller-remote longitudinal sidewall and a roller-near longitudinal sidewall;said roller-remote longitudinal sidewall is higher than said roller-near longitudinal sidewall and, in an inserted state of said receiving compartment, rests against an underside of a top wall of said cover shell part; andsaid roller-near longitudinal sidewall is comparatively lower than said roller-remote longitudinal sidewall and, in the pushed-in state of said receiving compartment, a feeding gap for dirt particles is formed between the underside of said top wall of said cover shell part and said roller-near longitudinal sidewall.

15. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein a bearing of said brush roller is detachable for a roller exchange.

16. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein said brush structure on a circumference of said brush roller is formed by at least one of bristles or hair.

17. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein said brush structure on a circumference of said brush roller is formed by at least one of spaced lamellae or ribs.

18. The cleaning device according to claim 15, wherein said brush structure is formed by elastic lamellae spaced apart in circumferential direction at the circumference of the brush roller, and said lamellae extend substantially over a roller length and/or are set obliquely in circumferential direction towards a longitudinal center of said roller.

19. The cleaning device according to claim 16, wherein longitudinal ribs, which are spaced apart from one another in a longitudinal direction are arranged between said lamellae.

20. The cleaning device according to claim 9, wherein an underside of said base plate is configured for attaching a wiping cloth, wherein the wiping cloth overlaps said base plate with at least two opposite edge regions and is detachably held there by retaining elements.