Device in Connection with a Floor Cleaning Machine

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) in connection with a floor cleaning machine functioning with liquid. According to the invention a combined hub (5) for supporting a brush/disc (6) of a floor cleaning machine has three functions, viz. A: as a hub for a brush/disc for holding the same, B: as a distributor for the distribution of liquid to said machine, radially from the outside towards the centre of the hub, and C: as a distributor for the distribution of vacuum to said machine in order to suck up washing liquid from the machine.

Description

The present invention relates to a device in connection with a floor cleaning machine functioning with liquid.

As far as known floor cleaning machines and other similar machines functioning with liquid are concerned, the feeding of water is brought about in the centre of a rotatable brush or another floor treating tool. However, when such feeding of water in the centre is used, dirt has a tendency to accumulate easily and finally get stuck in the water inlet tube, which results in interruption of the functioning of the machine.

There are solutions in that washing liquid is supplied to the hub of a floor cleaning machine through a central tube and then is spread radially through radial spreader tubes. As examples thereof it is referred to U.S. Pat. No. 6,052,854 A, U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,051 A, US 2009/0260177 A1, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,970,574 A. However, the washing liquid is still supplied centrally through a hose or a tube at the risk of clogging and stop in said tube or hose as a result.

Known solutions require complicated means in order to attach the rotatable brush, etc, of the machine, and suction means to suck up dirty washing liquid from the floor after the washing with machine. In this connection it is i.a. referred to the patent publications mentioned above, and also to GB 2 345 241 A.

A known compact hub, which comprises channels for the distribution of vacuum to said machine in order to suck up washing liquid, does not allow efficient deflection in intended direction, but whirls and other unwanted effects are formed.

SE 529 868C2, owned by the present applicant, concerns a water suction device in a combi cleaning machine comprising three suction nozzles (11), which are surrounded by blades (12, 13) in one of their respective ends, for catching waste water and suction.

The water, which is conducted radially in the known machines, does not constitute distribution of liquid, but instead it is washing liquid which is conducted towards the centre of the hub (18) of the brush to be forwarded to a waste water container (25) through a hose (24). Clean washing water is supplied through an axial tube (14), which may, of course, be clogged easily.

Consequently, the main object of the present invention is first of all to among other things solve some of the problems described above by means of a device designed for that purpose.

Said object is achieved by means of a device according to the present invention, which is mainly characterized in that a combined hub for supporting a brush/disc of a floor cleaning machine has three functions, viz.:

A: as a hub for a brush/disc for holding the same,

B: as a distributor for the distribution of liquid to said machine, radially from the outside towards the centre of the hub, and

C: as a distributor for the distribution of vacuum to said machine in order to suck up washing liquid from the machine, whereby the hub comprises a movable channel for the water supply, and which is arranged to rotate with the hub and conduct the water radially from the outside and towards the centre of the hub to be discharged axially in downwards direction, that a releasable plug is fastened in the centre, which comprises channels arranged to redirect the air flow about 90°, that said plug comprises a plurality of channels arranged with double bends, so that they firstly extend horizontally, and which then via obliquely upward extending channel portions 17A pass into upwards directed channel outlets 17B to drain off sucked-up washing liquid, and that a suction ring for the suction of washing liquid from the floor is so positioned, that it surrounds the brush and may be attached to a rotary central shaft by means of a number of springs and said hub.

The hub in question, which is adapted for a brush/disc of a cleaning machine, has preliminary three functions: to distribute clean water, to distribute vacuum for the suction, and to be an attachment for the brush. It has a concentric water feeding system which is based on a movable channel which rotates with the hub and conducts the water past a spring system and vacuum hoses. The channel is fed through a nozzle through the chassis. Then, the water is conducted through the hub and is spread down on to the floor in the centre of the brush.

The hub replaces a previous variant with water feeding in the centre through a tube, where the problem was that dirt accumulated easily and got stuck in the water feeding tube. By moving the water feeding radially outwards that problem was eliminated. However, a type of cleaning machine is provided with a suction ring which is placed round the brush, which is attached to the rotary shaft by means of springs and the hub. These springs, and also the suction tubes, cause that the water must be conducted through a channel down under the brush in order not to sprinkle and disappear in the wrong place.

The hub now also exhibits a removable plug in the lower part, which makes it easy to clean, and which redirects the air flow for the suction about 90° with minimum flow losses.

The invention will be described in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hub seen from above, which is adapted to be mounted on a floor cleaning machine and which exhibits brush and hoses,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of only the hub,

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the hub,

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate the hub seen obliquely from above and obliquely from below, respectively,

FIG. 6 illustrates a floor cleaning machine adapted to support a hub in question,

FIG. 7 illustrates the hub supported by such a floor cleaning machine in active position,

FIGS. 8-11 illustrate the hub in different positions and with included parts,

FIGS. 12-13 illustrate a part of a floor cleaning machine with the hub mounted therein,

FIG. 14 illustrates the air flow when washing liquid is sucked up, and

FIGS. 15-16 illustrate the supply of water to the washing part of the machine.

A device 1 in a floor cleaning machine 3 functioning with liquid 2, which is preferably of the type which is brought forward manually along a floor 4 by a person walking after the machine, comprises according to the present invention a combined hub 5 for supporting a brush/disc 6 of said floor cleaning machine 3. According to the invention said hub 5 has three different functions, viz.:

A: as a hub 5 for a brush/disc 6 for holding the same,

B: as a distributor for the distribution of liquid 2 to said machine 3, radially 7 from the outside 8 towards the centre 9 of the hub, and

C: as a distributor for the distribution of vacuum 10 to said machine 3 in order to suck up washing liquid 11 fed out from the machine 3.

Said hub 5 comprises a movable channel 12 for the supply of water 2, and which is arranged to rotate with the hub 5 and conduct the water 2 radially 13 from the outside 8 and towards the centre 9 of the hub 5 to be discharged axially 14 in downwards direction 15. Said movable channel 12 is formed by a cone-shaped, in downwards 15 direction tapering sleeve, which is placed on the upper part of the hub 5 from above. In the centre 9 of the hub 5 a plug 16 is inserted from below and removably attached, which comprises several channels 17 arranged to redirect the air flow 18 with the vacuum 18 about 90° radially from the outside 19 to axially upwards 20. Said plug 16 comprises a plurality of channels 17 arranged with double bends, so that they firstly extend horizontally 17A, and which then via obliquely upwards extending channel portions 17 pass into upwards directed channel outlets 17B to drain off sucked-up washing liquid through a connected channel 21 for collection, for example, in a tank 22 in the machine 3. Also clean washing liquid may suitably be received in a separate tank 23 in the machine 3. The numeral 50 in FIG. 1 refers to a hose connection for the feeding of water, and the numeral 51 refers to the bearing and bearing housing of the hub 5.

A suction ring 24 for the suction of washing liquid 11 from the floor 4 is so positioned, that it surrounds the brush 6 and may be attached to a rotary central shaft 25 by means of a number of springs 26, and said hub 5 and said suction ring 24 exhibit at regular intervals A along its periphery distributed sockets 27 to be connected to suction hoses 28. In the illustrated embodiment three sockets 27 are arranged with central interruptions 29 at said hub 5 and the channel part 12 for the reception of said sockets 27 therein.

Said sockets 27 are connected to the channel portion 17A of said plug 16, which is bent about 90° and leads to the channel outlet 17B of said plug 16.

The nature and function of a hub 5 in question and its device 1 and arrangement at a floor cleaning machine 3 of known type should have been clear from the above description.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Modifications are possible, especially as far as the nature of the different parts is concerned, or by using equivalent technique, without departing from the scope of the invention as it is defined in the patent claims.

Claims

1.-4. (canceled)

5. A hub for a floor-cleaning machine that uses a cleaning liquid and has a brush disk, comprising: a movable liquid-supply channel configured to rotate with the hub and conduct the cleaning liquid radially from an outside of the hub toward a center of the hub for axially downward discharge;a releasable plug in the hub's center;a plurality of channels configured to redirect air flow about 90 degrees, the channels having double bends, so that the channels first extend horizontally, and then pass via obliquely upwardly extending channel portions into upwardly directed channel outlets to drain off sucked-up cleaning liquid; anda suction ring for suction of cleaning liquid from a floor, the suction ring being configured to be positioned and connected to suction hoses such that the suction ring surrounds the brush disk and to attach to a central rotary shaft by a number of springs and the hub;whereby the hub holds the brush disk, distributes cleaning liquid to the machine radially from the hub's outside toward the hub's center, and distributes suction to the machine for sucking up cleaning liquid.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the suction ring comprises sockets at intervals around its periphery configured to be connected to suction hoses.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein three of the sockets are configured to be received at central interruptions at the hub and the movable channel.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein the movable channel is formed by a cone-shaped, downwardly tapering sleeve.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the suction ring comprises sockets at intervals around its periphery configured to be connected to suction hoses.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein three of the sockets are configured to be received at central interruptions at the hub and the movable channel.