Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to intellectual property rights such as but not limited to copyright, trademark, and/or trade dress protection. The owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records but otherwise reserves all rights whatsoever.
The present invention is related to a floor machine. More specifically, the present invention is related to a versatile floor machine capable of completing multiple tasks. The versatile floor machine of the present invention can accomplish preparation for re-coating, chemical stripping jobs, polishing, scrubbing, floor cleaning, baseboard cleaning, wall cleaning, carpet cleaning, grout cleaning, finish removal, floor repair, sanding, glue removal, gum removal, epoxy removal, stone polishing, and other floor needs. The versatile floor machine functions on tile, granite, hardwood, stone, carpet, stairs, grout, concrete, and other flooring surfaces.
To increase access to confined and/or narrow spaces, the present invention provides two attachment points for attaching the handle to the floor machine. The footprint of the floor machine is narrower in one direction than the other. By attaching the handle to the different attachment points, the user can configure the width of the footprint in relation to the handle. Such configuration increases the user's access to limited spaces.
The present invention also provides a rolling attachment for cleaning baseboards. The rolling attachment secures the floor machine to a set of wheels to allow side to side movement of the floor machine. The cleaning surface of the floor machine is positioned to clean the base board.
Patents and patent applications disclosing relevant information are disclosed below. These patents and patent applications are hereby expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,276,236 issued to Goodman et al. on Oct. 2, 2012 (“the '236 patent”) teaches a baseboard cleaning apparatus for cleaning a baseboard of a wall extending upright along the wall with respect to a floor includes a cleaning head and a block positioned in either side of a skid plate, and which are connected by a connector that extends through a slot formed in the skid plate. The skid plate taught by the '236 patent has a lower extremity formed with a skid, and the connector is movable along the slot between lowered positions of the baseboard cleaning head and the fixture toward the skid formed in the lower extremity of the skid plate, and raised positions of the baseboard cleaning head and the fixture away from the skid formed in the lower extremity of the skid plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,418,758 issued to Avila on Sep. 2, 2008 teaches an apparatus for cleaning a baseboard of a wall generally comprises an extendable handle to which a friction decreasing device such as a wheel, an adsorbent/desorbent pad and a pad compression device are assembled in a manner such that the lower end of said apparatus can be immersed in a bucket of water.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,296,943 issued to Sandoval on Nov. 20, 2007 (“the '943 patent”) teaches an apparatus for cleaning a baseboard of a wall that may include pads and a handle. A front surface of at least one of the pads taught by the '943 patent may be configured to contact a portion of the baseboard during use. A liquid dispenser taught by the '943 patent may be provided to wet one or more of the pads during use. A portion of the handle taught by the '943 patent may be angled to extend away from the wall and rearward from the pad during use. Top pads taught by the '943 patent may be provided for cleaning a top face of the baseboard. The top pads taught by the '943 patent may be vertically and horizontally adjustable relative to a holder to accommodate baseboards of various dimensions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,222 issued to Lelkes et al. on Jul. 9, 1996 (“the '222 patent”) teaches a floor machine for cleaning a floor and/or wall and/or downward upstanding from the wall, includes at least one disc having a floor cleaning pad covering a lower surface and wall cleaning material projecting from its periphery. The wall cleaning material taught by the '222 patent may be bristles or a wrap-around separate strip of abrasive felted material, or a margin of the floor cleaning pad may be bent upwardly to form a vertical cylindrical surface. Alternatively, floor pads taught by the '222 patent may be stacked to present a vertical cylindrical wall cleaning surface. The disc taught by the '222 patent may be engaged with a drive shaft, or stacked discs may interengage with each other, the topmost being engaged with the drive shaft. The bottom disc taught by the '222 patent may have a bevel rising from the lower surface. Bristles taught by the '222 patent extend from the bevel at right angles. When the floor machine rests on the floor in operation position, the bristles extending from the bevel taught by the '222 patent are bent upwardly to be forced towards the angle between floor and wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,703 issued to Mejia et al. on Jul. 26, 1994 teaches a power driven floor and baseboard scrubber is provided having reciprocating plates with scrubbing pads thereon arranged to clean an area at an intersection of the floor and the baseboard, on a stair step and its riser. A handle taught by the '703 patent is provided for operational purposes and wheels for transportation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,173,985 issued to Palmer on Dec. 29, 1992 (“the '985 patent”) teaches a foot mounted scrubber device is provided for use in scrubbing and cleaning selected problem areas of a floor, and along adjacent baseboard surfaces and the like. The scrubber device taught by the '985 patent comprises a relatively flat sole plate, in combination with a toe upper and an elastic heel strap for securely mounting the sole plate onto a shoe in a position underlying the ball region and toes of a user's foot. The sole plate taught by the '985 patent defines an abrasive scrubber surface which can be applied against a problem area to be cleaned through the use of the leg muscles in combination with the user's body weight. In a preferred form, the '985 patent teaches that the sole plate and toe upper cooperatively define a pointed forward toe lined with an abrasive scrubber material for use in cleaning baseboard surfaces and corners and the like along the edge of the floor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,024,597 issued to Fouracre on May 24, 1977 teaches a housing that contains a motor driven by an electrical source and a shaft connected to the motor drives a brush which can clean a tile floor while a bevelled gear attached to the shaft may drive a second bevelled gear connected to a perpendicular shaft which passes through the housing, a brush attached to the perpendicular shaft may clean a sideboard while if the edge of the sideboard cleaning brush is bevelled then the baseboard cleaning brush may also clean the bevelled corner between the floor and the baseboard.
U.S. Publication No. 20130061414 to Swist on Mar. 14, 2013 (“the '414 publication”) teaches a cleaning system that is provided comprising a compliant pad and a consumable pad for use in conjunction with a variety of cleaning implements. The compliant pad taught by the '414 publication may according to embodiments of the invention provide for both compliance to the contour of the surface being cleaned but also allows for the compliant pad to provide for controlled release of fragrance, solvents, cleaning agents etc within the matrix or matrices provided in its construction. Likewise the consumable pad taught by the '414 publication may provide elements providing dust attraction/retention, abrasion, as well as controlled release of fragrance, solvents, cleaning agents etc within the materials provided in its construction. According to embodiments of the invention the compliant pad and/or consumable pad taught by the '414 publication are water soluble to provide this release wherein the water is provided either from within one or both of the compliant pad and consumable pad or from the cleaning implement to which they are attached.
U.S. Publication No. 20110191972 issued to Goodman on Aug. 11, 2011 (“the '972 publication”) teaches a baseboard cleaning apparatus for cleaning a baseboard of a wall extending upright along the wall with respect to a floor includes a cleaning head and a block positioned in either side of a skid plate, and which are connected by a connector that extends through a slot formed in the skid plate. The skid plate taught by the '972 publication has a lower extremity formed with a skid, and the connector is movable along the slot between lowered positions of the baseboard cleaning head and the fixture toward the skid formed in the lower extremity of the skid plate, and raised positions of the baseboard cleaning head and the fixture away from the skid formed in the lower extremity of the skid plate.
U.S. Publication No. 20080145132 to Sandoval on Jun. 19, 2008 (“the '132 publication”) teaches a device for cleaning trim of a room includes a head and a handle. The head taught by the '132 publication includes at least one first cleaning portion that can clean a first surface of the trim by moving the head in a lengthwise direction of the trim and at least one second cleaning portion that can clean a second surface of the trim by moving the head lengthwise direction of the trim, the second surface being above the first surface and not co-planar with the first surface. The head includes a removable cover. At least part of the first cleaning portion and at least part of the second cleaning portion are formed in the removable cover taught by the '132 publication.
U.S. Publication No. 20040083579 to Furr-Britt on May 6, 2004 (“the '579 publication”) teaches a dual handle attachment for a floor appliance, e.g., vacuum cleaner, large push broom, mop, squeegee, etc., allows a user of the appliance to manipulate or maneuver the appliance using generally symmetrical upper body, arm, wrist, and hand forces and movements, thereby obviating the need for asymmetrical twisting and the greater strength required to manipulate such a device using only a single arm and hand. The present attachment taught by the '579 publication comprises a single central bracket which attaches to the conventional single handlebar of such an appliance, with a left and a right handgrip adjustably extending from the central bracket. The two handgrips taught by the '579 publication may be pivotally adjusted by the user as desired, and may be interchanged for handgrips having different shapes or configurations as desired. One embodiment taught by the '579 publication may be removably secured to the appliance, with another embodiment providing for permanent attachment as an integral part of the appliance at the time of manufacture.
The present invention is related to a floor machine for re-coating, stripping, polishing, scrubbing, cleaning, finish removal, floor repair, sanding, and other floor needs. The present invention provides a handle attached to a motor and housing. A floor preparation body attaches to the housing for treatment of the flooring. The preparation body varies according to the desired task to be accomplished by the floor machine. The shaft of the motor attaches to an eccentric to offset position to revolve the preparation body around the offset attachment. The motor revolves the preparation body to complete the desired task on the floor. Such attachment appears to vibrate the preparation body. In another embodiment, the motor vibrates the preparation body.
The housing also provides a first retention finger and a second retention finger extending vertically above the top of the housing. Slotted weights are secured onto the retention fingers to increase the weight of the present invention for treatment of the floor
The housing also provides a first attachment body and a second attachment body for securing the handle. The attachment bodies are located on different sides of the housing to adjust the configuration of the floor machine. The housing of one embodiment provides a bottom gripping surface that forms a rectangle. In such an embodiment, the length of the bottom gripping surface is different than the width of the bottom gripping surface. The multiple attachment bodies enable the handle to attach to different points of the housing. The different attachment points enable the floor machine to access areas that would not be accessible when the handle is attached to the other attachment body.
The multiple attachment bodies also provide increased functionality to the floor machine. The user can attach the handle to one attachment body for using the floor machine on the floor. The multiple attachment bodies enable the user to orient the floor machine according to the user's preferences. The additional attachment body enables the user to attach to a rolling attachment. Attaching the floor machine to the rolling attachment orients the floor machine differently for increased functionality. The multiple attachment bodies enable the floor machine to be used for treating floors. The user can then reorient the floor machine using the attachment body to treat walls, baseboards, and other surfaces.
The different attachment points also enable the floor machine to attach to a rolling attachment for side to side movement. The rolling attachment supports the floor machine above the ground to allow for simpler movement. The rolling attachment also orients the driver plate from a downward position to a forward position. Orienting the driver plate in the forward position directs the preparation body toward the wall and baseboards.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a versatile floor machine capable of accomplishing multiple tasks.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a motor attached to a housing.
It is another object of the present invention to offset the attachment of the motor with the preparation body.
It is another object of the present invention to vary the weight of the floor machine by adding or removing slotted weights on to the retention fingers extending vertically above the housing of the floor machine.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a gripping surface for attaching the preparing body for performing the desired function on the floors.
It is another object of the present invention to provide multiple attachment bodies for securing a handle to the floor machine.
It is another object of the present invention to provide attachment points at different locations on the floor device to adjust the alignment of the handle on the machine.
It is another object of the present invention to increase the access of the floor machine into difficult to reach areas.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a rolling attachment to simplify movement of the floor machine.
It is another object of the present invention to position the floor machine on its side to direct the finishing surface towards the baseboards.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention, along with features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear or become apparent by reviewing the following detailed description of the invention.
In the following drawings, which form a part of the specification and which are to be construed in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals have been employed throughout wherever possible to indicate like parts in the various views:
The preparation body secures to the driver plate 106 for contacting the floor. Different types of preparation bodies may attach to the housing depending on the floor surface and the task to be completed. Examples of preparation bodies may include an SQP pad, an SHO pad, a microfiber pad, a wet pad, a tile and grout wet pad, a scrubber, a scrub brush, a tile and grout brush, a carpet cleaning pad, a sandscreen, sandpaper, an abrader plate, stone polishing pads, vacuum braised diamond, resin diamonds, polypads, polishing pads, tooltip diamonds, a sponge, and an enhancer pad, as well as other floor treatment materials. In one embodiment, a gripping surface that includes protrusions, hooks, fasteners, loops, grips, or other fasteners is located on the bottom surface of the driver plate 106. The preparation body then attaches to the gripping surface.
The handle 108 attaches to one of the attachment bodies located on the rear wall and the side wall. If the user needs to adjust the configuration of the floor machine 100, the user simply removes the handle 108 from one attachment body and reconnects the handle at another attachment body. Such configurability of the attachment of the handle 108 with the housing 102 increases the functionality of the floor machine 100 and increases access to the difficult to reach areas.
Each attachment body 110, 118 provides attachment shoulders 112, 116, 120, 124 that extend laterally from the wall of the housing 102. The attachment shoulders 112, 116, 120, 124 limit lateral movement of the handle 108 in relation to the housing when the handle is attached to the housing 102.
An attachment neck 114, 122 is located between the attachment shoulders 112, 116, 120, 124. An attachment head of the handle 108 attaches to the attachment neck 114, 122 to secure the handle 108 to the housing 102. The attachment neck 114, 122 extends longitudinally along the wall to which the respective attachment body is secured. The attachment neck 114, 122 provides an attachment aperture between the attachment neck and the wall to which the attachment body is secured.
The user can attach the handle to the different attachment points to change the configuration of the preparation body and the driver plate in relation to the handle. Changing the configuration of the preparation body in relation to the handle alters operation of the floor machine. If the user needs access to narrower spaces, the user may attach the handle to attachment body 110 for use of the floor machine 100. If the user requires larger surface coverage, the user attaches the handle to attachment body 118 to increase the width of the surface treated with each push/pull of the handle 108.
The upper jaw 142 and lower jaw 144 are then adjusted to the closed position to secure the handle to the housing. In one embodiment, the upper jaw 142 and lower jaw 144 are biased to the closed position to secure the handle to the closed position. The user can adjust the upper jaw 142 and lower jaw 144 to the open position to release the handle from the housing.
The user presses the floor machine into the wall and/or baseboard. The support leg 226 limits backwards movement of the floor machine. Therefore, the user can maintain the preparation body on the wall and/or baseboards without too much backward movement of the floor machine. The other side of rolling attachment 200 also provides a support body similar to support body 228.
The rolling attachment 200 also provides an upper attachment through support fingers 220, 222. Support fingers 220, 222 contact the attachment body 110. Locking arm 214 and locking finger 218 attach to locking pin 216 to secure attachment body 110 between the support fingers 220, 222 and locking finger 214 and locking arm 218.
Roller attachment 200 provides a front wall 232 and a rear wall 230. Wheels 204, 210 secure to rear wall 230. Wheel 206 secures to front leg 232. The support body 228 maintains the positioning of the cleaning body while in use.
To remove the floor machine from the roller attachment, the user lifts the attachment finger 218 and attachment arm off of attachment pin. The user can then remove the floor machine from the support fingers 220, 222 and the roller attachment.
From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention is one well adapted to obtain all the ends and objects herein set forth, together with other advantages which are inherent to the structure.
It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.
As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
This application claims priority to and is a continuation in part of U.S. Patent Application No. 62/182,756 filed on Jun. 22, 2015 entitled “FLOOR MACHINE WITH ATTACHMENT SYSTEM.”
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
4024597 | Fouracre | May 1977 | A |
5381578 | Armbruster | Jan 1995 | A |
5533222 | Lelkes | Jul 1996 | A |
6810547 | Hung | Nov 2004 | B2 |
8276236 | Goodman | Oct 2012 | B2 |
20040103490 | Long | Jun 2004 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62182756 | Jun 2015 | US |