FLOOR TREATMENT MACHINE

Abstract

A floor scrubber drier includes a base portion with a treatment workhead, a cleaning fluid outlet located such that cleaning fluid is entrained in the treatment workhead during operation, and a waste fluid collector inlet locatable proximate the treatment workhead to collect waste fluid therefrom. The scrubber has a handle movably connected to the base portion to guide movement of the base portion. The scrubber has a tank module with a clean fluid reservoir in fluid communication with the cleaning fluid outlet to feed clean fluid thereto, and a waste fluid collection tank in fluid communication with the fluid collector inlet to receive waste fluid therefrom, wherein the tank module is attachable to the handle such that the clean fluid reservoir and the waste fluid collection tank are simultaneously removable and attachable to the handle.

Description

The present invention relates to a floor treatment machine, such as a floor scrubber drier. Particularly, though not exclusively, the invention relates to a wet floor treatment machine having clean and waste fluid tanks provided in a stacked configuration such that the tanks are simultaneously removable/attachable.

Known floor scrubbers typically have at least one workhead formed from an annular rotating scrubbing portion including bristles or a polishing pad. The workhead(s) are driven by electric motors via a battery or mains electric power. Typical scrubbers have a cleaning fluid dispenser from which detergent or dilute cleaning solution can be distributed over the surface to be cleaned in advance of or through the workhead. A squeegee suction collector trails behind the workheads to entrain and collect dirty liquid from the floor surface, which is collected and stored in a separate waste fluid tank within the machine. The two tanks are typically removed for cleaning, draining and filling at least once during use of the machine. Removal and attachment of the tanks can be a time-consuming and intricate task for a machine operator.

Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a floor treatment machine with clean and waste fluid tanks that are more easily manipulated by an operator using the machine.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a floor treatment machine for cleaning and/or treating a floor surface, the floor treatment machine comprising:

• • a base portion provided with at least one floor treatment workhead, a cleaning fluid outlet located such that cleaning fluid is entrained in the floor treatment workhead during operation, and a waste fluid collector inlet locatable proximate the floor treatment workhead in use and arranged to collect waste fluid therefrom;
  • a handle portion movably connected to the base portion such that the handle portion is arranged to guide movement of the base portion; and
  • a tank module comprising a clean fluid reservoir in fluid communication with the cleaning fluid outlet and arranged to selectively feed clean fluid thereto, and a waste fluid collection tank in fluid communication with the fluid collector inlet and arranged to receive waste fluid therefrom, wherein the tank module is selectively attachable to the handle portion such that the clean fluid reservoir and the waste fluid collection tank are simultaneously removable and attachable to the handle portion.

The tank module incorporates both the clean fluid reservoir and the waste fluid tank to provide an integral tank unit. Advantageously, the invention enables both the clean fluid reservoir and the waste fluid tank to be removed and attached simultaneously for ease of use, to enable an operator to manipulate the tank module as a single unit for draining, refilling, and cleaning.

The clean fluid reservoir and the waste fluid collection tank may be located on the handle portion in a stacked configuration. The clean fluid reservoir and the waste fluid collection tank may be vertically stacked within the tank module.

One advantage of stacking the waste fluid tank and clean fluid reservoir within the tank module is that the weight transfer and distribution of the fluid treatment machine in use is predictable and controlled since fluid used from the cleaning fluid reservoir is subsequently collected in the waste fluid tank that is maintained in vertical relation and located on the same part of the handle portion. Thus, the handling of the machine does not undergo significant changes throughout use by an operator when fluid is moved form the clean fluid reservoir to the waste fluid tank.

The location of the clean fluid reservoir relative to the waste fluid tank may be selected according to the particular application or design of the floor treatment machine. For example, the clean fluid reservoir may be located beneath the waste fluid tank in use. Therefore, as the machine is used, waste fluid is collected in the upper tank such that the weight distribution moves away from a pivot point between the handle portion and the base portion. However, this arrangement may be reversed such that the waste fluid tank forms the base of the tank module with the clean fluid reservoir stacked thereabove. In this arrangement, during use, the floor treatment machine would progressively feel lighter and increasingly manoeuvrable in the hands of an operator as the clean fluid reservoir drains and water is collected in the waste fluid tank that is positioned closer to the join between the handle between the handle portion and the base portion.

The clean fluid reservoir and the fluid collection tank making up the tank module may be separable from one another when the tank module is removed from the floor treatment machine such that the clean fluid reservoir and waste fluid tank can be independently handled. The tank module may provide a housing to contain the clean fluid reservoir and the waste fluid tank. The housing of the tank module may form part of one of the clean fluid reservoir or waste fluid tank. Alternatively, the clean fluid reservoir and the waste fluid tank may be removable from the housing of the tank module.

The tank module may comprise several inter-engageable portions, including but not limited to the clean fluid reservoir, the waste fluid tank, a separator and one or more connectors or spacers therebetween. One or more of the inter-engageable portions of the tank module may be engagable by means of a resilient retaining clip. Each resilient retaining clip may be constructed and arranged to retain the portions of the tank module in the required orientation and may comprise at least one resilient portion that is resiliently deformable on application of a force to enable removal of one portion the tank module from another.

At least a portion of the tank module may be resiliently deformable to enable selective removal and attachment of at least one of the clean fluid reservoir and/or the waste fluid tank to allow selective removal and reattachment thereof. The tank module may comprise a resilient retaining clip in the form of a moulded portion having inherent resilience with dimensions selected to retain at least a portion of the clean fluid reservoir or the waste fluid tank.

The handle portion may be movably connected to the base portion such that the handle portion may be angled with respect to the base portion to aid guiding and movement of the machine in an operational configuration when the machine is in use. The handle portion may be positioned in an upright configuration that is substantially perpendicular relative to the base portion in a non-working configuration. The handle portion may be reclinable with respect to the base portion in the operational configuration and the handle portion may be lockable in a substantially vertical position with respect to the base portion when in the non-working configuration. The tank module may be selectively attachable to the handle portion such that the tank module is located on one side of the handle portion that is above the base portion when the machine is in the non-working configuration.

The floor treatment machine may comprise wheels located on the base portion, the wheels arranged to support and facilitate movement of the machine. The tank module may be attached to the handle portion such that the centre of gravity of the tank module is located within an area defined by the wheels in the non-working configuration. The tank module may be removably attached to a leading edge of the handle portion.

Thus, the tank module may be optimally located on the handle portion to aid weight distribution and maintain a stable centre of gravity for the floor treatment machine.

The tank module may be attachable on the handle portion in a location towards a lower end region of the handle portion. An upper end of the handle portion of the floor treatment machine may comprise grips enabling manipulation of the floor treatment machine by an operator. The tank module may be located closer to the join with the base portion than the grips at the upper end of the handle portion, such that the weight of the tank module is carried in a lower part of the handle portion. Thus, during use in an operational configuration when the handle portion is angled relative to the base portion, the low mounting of the tank module on the handle portion ensures that the centre of gravity of the floor treatment machines remains over the base portion, over the wheels or as close as possible thereto.

The floor treatment machine may further comprise securing means for selectively securing the tank module to the handle portion. The securing means may comprise complementary inter-engaging portions located on the handle portion and the tank module. The securing means may comprise complementary inter-engaging portions having dimensions selected to provide an interference connection therebetween. The inter-engaging means may comprise a key and a keyway to engage the tank module with the handle portion and allow relative sliding movement therebetween. Thus, the tank module may be engaged with the handle portion and guided into place using a locator slidable within a keyway.

The floor treatment machine may comprise a locking means to selectively lock the tank module to the handle portion. The locking means may comprise an interference clip movable to lock the tank module to the handle portion. The interference clip may be located on the handle portion. The interference clip may be arranged to engage with at least one lug located on the tank module.

Thus, both the clean fluid reservoir and the fluid collection tank are removable without the use of tools or fixings that are separate from the floor treatment machine. Rather, the tank module is easily manipulated by an operator and can be removed from, and reattached to, the floor treatment machine with ease.

The base of the tank module may be arranged such that the tank module is self-supporting in an upright position when removed from the floor treatment machine. The base of the tank module may have at least one substantially planar supporting portion that may be placed upon a surface to enable the tank module to be supported in an upright position on the surface or floor. The base of the tank module may comprise at least two feet to support the tank module out with the floor treatment machine in a substantially upright orientation. The tank module may comprise three feet in a triangular configuration to support the tank module on a surface when removed from the floor treatment machine. Alternatively, the tank module may comprise four feet located towards the corners of the tank module to support the tank module on a surface when removed from the floor treatment machine.

Either one of or both of the clean fluid reservoir and the fluid collection tank may be provided with self-supporting means such that the reservoir and/or tank may be supported in an upright orientation when removed from the tank module. The self-supporting means of the clean fluid reservoir and/or the waste fluid tank may also provide the means to support the tank module in an upright position when the reservoir or the waste fluid tank form part of the tank module.

It is advantageous to have a self-supporting tank module, clean fluid reservoir and waste fluid collection tank to maintain the fluid containers in an upright position when independently placed on a surface to ensure that no leakage of fluid occurs and for ease of use by an operator.

The machine is preferably configured as a compact floor treatment machine which has a generally upstanding handle portion for directing the machine. The handle portion may be connected to the base portion via an articulation which permits reclining of the handle portion. The articulation preferably comprises a twin axis universal joint arrangement which permits movement of the handle portion to recline up and down, and from side to side, while permitting torque to be applied via the handle portion to the base portion for swivel steering. This makes the machine highly manoeuvrable and easy to steer and swivel around the primary wheel means. One machine of this type is disclosed in WO2019207290A2 (Numatic International). In a non-working configuration, the handle portion may be lockable in a vertical or substantially vertical position. Such a locking mechanism is shown in WO2019207289A1 (Numatic International).

The floor treatment machine as hereinbefore described may be configured as a walk-behind wet floor scrubber drier. The floor treatment machine may be a compact floor scrubber drier machine.

Electric drive motors may be included in the base portion to rotate the workheads in the operational configuration. The floor treatment machine may comprise a conduit for selective fluid communication between the clean fluid reservoir and the clean fluid outlet. The clean fluid outlet may be located in advance of the workheads or in the region of the workheads to deliver cleaning fluid thereto in the operational configuration.

The machine may comprise a squeegee collector which feeds into the waste fluid collection tank, wherein the squeegee is disposed behind the base portion with respect to a forward direction of travel.

The squeegee collector may be provided with a tilt mechanism and latch, which latch is activated automatically when the squeegee is tilted up from the floor by more than a predetermined amount. This allows unhindered transport between work tasks, and storage of the machine without the squeegee blades being deformed under the weight of the collector.

The floor treatment machine may comprise a conduit for selective fluid communication between the waste fluid tank and the fluid collector inlet. The waste fluid collection tank may be fed by a squeegee suction collector which is towed behind the workhead(s). The squeegee collector may be provided with a conduit to a suction generator for drawing up waste fluid from the collector.

The first aspect of the invention may be combined with any other feature or embodiment described in the specification or shown in the figures.

Embodiments of the invention are now described with reference to the following drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of one embodiment of a machine according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the machine of FIG. 1 with the tank module removed;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the machine of FIG. 2 with the tank module removed;

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are front, rear and side views respectively of the tanks in a floor standing position;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are exploded and sectional views respectively of the tank module;

FIGS. 10 and 11 are perspective views of the tank module and handle portion and the securing assembly;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the securing assembly;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view of a clean tank container and resilient retaining clip;

FIGS. 14 and 15 are perspective views of the clean tank assembly in assembled and separate configurations respectively;

FIGS. 16, 17 and 18 are two side and perspective views of the separator module fitting assembly in assembled and separate configurations respectively; and

FIG. 19 is a sectional view of a separator clip and waste tank wall.

A first embodiment of a floor treatment machine according to the invention is shown generally at 20 in the figures. The machine has an upright handle portion 40 and a base portion 30. The base portion 30 carries a motor housing 21 which houses drive motors arranged to rotatably drive respective disc-shaped workheads 31. A pair of primary support wheels 22 are provided at a rear end region of the base portion 30. A squeegee suction collector assembly 23 shown in a raised, tilted configuration in FIGS. 1 and 2 is attached to the rear end region of the base portion 30. The collector assembly 23 comprises a squeegee blade 24, a fluid collector inlet (not shown) and a hose 35 that acts as a fluid communication line from the fluid collector inlet into a waste fluid collection tank 70. Twin side support wheels and a central support wheel 27 are provided on the collector assembly 23 and used to support the collector assembly 23 when the squeegee blade 24 is brought into contact with a floor surface.

An upper end region of the upright handle portion 41 is provided with a T-bar 42 which includes left- and right-hand grips shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. A tank module 50 is attached to a front facing edge of the upright handle portion 40. The tank module 50 includes a clean water reservoir 60 for delivering cleaning fluid to workheads 31 in use via a clean fluid connecting hose 32. The tank module 50 also contains a waste fluid collection tank 70 for collecting waste fluid from a region behind the workheads 31 in use via the waste fluid collection hose 35 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

FIGS. 1 to 4 show the floor treatment machine 20 in a non-working configuration in which the handle portion 40 is substantially perpendicular to the base portion 30. In this non-working configuration, the floor treatment machine 20 is self-supporting and the tank module 50 is removable so that the clean fluid reservoir 60 and the waste fluid tank 70 may be handled, washed, refilled and emptied. FIGS. 2 and 4 show the floor treatment machine 20 with the tank module 50 removed therefrom.

The tank module 50 is shown in more detail in FIGS. 5 to 9. The tank module comprises two interlocking housing portions 56, 57; an upper housing portion 57 and a lower housing portion 56. The clean fluid reservoir 60 is removably located within the lower housing portion 56 of the tank module 50 and comprises an upper neck 62 leading to an inlet 61 through which an operator can add cleaning fluid or water to the reservoir 60. A base of the clean fluid reservoir 60 has feet 69 to support the clean fluid reservoir 60 in an upright position when removed from the tank module 50 (FIG. 8). The feet 69 also extend beneath the tank module 50 when the clean fluid reservoir 60 is located within the lower housing portion 56 to independently support the tank module 50 on a floor surface 59 as shown in FIG. 7. The clean fluid reservoir 60 is provided with visual markers that indicate the volume of fluid contained in the clean fluid reservoir 60.

The tank module 50 may also comprise a separator 25. The upper housing portion 57 defines part of a wall of the waste fluid tank 70. A float valve 48 is suspended from an upper end of the waste fluid tank 70, which is fed waste fluid from two ports 26 located in the separator 25. As shown in more detail in FIGS. 16 to 19, the separator 25 is connectable to the housing 57 of the waste fluid tank 70 via a spring clip 28. An outwardly protruding tab 29 formed as part of the separator 25 can be pulled to enable the separator 25 to be detached from the tank module 50.

A central region between the two housing portions 56, 57 is provided with a spacer 55. The spacer 55 provides an interface between the clean fluid reservoir 60 and the waste fluid tank 70 and includes a resilient retaining portion 54 that surrounds a rounded cut-out having an opening that has a smaller diameter than the neck 62 of the clean fluid reservoir 60. The resilient retaining portion 54 is integrally formed within the spacer 55 and the resilience is derived from a series of spaced holes and thin bridging portions therebetween. The resilient retaining portion 54 enables the neck 62 of the clean fluid reservoir 60 to be easily inserted therein and removed therefrom to enable the clean fluid reservoir 60 to be separated from the tank module 50. Thus, the clean fluid reservoir 60 is a push fit into the resilient retaining portion 54 thereby facilitating removal and replacement of the clean fluid reservoir 60 by an operator.

An upper rear portion of the tank module 50 is provided with two lugs 53. The lugs 53 form part of a securing means to secure the tank module 50 to the handle portion 40. The lugs 53 of the tank module 50 are engagable with a securing assembly in the form of an interference clip 44 carried on a shaft 41 of the handle portion 40. The interference clip 44 is formed with a receiving groove to slidably receive the lugs 53, as shown in FIGS. 10 to 12. Thus, the tank module 50 is slidably received on the handle portion 40 and secured in place by means of the interference clip 44.

In use, the floor treatment machine 20 is moved into an operational configuration (not shown) where the workheads 31 contact the floor and take the weight of the motor units in housing 21 so as to provide a good scrubbing force. In the cleaning or operational configuration, the handle portion 40 is reclined and the workheads 31 are in working contact with the floor surface. Cleaning fluid is fed from the clean fluid reservoir to the clean fluid outlet ahead of the workheads 31 such that the workheads 31 can scrub the floor surface with cleaning solution. Dirty water is deposited behind the workheads to be retrieved by the collection assembly 23. The collection assembly 23 uses a combined action of the squeegee blade 24 and suction to collect dirty fluid via the waste fluid inlet. The waste fluid hose 35 transfers the dirty fluid to the waste fluid tank 70. Since both the clean fluid reservoir 60 and the waste fluid tank 70 are stacked on the handle portion 40, the handling of the floor treatment machine 20 does not significantly change with the movement of fluid between the tanks throughout the operation of the machine.

When the cleaning session has finished, and an operator needs to refill the clean fluid reservoir 60 and/or empty the waste fluid tank 70, the handle portion 40 of the machine 20 is moved from a reclining position where the handle portion 40 is angled relative to the base portion 30, to a non-working configuration in which the base portion 30 and handle portion 40 are at right angles with respect to one another, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. In the non-working configuration, the collector assembly 23 is moved from a working configuration to a position in which it is inclined upwards as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4.

The tank module 50 is removed from the floor treatment machine 20 by sliding the lugs 53 upwards away from the interference clip 44 on the handle portion 40. Thus, both the clean fluid reservoir 60 and the waste fluid tank 70 are removable simultaneously without the use of any tools. Once removed, the tank module 50 is self-supporting and stands upright on a level surface 59. Following removal of the tank module 50, the clean fluid reservoir 60 is pulled from the tank module 50 through the resilient retaining portion 54.

Thus, the tank module 50 is easily removed from the floor treatment machine 20 without any tools and the clean fluid reservoir 60 can be easily separated from the waste fluid tank 70, thereby improving the user experience.

Modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Relative terms such as “upper”, “base”, “rear”, “leading”, and/or “front” are used for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

In summary, the present invention concerns the field of floor treatment machines, including floor scrubbers, polishers, driers and sweepers. The invention particularly relates to walk-behind floor scrubbers having one or more rotating workheads. The invention provides a floor treatment machine comprising a base portion provided with one or more rotatably driven floor-engaging treatment workheads and a tank module comprising a clean fluid reservoir and a waste fluid tank, wherein the tank module is selectively engagable with the handle portion such that the clean fluid reservoir and the waste fluid tank are simultaneously removable and attachable to the floor treatment machine.

Claims

1. A floor treatment machine for cleaning and/or treating a floor surface, the floor treatment machine comprising: a base portion provided with at least one floor treatment workhead, a cleaning fluid outlet located such that cleaning fluid is entrained in the floor treatment workhead during operation, and a waste fluid collector inlet locatable proximate the floor treatment workhead in use and arranged to collect waste fluid therefrom;a handle portion movably connected to the base portion such that the handle portion is arranged to guide movement of the base portion; anda tank module comprising a clean fluid reservoir in fluid communication with the cleaning fluid outlet and arranged to selectively feed clean fluid thereto, and a waste fluid collection tank in fluid communication with the fluid collector inlet and arranged to receive waste fluid therefrom, wherein the tank module is selectively attachable to the handle portion such that the clean fluid reservoir and the waste fluid collection tank are simultaneously removable and attachable to the handle portion.

2. A floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clean fluid reservoir and the waste fluid collection tank are vertically stacked within the tank module that is selectively attachable to the handle portion.

3. A floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tank module comprises a waste fluid tank stacked vertically above the clean fluid reservoir.

4. A floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tank module comprises a clean fluid reservoir stacked vertically above the waste fluid tank.

5. A floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clean fluid reservoir and the waste fluid collection tank are separable from one another when the tank module is removed from the floor treatment machine.

6. A floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tank module comprises an outer housing to contain the clean fluid reservoir and the waste fluid tank, wherein the housing of the tank module may form at least part of one of the clean fluid reservoir or waste fluid tank.

7. A floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tank module comprises several portions selectively retained by means of resilient retaining clips.

8. A floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein each resilient retaining clip is constructed and arranged to retain the portions of the tank module in the required orientation and comprises at least one resilient portion that is resiliently deformable on application of a force to enable removal of one portion the tank module from another.

9. A floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tank module is removably attached to a leading edge of the handle portion.

10. A floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the handle portion is reclinable with respect to the base portion in an operational configuration and the handle portion is locatable in a substantially vertical position with respect to the base portion in a non-working configuration, and wherein the tank module is selectively attachable to the handle portion such that the tank module is located on a side of the handle portion that is above the base portion when the machine is in the non-working configuration.

11. A floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 10, wherein the base portion is provided with wheels arranged to support and facilitate movement of the machine, and wherein the tank module is attached to the handle portion such that the centre of gravity of the tank module is located within an area defined by the wheels in the non-working configuration.

12. A floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tank module is attachable on the handle portion in a location towards a lower end region of the handle portion.

13. A floor treatment machine according to claim 1, further comprising securing means for selectively securing the tank module to the handle portion, wherein the securing means comprise complementary inter-engaging portions located on the handle portion and the tank module.

14. A floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 13, wherein the securing means comprise complementary inter-engaging portions having dimensions selected to provide an interference connection therebetween.

15. A floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 13, wherein the inter-engaging portions comprise a key and a keyway to engage the tank module with the handle portion and allow relative sliding movement therebetween.

16. A floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base of the tank module has at least one substantially planar supporting portion that may be placed upon a surface to enable the tank module to be supported in an upright position on the surface or floor.

17. A floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base of the tank module comprises at least two feet to support the tank module in a substantially upright orientation.

18. A floor treatment machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base of at least one of the clean fluid reservoir and the waste fluid tank is arranged such that the reservoir and/or the waste fluid tank is self-supporting in an upright position when removed from the tank module.