Patent Grant
11357379
The present application relates generally to a cleaning apparatus. More specifically, the present application relates to a floor cleaning machine having a cleaning fluid manifold.
Floor cleaning machines can be configured as push machines, walk-behind machines or ride-along machines. The effectiveness of floor cleaning machines can be improved by increasing or maintaining contact with the floor, improving the scrubbing action or motion, and effective use of cleaning fluid.
Rotary disc type scrubbers have been used for decades to clean hard floor surfaces such as tile, linoleum, and concrete. These hard floor surfaces are often uneven, which can present challenges to the scrubber in maintaining contact with the floor and can result in a floor that is not cleaned in a uniform fashion. One approach to cleaning uneven floors is to provide a flexible coupling between the cleaning element or medium and the cleaning head assembly such as a gimbaled pad holder, or scrub brush coupler. The gimbaled design allows some degree of freedom to the cleaning element, allowing it to tilt in response to the uneven floor.
The scrubbing action of these machines can be improved by use of orbital scrubbing. Random orbit disc scrubbers are described in detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,984,696 and 9,649,003 to Stuchlik et al., which are assigned to Nilfisk-Advance, Inc.
An additional challenge for conventional floor cleaning machines is excess water consumption. In the past, it was a widely held belief that the cleaning efficacy was positively correlated to the amount of cleaning fluid applied to the floor. This notion has fallen from favor as the floor cleaning industry has become more ecologically conscious. Various approaches have been developed by floor equipment companies to reduce the amount of water applied to the floor by improving cleaning fluid distribution. One approach to controlling cleaning fluid distribution is through the use of a cleaning fluid manifold. Various cleaning fluid manifolds for floor cleaning machines are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,302,733 to Rau et al., U.S. Pat. No. 9,370,289 to Kauffman, and U.S. Pub. No. 2008/0271757 to Mitchell.
Notwithstanding the aforementioned systems, there is still a need for an improved floor cleaning machine that will conserve water without compromising cleaning quality.
The inventors of the present application have recognized a need for improving the performance of cleaning fluid manifolds, particularly those used with random orbit scrubbers. Many previous manifold designs are shaped and located with little or no regard to the cleaning element shape, the cleaning action and the cleaning machine travel path. For example, previous cleaning fluid manifolds are straight and simply dump fluid in front of the cleaning element. These cleaning manifold designs often result in cleaning fluid being deposited only partially within the cleaning fluid path. With these designs, cleaning fluid deposited outside of the cleaning element path is wasted, and cleaning fluid deposited within the cleaning fluid path can be inadequately distributed to facilitate effective cleaning. Furthermore, when used with orbital scrubbers, previous cleaning fluid manifolds do not distribute cleaning fluid with sufficient floor coverage to account for both rotating and orbiting scrubbing action.
The present inventors have recognized a solution to these and other problems by recognizing that excess cleaning fluid consumption can be addressed by more strategic placement of the cleaning fluid so that an appropriate amount of cleaning fluid is applied close to where it is needed. The cleaning fluid manifolds of the present application can address the aforementioned needs by being located in front of or above a cleaning element, such as a pad or brush, to, among other things, evenly distribute cleaning fluid to the cleaning element. In various examples, the cleaning fluid manifold can conform to the shape of the cleaning element, such as by being arcuate for round scrubbing pads and brushes. Additionally, the cleaning fluid manifold can be mounted separate from the cleaning element driver block to permit rotating and orbital cleaning action. Also, the cleaning fluid manifold can be rotatably mounted to a cleaning head assembly to remain positioned within the cleaning element path during turning operations of the cleaning machine. In examples, a floor cleaning machine can include one or more manifolds to dispense cleaning fluid in different locations or at different pressures or volumes. Furthermore, the cleaning fluid manifolds can include spray nozzles that permit variable flows of cleaning fluid.
The manifolds disclosed in the present application can locate a desired amount cleaning fluid into the cleaning element to eliminate over-application of cleaning fluid, which reduces waste. Additionally, manifolds disclosed herein can reduce splashing and spraying of cleaning fluid by the cleaning element that can result from over-application of cleaning fluid, thereby eliminating or reducing the need for splash skirts and splash guards.
In an example, a floor scrubber machine can comprise a main body having a front end and a rear end, a cleaning fluid tank carried by the main body, a cleaning head assembly connected to the main body, and an arcuate cleaning fluid manifold. The cleaning head assembly can comprise a cleaning element driver, a motor configured to impart rotational movement through a shaft to the cleaning element driver, and a cleaning element coupled to the cleaning element driver and structured for contact with a floor surface. The arcuate cleaning fluid manifold can be fluidly coupled to the cleaning fluid tank. The arcuate cleaning fluid manifold can be mounted to the floor scrubber machine forward of the shaft.
In another example, a scrubber head assembly for a floor cleaning machine can comprise a mounting plate having an opening, a motor-driven shaft extending through the opening, a driver coupled to the motor-driven shaft, and three or more cleaning fluid apertures disposed at different circumferential positions relative to the motor-driven shaft. The driver can be configured to couple to a cleaning element for contacting a surface of a floor. The three or more cleaning fluid apertures can be configured to dispense cleaning fluid on, under or in front of the driver.
In yet another example, a random orbit scrubber can comprise a main body having a front end and a rear end, a cleaning fluid tank carried by the main body, a cleaning head assembly connected to the main body, and an arcuate cleaning fluid manifold fluidly coupled to the cleaning fluid tank. The cleaning head assembly can comprise a cleaning element driver a cleaning element coupled to the cleaning element driver and structured for contact with a floor surface and a motor operable to impart rotational and orbital movement on the cleaning element. The cleaning fluid manifold can be mounted to the random orbit scrubber forward of the motor.
The operator, not shown, walks behind the scrubber 20 and grips the handle 18 to control the direction of travel as indicated by the arrow at the front of the scrubber. A control panel 16 can be positioned at the rear of the scrubber and has various control devices and systems well known to those skilled in the art. The control devices and systems are in electrical connection with the various operating components of the scrubber.
In various examples, there can be an on/off switch and a cleaning head assembly position control device. The cleaning head assembly 27 can include a raised position where the brush 28 is not in contact with the floor surface and a lowered position where the brush 28 is in contact with the floor surface. When the on/off switch is “on” and the cleaning head assembly 27 is placed in the lowered position, a touch down switch can activate the brush motor 26 to scrub the floor.
There can also be a control device to vary the amount of downward load on the cleaning head assembly 27. Some scrubbers have an adjustable actuator that can vary the amount of downward load on the cleaning head assembly 27. Alternatively, scrubbers can have weights on the cleaning head assembly 27 that exert a constant load. For those scrubbers with adjustable load control devices, a heavy load can be used for very dirty floors. Lightly soiled floors require minimum load.
Additional controls can include, but are not limited to, an adjustable flow control device for controllably dispensing the cleaning fluid and a squeegee position control device for raising and lowering a squeegee 34.
The rotary motion scrubber 20 can have a solution tank 22 and a recovery tank 24. As illustrated in
Concentrated cleaning fluid 43 can be poured into the solution tank 22 through the solution tank inlet 42. The cleaning fluid 43 can be a liquid and typically includes a mixture of tap water and a cleaning agent such as concentrated floor soap. Generally, the concentrated cleaning agent can be poured into the solution tank 22 and then tap water can be added in the desired amount. The solution tank 22 can be filled with water and concentrated floor soap. When the scrubber is scrubbing, the cleaning fluid 43 can pass from the solution tank 22 through the solution conduit 44 to the brush 28. The cleaning fluid can then be scrubbed against the floor 30 by the rotating bristles 25 of the brush 28. As the scrubber 20 moves forward as indicated by the arrow 52, the squeegee 34 can suck up the dirty fluid 41 from the floor 30 and the dirty fluid can be directed through the conduit 32 into the recovery tank 24.
As illustrated in
Most scrubbers, like the scrubber 20, have traction wheels 62 that can facilitate movement of the scrubber to and from the desired work area. Additionally, some scrubbers have a traction motor to power the traction wheels 62. Scrubbers typically include a power supply to power the brush motor 26, the vacuum motor 38, and if so equipped, the traction motor. In an example, the power supply can comprise at least one 6 or 12-volt DC rechargeable battery. In another example, the power supply can comprise 110 volts AC or 220 volts AC power that is transferred from a wall mounted AC receptacle with a long extension cord.
While scrubbing, cleaning solution 43 can pass through the cleaning solution conduit 44 and feed out by gravity to the top of the brush 28. The brush 28 can have a plurality of holes 29 through the top of the brush that allow some of the cleaning solution 43 to pass through the brush to the bristles 25 and the floor 30. Because the brush 28 is typically rotating between about 175-300 RPM, a substantial amount of the cleaning solution 43 can be expelled from the brush 28 by centrifugal force. Consequently, a splash skirt 31 can be provided that surrounds the brush 28 to contain the cleaning solution that is being expelled therefrom.
As used herein, the term “cleaning element” includes cleaning pads, bristles of cleaning brushes, and the like. The cleaning element can be both removable and flexible, such as a flexible cleaning pad. Although any suitable cleaning pad can be used as the cleaning element 112, exemplary cleaning pads can include the high productivity pad 7300, the black stripper pad 7200, the eraser pad 3600, the red buffer pad 5100, and the white super polish pad 4100 sold by 3M Company of St. Paul, Minn. Cleaning pads can be mounted to pad holders and cleaning brushes can be mounted to brush blocks. The pad holders and brush blocks, collectively referred to as drivers, can facilitate coupling to a drive element such as a motor.
The random orbit disc scrubber 100 can include a right lift arm 116 and a left lift arm 118 that pivotally engage a right lift bracket 120 and a left lift bracket 122 (as better illustrated in
The right and left lift arms 116 and 118 can be configured to raise and lower the cleaning head assembly 106 between the positions illustrated in
As illustrated in
From time to time, cleaning elements wear out or become damaged and thus need to be replaced. Additionally, it may be necessary to change the type of cleaning element to better suit a particular cleaning application, such as by replacing a cleaning pad with a cleaning brush. In an example, the cleaning elements 112 can be removed and installed without the use of tools thus making it easy to replace a cleaning element. As illustrated in
The manifold assembly 107 is also shown in
As will be described in further detail with reference to the following figures, the orbital movement can be imparted to the cleaning element 112 by an eccentric cam operably coupled to the driveshaft of the motor 111. The cleaning element 112 can orbit at speeds exceeding 2000 revolutions per minute, which induces vibrations in the cleaning head assembly 106. In order to extend the life of the scrubber 100 and improve operator comfort, these vibrations are preferably dampened. To that end, as illustrated in
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing, the vibration dampening elements 150 can reduce sound and vibration between the motor mounting plate 146, the housing 109, and the right and left lift brackets 120 and 122. Additionally, the vibration dampening elements 150 can also allow the cleaning head assembly 106 to move and conform to variations in floor elevation relative to the machine body. This prevents uneven loading of the cleaning head assembly 106 which would otherwise result in increased vibration. The ability of the cleaning head assembly 106 to conform to variations in floor elevation can also result in a more uniform cleaning of the floor surface.
While the structure and positioning of exemplary vibration dampening elements 150 has been described in detail, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the number, location, and type of vibration dampening elements can vary according to the size of the motor 111, the size of the cleaning element 112, and the size of the driver 115, among other factors.
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the motor mounting plate 146 and the housing 109 remain stationary relative to the motor 111 during a scrubbing procedure. Particularly, the motor mounting plate 146 can be fixedly coupled to the motor 111 in any suitable manner, such as with a plurality of threaded fasteners 177 (only one shown in
The motor 111 can be operable to cause a drive shaft 180 to rotate. The drive shaft 180 can be structured for mounting off-center in an eccentric cam 182, as best illustrated in
When assembled as illustrated in
As discussed above, the driver 115 can be fixedly coupled to the motor driver plate 190, which can be rotatable relative to the eccentric cam 182 due to the presence of the bearing assembly 186 in the driver plate journal 188. Thus, the driver 115 and attached cleaning element 112 also rotate independently of the orbital movement provided by the offset in the eccentric cam 182. In an example, rotation of the drive shaft 180 at a speed of about 2200 revolutions per minute can produce circumferential rotation of the driver 115 and attached cleaning element 112 at a speed of about 30 revolutions per minute. This additional circumferential rotation can provide better distribution of the cleaning fluid, better cleaning action (especially with a brush application), and improved debris deflection as compared to a purely orbitable cleaning element. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, debris would have more of a tendency to build-up on the non-rotating edge of a purely orbitable cleaning element.
The rotational speed of the driver 115 and cleaning element 112 can be significantly slower than a conventional prior art rotary disc scrubber such as that illustrated in
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, rotating the driver 115 at high speeds to produce the desired orbital movement generates a centripetal force that must be counteracted in order to provide a balanced rotation. Thus, as illustrated in
The counterweight 203 acts as the balancing force to the centripetal force generated by the driver 115. Particularly, the main body 205 of the counterweight 203 can act in a direction that is directly opposite and generally in-line with the force being generated by the driver 115. In other words, the center of mass of the counterweight 203 can be positioned such that it is generally in-line with the center of mass of the driver 115. Any significant offset between these two lines of forces would generate a torque or couple on the drive shaft 180, thus creating vibration in the system. As further illustrated in
A stationary splash shield 210 can be fixedly coupled to the motor mounting plate 146 with a plurality of fasteners 212 that extend through a plurality of apertures 214 in the motor mounting plate 146 and a corresponding plurality of apertures 216 in a top side of the splash shield 210. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the splash shield 210 can be sized such that it encloses the distal end of the drive shaft 180, the eccentric cam 182, and the bearing assembly 184 to prevent cleaning fluid from coming into contact with these components during operation.
In order to protect the cleaning head assembly 106 and to avoid damage to walls and furniture, the cleaning head assembly 106 can be equipped with one or more roller bumpers 170. As best illustrated in
The inner region 220 can define a trough 226 having a plurality of apertures 228. A total of 12 apertures 228 are illustrated, although the driver 115 can have any number of apertures without departing from the intended scope of the application. In various configurations, such as discussed below with reference to
In the example of
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, if the direction of rotation R of the driver 115 is reversed such that the driver 115 rotates clockwise, the location of manifold housing 126 across both quadrant Q1 and quadrant Q2 as shown in
In another embodiment, the manifold housing 126 can be configured to extend along a particular percentage of the circumference of the driver 115. For example, the manifold housing 126 can be configured to extend along about twenty-five percent of the circumference of the driver 115, such as the front-most portion comprising the inner halves of quadrant Q1 and quadrant Q2, as is indicated by radial lines R1 and R2. In other examples, the manifold housing 126 can extend along the circumference of the driver 115 in the range of approximately forty percent to approximately fifteen percent of the circumference. The depicted embodiment of the manifold housing 126 in
Furthermore, the manifold housing 126 is positioned close to the front of the cleaning element 112 and the driver 115 to minimize cleaning fluid that is inefficiently applied during turning operations of scrubber 100. For example, if a manifold housing were used that is shaped to extend straight between tangent lines T1 and T2, i.e., perpendicular to the 90°-270° axis, cleaning fluid dispensed toward the extremities of such manifold housing would be applied outside of the path of the cleaning element 112 in the direction opposite the direction that the scrubber 100 turns. However, with the manifold housing 126 closely conforming to the shape of the driver 115, waste of cleaning fluid from this type of occurrence is minimized. As discussed below with reference to
In operation, the cleaning fluid can be pumped to the manifold assembly 107, above or in front of the driver 115 and the cleaning element 112, via a suitable fluid pump that can be controlled by the operator controls 110. The pump can be controlled to provide the correct proportional amount of water to chemical as directed by the operator. In an example, the cleaning fluid can be gravity fed to the manifold assembly 107, such as by allowing the cleaning fluid to drip into the manifold housing 126. In another example, the manifold housing 126 can include a modulated valve that is operable between an “on” position and an “off” position at suitable intervals. Regardless of the manner in which the cleaning fluid is dispensed onto the driver 115, the cleaning fluid can be substantially evenly distributed across the cleaning element 112 as described herein.
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art based on the foregoing, the rotational and orbital movement of the cleaning element 112 can entrap the cleaning fluid inside the cleaning element by its small and fast orbiting action and constant velocity directional changes. The manifold assembly 107 can strategically place cleaning fluid on top or in front of the cleaning element 112 to maximize use of all the surface area of the cleaning element 112, thereby improving the overall efficiency of the scrubber 100. Because the cleaning fluid is entrapped within the cleaning element 112, approximately ½ to ¼ the amount of cleaning fluid, or even less, can be required as compared to a traditional rotary disc scrubber for the same amount of cleaning. The combined rotational and orbital movement of the cleaning element 112 can also produce a more uniform scrub pattern without the “swirls” that are often produced by traditional rotary disc scrubbers.
The foregoing description sets forth an example of a random orbit disc scrubber 100 that can be configured to dispense cleaning fluid using a single manifold located in front of cleaning head assembly 106, and is thus mounted to the exterior of the housing 109. However, in other examples, cleaning fluid can be dispensed one top of the cleaning element 112, such as by being mounted to the interior of the housing 109, as described with reference to
In the present example, the driver 115′ includes a plurality of apertures 228′ that can receive fluid from the nozzles 128′. The drivers 115 and 115′ can include any number of apertures 228 and 228′, respectively, without departing from the spirit and scope of the application.
As illustrated in
In the example of
Because the cleaning fluid is distributed in both the first or front right quadrant Q1 and the second or front left quadrant Q2 in the foregoing example, reversing the direction of rotation R of the driver 115′ will have no significant effect on the fluid distribution to the cleaning element 112. The manifold housing 126′ can extend across a particular width of the cleaning path or a particular portion of the circumference of the driver 115′ as described above with reference to the manifold housing 126 and the driver 115 in
The floor cleaning machine 240 can be configured to clean, treat, scrub, or polish a floor surface, or perform other similar actions using, for example, the scrubber 260 of the cleaning head assembly 246 and the squeegee 262 of the squeegee assembly 244. The cleaning head assembly 246 and the squeegee assembly 244 can be mounted to a carriage 264. An operator can stand in the platform compartment 250 within main cowling 252 and control the machine 240 using the control panel 248 and the steering wheel 253.
The embodiment of
The platform compartment 240 can include a platform to support the weight of an operator in a standing position. In other examples, the machine 240 can be configured to accommodate a sitting operator. The machine 240 can be of a three-wheel design having two wheels 256A (not visible in
The machine 240 can be electrically operated and can include a battery for powering the various components of the machine 240. Motors within the machine 240 (not shown) or the steering wheel 253 can be used to the turn wheel 258. Additionally, the wheel 258 can be connected to a prime mover, such as an electric motor that provides propulsive force to the machine 240.
The cleaning head assembly 246 can be configured to provide a cleaning action, such rotary disc, orbital or cylindrical cleaning, to the scrubber 250 to clean a floor surface. Fluid from a liquid cleaning system disposed within the main cowling 252 can be dispensed by the machine 240 to facilitate scrubbing performed by the scrubber 260. A liquid system can include a liquid storage tank, a pump system, and the cleaning fluid manifold 242. The squeegee 262 can be used to corral or wipe dirty fluid behind the scrubber 260 and can be connected to a recovery system having a tank (e.g., tank 24 of
The carriage 264 can be configured to couple to the chassis 254 or the cleaning head assembly 246. The carriage 264 can carry the cleaning fluid manifold 242 and the squeegee assembly 244. In various examples, the carriage 264 can be configured to rotate about a pivot point to position the cleaning fluid manifold 242 and the squeegee assembly 244 at different positions about the perimeter, or circumference, of the scrubber 260. In embodiments, the carriage 264 can be driven by a motor that positions the cleaning fluid manifold 242 and the squeegee assembly 244 at desired positions while the machine 240 is performing turning procedures. In other embodiments, the carriage 264 can be configured to freely rotate about the perimeter of the scrubber 260 such that contact between the floor surface and the squeegee 262 determine the position of the carriage 264 as the machine 240 turns. As such, the cleaning fluid manifold 242 can be better positioned in the front of the cleaning head assembly 246 to dispense cleaning fluid in front of scrubber 260, and the squeegee assembly 244 can be better positioned in the rear of the cleaning head assembly 246 to recover cleaning fluid behind scrubber 260.
The squeegee assembly 244 can comprise any suitable system that can be connected to the mount 266 and that can support the squeegee 262. The squeegee assembly 244 can include a squeegee bracket 272 to support the squeegee 262, which can comprise a rubber blade, and to couple to the extension 268. The bracket 272 can comprise a rigid arcuate or semi-circular body to wrap around the perimeter of the mount 266.
The manifold 242 can be configured according to any of the manifolds described herein. The brackets 270A-270E can have a variety of shapes to support the manifold 242 from the mount 266. In an example, the brackets 270A-270E can include horizontal projections 274A-274E and vertical projections 276A-276E. The vertical projections 276 can connect to a manifold channel body 278. The horizontal projections 274A-274E can extend straight over the scrubber 260 and the vertical projections 276A-276E can extend down from the horizontal projections 274A-274E to bring the manifold channel body 278 past or alongside the driver for the scrubber 260 and closer to a floor surface. The brackets 270A-270E can extend from the mount 266 in different radial directions to provide support for the arcuate cleaning fluid manifold 242 along the length of the manifold 242. The manifold channel body 278 can comprise a housing for supporting a manifold tube 280. As discussed below with reference to
The mount 266 can comprise a coupling point for linking the rotatable carriage 264 to the machine 240. The mount 266 can comprise a ring that connects to the cleaning head assembly 246 or the chassis 254. For example, the mount 266 can coupled around a circular body against which it can rotate, such as a motor housing or a mating ring of smaller diameter. In an example, the mount 266 can couple to the cleaning head assembly 246 centrally around a drive shaft that rotates or orbits the scrubber 260. Thus, in an example, the channel body 278, squeegee bracket 272, mount 266 and scrubber 260 can be mounted around a common central axis.
The rotatable carriage 264 provides a common mounting point for both the manifold 242 and the squeegee assembly 244 to pivot about the scrubber 260. The rotatable carriage 264 can be mounted to freely rotate about the scrubber 260. That is, the rotatable carriage 264 can be free to pivot about the scrubber 260 under its own power through contact of the squeegee 262 with the floor surface. Thus, as the machine 240 turns along the cleaning path, the squeegee 262 drags along the floor surface through friction and the rotatable carriage 264 changes its rotational position relative to the scrubber 260 as the machine 240 moves relative to that portion of the floor surface. In other embodiments, the rotatable carriage 264 can be powered, such as with an electric motor, to actively change rotational position, such as based on the steering of the machine 240.
The nozzle 300 is shown having a body 302, an orifice 304 and a split 306 having a first end 306A and a second end 306B. The body 302 can include a cylindrical surface 308, a first end surface 310 and a second end surface 312. The orifice 304 can extend from the first end surface 310 to the second end surface 320. Likewise, the first slit end 306A and second slit end 306B can extend from the first end surface 310 to the second end surface 320.
As can be seen in
As shown in
As shown in
As described above, the nozzle 300 comprises a variable flow nozzle for cleaning fluid that can be used to apply two different volumes of cleaning fluid for two different operating modes of a cleaning or scrubbing machine. For example, in a first, low-flow mode, the cleaning machine can be configured to only dispense fluid between the surfaces of the orifice 304 in situations where the floor surface the cleaning machine is being used on is only slightly dirty. However, in a second, high-flow mode, the cleaning machine can be configured to dispense fluid between the surfaces of the orifice 304 and the surfaces of slit ends 306A and 306B in situations where the floor surface the cleaning machine is being used is very dirty. Operator judgment can be used to determine slightly dirty and very dirty conditions. Additionally, the low-flow and high-flow modes can be used to clean different types of floor surfaces, such as hard surfaces and carpeted surfaces, respectively. In addition to providing two different cleaning fluid flow modes for operation of the cleaning machine, flexible nozzles are also less susceptible to clogging, as debris and other matter can work its way out of the nozzle 300 by generating small, localized deflections of the walls 304A and 304B of the orifice 304.
As illustrated in
The manifold housing 426A can be positioned out front of the cleaning head assembly 406 for controllably dispensing the cleaning fluid onto the floor surface 414. In an example, the cleaning fluid can be pumped from the solution tank through the fluid conduits 424 and 425A to the manifold housing 426A such that the cleaning fluid sprays through the nozzles 428A at a desired pressure. The manifold housing 426A can include multiple nozzles 428A that permit cleaning fluid to spray onto floor 414 in multiple locations in front of the rotating cleaning element 412.
The manifold housing 426B can be positioned underneath the driver 415 inside the cleaning head assembly 406 for controllably dispensing the cleaning fluid onto the cleaning element 412. In an example, the cleaning fluid can be pumped from the solution tank through the fluid conduits 424 and 425B to the manifold housing 426B such that the cleaning fluid sprays through the nozzles 428B at a desired pressure. The manifold housing 426B can include multiple nozzles 428B that permit cleaning fluid to spray onto floor 414 in multiple locations on top of the rotating cleaning element 412.
In various embodiments, the nozzles 428A and 428B can comprise variable flow nozzles, such as those described with reference to
As illustrated in
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art based on the foregoing, the rotational and orbital movement of the cleaning element 412 can entrap the cleaning fluid inside the cleaning element by its small and fast orbiting action and constant velocity directional changes. The manifold assemblies 407A and 407B can strategically place cleaning fluid on top or in front of the cleaning element 412 to maximize use of all the surface area of the cleaning element 412, thereby improving the overall efficiency of the scrubber machine 400. Because the cleaning fluid is entrapped within the cleaning element 412, approximately ½ to ¼ the amount of cleaning fluid, or even less, can be required as compared to a traditional rotary disc scrubber for the same amount of cleaning. The combined rotational and orbital movement of the cleaning element 412 can also produce a more uniform scrub pattern without the “swirls” that are often produced by traditional rotary disc scrubbers.
The driver 514 and the cleaning element 516 can comprise any of the components described herein, such a brush block and brush or a pad holder and pad, respectively. The driver 514 can be configured to rotate or orbit the cleaning element 516 against the floor surface 518 as is described herein, for example. The housing 506 can support elements of the cleaning head assembly 500, such as a motor for the driver 514 and the bracket 508.
The manifolds 502 and 504 can be configured to distribute a cleaning fluid to the floor surface 518 and the cleaning element 516. The cleaning head assembly 500 can be provided with two cleaning fluid manifolds to provide a variety of cleaning fluid options for cleaning the floor surface 518. For example, the manifolds 502 and 504 can provide different cleaning fluids, can provide different pressure cleaning fluids, can provide cleaning fluid at different locations on the floor surface 518, at different locations on the floor surface 518 and the cleaning element 516, at different heights above the floor surface 518, and various combinations thereof.
In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the extension 512 can be connected to the bracket 508 further in front of the extension 510, while the extension 512 can be closer to the floor surface 518 than the extension 510. As such, the manifold 502 can be positioned closer to the cleaning element 516 and the manifold 504 can be positioned closer to the floor surface 518. The manifold 502 can be configured to dispense or spray cleaning fluid directly at or onto the cleaning element 516 and the manifold 504 can be configured to dispense or spray cleaning fluid directly onto the floor surface 518.
The extension 510 can have a length so that the manifold 502 can be positioned close to the cleaning element 516 to apply cleaning fluid into the cleaning element 516, which can result in cleaning fluid being applied where it is most effective, and can help reduce splashing. The manifold 502 can include spray orifices or spray nozzles that are configured to dispense cleaning fluid at an angle relative to the floor surface 518 such that angle α2 is approximately forty-five degrees.
The extension 512 can have a length so that the manifold 504 can be positioned close to the floor surface 518 to reduce splashing of cleaning fluid contacting the floor surface 518. The manifold 504 can include spray orifices or spray nozzles that are configured to dispense cleaning fluid straight into or normal to the floor surface 518 such that angle α2 is approximately ninety degrees.
In other embodiments, the manifold 502 can be configured to dispense cleaning fluid in a range from approximately parallel to the floor surface 518 (e.g., horizontal to be directed straight back at a cleaning element) to approximately perpendicular to the floor surface 518 (e.g., longitudinal to be directed straight down at a floor surface). The manifold 504 can also be configured in such a range in different embodiments.
The housing 600 can comprise a disk-like body 616 having features, such as openings or sockets, for mounting a motor and a central opening 618 through which drive components of a cleaning head assembly, such as a shaft or cam, can extend through. The body 616 can provide a rigid support for the motor that extends out over a cleaning element. The housing 600 can include sidewalls 620 that extend outward from the body 616 to at least partially envelop the cleaning element, thereby shielding rotating components from exposure and providing a splash guard for cleaning fluid. The channel body 604 can be formed in or attached to sidewalls 620. The channel body 604 and the housing 600 can include channel 622 for receiving pipe 606.
Channel body 604 can be coupled to a wall of an existing cleaning head housing using suitable fasteners or coupling techniques, thereby simplifying manufacture or assembly of cleaning head assemblies. The manifold 602 can be positioned within the lower channel 630 and held in place with the hook 640 of hook portion 626. The mounting plate 638 of the hook portion 626 can be attached to the outer wall 634 of the coupling portion 624 using suitable fasteners or coupling techniques. For example, threaded fasteners can be used to secure the hook portion 626 to the outer wall 634. Thus, in order to remove the fluid manifold 602 from the housing 600, the threaded fasteners can be removed to permit the hook portion 626 to be removed from the coupling portion 624 to allow the fluid manifold 602 to be freely removed from the lower channel 630. In other embodiments, the hook 640 can be sized to permit the fluid manifold 602 to be snap fit into the lower channel 630. For example, the nominal width of the lower channel 630 can be slightly larger than the diameter of the fluid manifold 602, such as measured at first joint coupler 612A to permit the fluid manifold 602 freely rest in the lower channel 630. The width of the lower channel 630 at the hook 640 can be slightly less than the diameter of the first joint coupler 12A to allow the fluid manifold 602 to squeeze, e.g., by slightly compressing, into the lower channel 630. In various embodiments, the hook 640 can be crenelated or scalloped to, for example, accommodate differences in diameters of first joint coupler 12A, second joint coupler 12B, the first tube 608A and the second tube 608B, to reduce the weight of the channel body, and to change the snap fit engagement dynamic.
The features disclosed in the present application can provide future designers of floor scrubbers with a number of design options not previously available. With prior art rotary motion scrubbers such as that illustrated in
Example 1 can include or use subject matter such as a floor scrubber machine that can comprise a main body having a front end and a rear end, a cleaning fluid tank carried by the main body, a cleaning head assembly connected to the main body, the cleaning head assembly can comprise a cleaning element driver, a motor configured to impart rotational movement through a shaft to the cleaning element driver, and a cleaning element coupled to the cleaning element driver and structured for contact with a floor surface, and an arcuate cleaning fluid manifold fluidly coupled to the cleaning fluid tank, the arcuate cleaning fluid manifold mounted to the floor scrubber machine forward of the shaft.
Example 2 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Example 1, to optionally include an arcuate cleaning fluid manifold that can include three or more discharge orifices.
Example 3 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 1 or 2 to optionally include three or more discharge orifices that can have spacing intervals in the range of 1.0 inch (˜2.54 cm) to 7.0 inches (˜17.78 cm) across a length of the arcuate cleaning fluid manifold.
Example 4 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 1 to 3 to optionally include three or more discharge orifices that can have a diameter in the range of 0.055 inch (˜1.397 mm) to 0.075 inch (˜1.905 mm).
Example 5 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 1 to 4 to optionally include three or more discharge orifices that can comprise elastomeric nozzles.
Example 6 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 1 to 5 to optionally include elastomeric nozzles that can comprise a body and a discharge opening in the body, wherein the discharge opening flexes in response to changes in the discharge rate.
Example 7 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 1 to 6 to optionally include an arcuate cleaning fluid manifold that can be mounted to the floor scrubber machine forward of the cleaning element.
Example 8 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 1 to 7 to optionally include three or more discharge orifices that can be angled toward the cleaning element.
Example 9 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 1 to 8 to optionally include an arcuate cleaning fluid manifold that can be mounted to the floor scrubber machine above the cleaning element.
Example 10 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 1 to 9 to optionally include an arcuate cleaning fluid manifold that can include two or more spaced apart feed lines fluidly coupled to the cleaning fluid tank.
Example 11 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 1 to 10 to optionally include an additional separate arcuate cleaning fluid manifold that can be spaced from the arcuate cleaning fluid manifold in either a forward direction or an aftward direction.
Example 12 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 1 to 11 to optionally include a cleaning head assembly that can further comprise an eccentric cam to impart orbital movement on the cleaning element.
Example 13 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 1 to 12 to optionally include a squeegee assembly that can be mounted to the floor scrubber machine so as to be positioned aft of the shaft.
Example 14 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 1 to 13 to optionally include a squeegee assembly and an arcuate cleaning fluid manifold that can be rotatably mounted to the floor scrubber machine about an approximate center of the shaft.
Example 15 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 1 to 14 to optionally include a carriage comprising a mount rotatably coupled to the cleaning head assembly about the shaft, a first extension extending from the mount and coupled to the squeegee assembly, and a second extension extending from the mount and coupled to the arcuate cleaning fluid manifold.
Example 16 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 1 to 15 to optionally include an arcuate cleaning fluid manifold that can extends along a width in the range of at least about forty percent of a width of the cleaning path of the cleaning element to about one-hundred percent of the width of the cleaning path of the cleaning element.
Example 17 can include or use subject matter such as a scrubber head assembly for a floor cleaning machine, the scrubber head assembly can comprise a mounting plate having an opening, a motor-driven shaft extending through the opening, a driver coupled to the motor-driven shaft, the driver configured to couple to a cleaning element for contacting a surface of a floor, and three or more cleaning fluid apertures disposed at different circumferential positions relative to the motor-driven shaft, the three or more cleaning fluid apertures configured to dispense cleaning fluid on, under or in front of the driver.
Example 18 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Example 17, to optionally include an arcuate cleaning fluid manifold to which the three or more cleaning fluid apertures are connected.
Example 19 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 17 or 18, to optionally include a vertical peripheral wall extending from the mounting plate, wherein the arcuate cleaning fluid manifold is coupled to the vertical peripheral wall in front of the driver.
Example 20 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 17 to 19, to optionally include three or more cleaning fluid apertures that can be angled toward an underside of the driver.
Example 21 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 17 to 20, to optionally include an arcuate cleaning fluid manifold that can be coupled to the mounting plate and the driver includes a plurality of openings to permit cleaning fluid through the driver onto the cleaning element.
Example 22 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 17 to 21, to optionally include an additional separate cleaning fluid manifold fluidly coupled in parallel with the arcuate cleaning fluid manifold.
Example 23 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 17 to 22, to optionally include a valve to control flow to the arcuate cleaning fluid manifold and the additional separate cleaning fluid manifold.
Example 24 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 17 to 23, to optionally include an arcuate cleaning fluid manifold that can extend along a width in the range of at least about forty percent of a width of the cleaning path of the cleaning element to about one-hundred percent of the width of the cleaning path of the cleaning element.
Example 25 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 17 to 24, to optionally include three or more cleaning fluid apertures comprise flexible nozzles.
Example 26 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 17 to 25, to optionally include each of the three or more cleaning fluid apertures is configured to have a variable discharge opening.
Example 27 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 17 to 26, to optionally include a motor-driven shaft that can further comprise an eccentric cam to impart orbital movement on the driver.
Example 28 can include or use subject matter such as a random orbit scrubber that can comprise a main body having a front end and a rear end, a cleaning fluid tank carried by the main body, a cleaning head assembly connected to the main body, the cleaning head assembly can comprise a cleaning element driver, a cleaning element coupled to the cleaning element driver and structured for contact with a floor surface, and a motor operable to impart rotational and orbital movement on the cleaning element, and an arcuate cleaning fluid manifold fluidly coupled to the cleaning fluid tank, the cleaning fluid manifold mounted to the random orbit scrubber forward of the motor.
Example 29 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Example 28, to optionally include an arcuate cleaning fluid manifold that can extend along at least about forty percent of a linear cleaning path width of the cleaning pad.
Example 30 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 28 or 29, to optionally include an arcuate cleaning fluid manifold that can include a plurality of discharge orifices with circumferential spacing intervals in the range of 1.0 inch (˜2.54 cm) to 7.0 inches (˜17.78 cm) across a length of the arcuate cleaning fluid manifold.
Example 31 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 28 to 30, to optionally include a cleaning head assembly that can further comprise a mounting plate to which the motor is coupled, and a peripheral wall extending below the mounting plate to at least partially cover the cleaning element, wherein the arcuate cleaning fluid manifold is mounted to the peripheral wall in front of the cleaning element.
Example 32 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 28 to 31, to optionally include an arcuate cleaning fluid manifold includes a plurality of discharge orifices that are angled backward toward the cleaning element.
Each of these non-limiting examples can stand on its own, or can be combined in various permutations or combinations with one or more of the other examples.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes can be made in form and detail without departing from the scope of the invention.
The above detailed description includes references to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the detailed description. The drawings show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention can be practiced. These embodiments are also referred to herein as “examples” Such examples can include elements in addition to those shown or described. However, the present inventors also contemplate examples in which only those elements shown or described are provided. Moreover, the present inventors also contemplate examples using any combination or permutation of those elements shown or described (or one or more aspects thereof), either with respect to a particular example (or one or more aspects thereof), or with respect to other examples (or one or more aspects thereof) shown or described herein.
In the event of inconsistent usages between this document and any documents so incorporated by reference, the usage in this document controls.
In this document, the terms “a” or “an” are used, as is common in patent documents, to include one or more than one, independent of any other instances or usages of“at least one” or “one or more.” In this document, the term “or” is used to refer to a nonexclusive or, such that “A or B” includes “A but not B,” “B but not A,” and “A and B,” unless otherwise indicated. In this document, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.” Also, in the following claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are open-ended, that is, a system, device, article, composition, formulation, or process that includes elements in addition to those listed after such a term in a claim are still deemed to fall within the scope of that claim. Moreover, in the following claims, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects.
The above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described examples (or one or more aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. Other embodiments can be used, such as by one of ordinary skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The Abstract is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. § 1.72(b), to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Also, in the above Detailed Description, various features may be grouped together to streamline the disclosure. This should not be interpreted as intending that an unclaimed disclosed feature is essential to any claim. Rather, inventive subject matter may lie in less than all features of a particular disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description as examples or embodiments, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment, and it is contemplated that such embodiments can be combined with each other in various combinations or permutations. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
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