US20050155175A1

US20050155175A1 - Cleaning device such as carpet cleaner, floorwasher, floor sweeper, polishing machine and the like with two motors

Info

Publication number: US20050155175A1
Application number: US11/028,196
Authority: US
Inventors: Michele Massaro
Original assignee: Lindhaus Srl
Current assignee: Lindhaus Srl
Priority date: 2004-01-20
Filing date: 2005-01-04
Publication date: 2005-07-21
Also published as: DE102005002712A1; ITPD20040008A1

Abstract

A cleaning device such as a carpet cleaner, floorwasher, floor sweeper, polishing machine with two motors, comprising a wheeled base provided with brushing elements driven by a first electric motor; the wheeled base is maneuvered by a handle that supports a suction body that is pivoted to the base; the suction body is provided with suction elements operated by a second electric motor. The first motor and the second motor are both accommodated in a corresponding seat on the wheeled base.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Devices such as carpet cleaners, floorwashers, floor sweepers, polishing machines and the like are currently known and extremely widespread for cleaning and sanitizing enclosed spaces and particularly walkable surfaces.
These devices generally comprise a wheeled base provided with brushing means driven by a first electric motor.
The brushing means are designed to act mechanically on the surfaces to clean or polish, removing dust or spreading wax previously applied to the floor.
The wheeled base is maneuvered by means of a handle, which supports a suction body that is pivoted to the wheeled base.
The suction body is provided with suction means operated by a second electric motor.
The second electric motor, which drives a suction turbine, is accommodated inside the suction body together with a bag or tank for collecting dust or liquids, which is provided with at least one filtering device, and with a duct that is adapted to convey the aspirated dust into the collecting bag or tank.
Although these devices are widespread and appreciated commercially, they have aspects that can be improved.
A drawback is the user's difficulty in maneuvering said devices, owing to the weight associated with the handle.
This weight is due to the fact that the suction body contains the second electric motor.
The suction body, as mentioned, is rigidly coupled to the handle and consequently increases its weight.
The handle and the suction body are turned by the user, lowering them and then raising them, about the axis of pivoting to the wheeled base, in order to be able to push the device also into areas to be treated that are difficult to reach, such as flooring portions located below a piece of furniture, portions of carpet located below a couch, and the like.
The drawback worsens if one considers that the devices are generally used mainly by women, who on average have less physical strength than men.
Difficulty in handling and steering such devices can accordingly cause incorrect and incomplete cleaning of the surfaces that are treated or imperfect spreading of wax or slow these operations due to the frequent pauses required by the fatigue that rapidly occurs in the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the present invention is to provide a cleaning device such as carpet cleaner, floorwasher, floor sweeper, polishing machine and the like with two motors that is capable of solving the problems and drawbacks revealed by known types of device for cleaning surfaces and spreading wax.
Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning device such as carpet cleaner, floorwasher, floor sweeper, polishing machine and the like that can be operated easily by a user with less fatigue than known types.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning device such as carpet cleaner, floorwasher, floor sweeper, polishing machine and the like whose performance is at least equal to that of known types.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning device such as carpet cleaner, floorwasher, floor sweeper and the like that can be manufactured easily and at low cost with conventional systems and technologies.
This aim and these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a cleaning device such as carpet cleaner, floorwasher, floor sweeper, polishing machine and the like with two motors, of the type that comprises a wheeled base provided with brushing means driven by a first electric motor, said wheeled base being maneuvered by means of a handle that supports a suction body that is pivoted to said base, said suction body being provided with suction means that are operated by a second electric motor, the device being characterized in that said first motor and said second motor are accommodated in a corresponding seat on said wheeled base.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become better apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment thereof, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a partially sectional view of a cleaning device such as a carpet cleaner according to the invention, with the handle and the suction body in a substantially horizontal configuration;
FIG. 2 is a partially sectional top view of the wheeled base of the carpet cleaner according to the invention;
FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of the wheeled base of the carpet cleaner according to the invention, with the handle and the suction body in a substantially vertical configuration;
FIG. 4 is a sectional side view of the wheeled base of the carpet cleaner according to the invention in a second embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the figures, a cleaning device such as carpet cleaner, floorwasher, floor sweeper and the like with two motors according to the invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10.
Such device 10 comprises a wheeled base 11 provided with sweeping means 12.
The sweeping means 12 are driven by a first electric motor 13.
The wheeled base 11 is maneuvered by means of a handle 14.
The handle 14 supports a suction body 15, which in turn is pivoted to the wheeled base 11.
The suction body 15 is provided with suction means 16, which are operated by a second electric motor 17.
The device 10 is characterized in that both the first motor 13 and the second motor 17 are each accommodated in a corresponding seat, designated respectively by the reference numerals 18 and 19, in the wheeled base 11.
In a constructive variation of the invention, not shown, the seat is a single seat for both motors 13 and 17.
In particular, in the present embodiment, the axis of the second electric motor 17 coincides with the axis about which the suction body 15 is pivoted to the wheeled base 11.
In the embodiment described here, in which the device 10 is substantially a carpet cleaner, the first electric motor 13 and the second electric motor 17 are arranged so that their axes are parallel.
The axes of the first motor 13 and of the second motor 17 can be arranged at right angles to each other in the case of a floorwasher, of a floor sweeper or of a polishing machine provided with one or more circular brushes whose axis is perpendicular to the floor, as described in greater detail hereinafter and as shown in FIG. 4.
In the embodiment described here, the sweeping means 12 are formed by a roller 20 for treating a surface.
The roller 20 is provided with bristles if the device is configured as a carpet cleaner.
As an alternative, the roller 20 can be for example cylindrical and adapted for polishing flooring surfaces.
In another embodiment, shown in FIG. 4, the sweeping means, here designated by the reference 112, can be constituted, as already mentioned, by at least one circular brush 120, whose axis is perpendicular to the treated surface.
In this case, the first electric motor 113 and the second electric motor 117 are arranged so that their axes are perpendicular.
The circular brush 120, if suitable for polishing, may have an abrasive surface.
The roller 20 is turned by the first motor 13 by means of a belt device 21.
The at least one circular brush instead can be connected directly to the first motor 13.
The suction means 16 comprise a hose 22 for conveying the aspirated dust toward a collection bag 23.
The bag 23 has at least one filtering device, which is not shown for the sake of simplicity.
If the device 10 relates to a floorwasher, not shown, instead of a carpet cleaner, instead of the bag 23 there is a liquid collection tank.
The suction means 16 comprise an impeller 24, which is associated with the second electric motor 17, which moves it and indeed produces suction.
The arrangement of both electric motors 13 and 17 on the wheeled base allows such motors to discharge their weights directly onto the ground.
A carpet cleaner, floorwasher, polishing machine and the like that uses such a weight distribution is obviously lighter for a user and therefore much more maneuverable.
Further, the coaxial arrangement of the second motor 17 with respect to the pivoting 30 of the suction body 15 to the base 11 allows to optimize the space available, so that the base 11 maintains a compactness that is essential for correct treatment of hidden areas or of areas that are difficult to reach (under pieces of furniture, couches, et cetera) of the surfaces to be treated, such as floors, fitted carpets, loose carpets and the like.
In practice it has been found that the invention thus described solves the problems noted in known types of carpet cleaner, floorwasher, floor sweeper, polishing machine and the like with two motors.
In particular, the present invention provides a cleaning device such as carpet cleaner, floorwasher, floor sweeper, polishing machine and the like with two motors that can be maneuvered easily by a user with less effort than known types.
Moreover, the present invention provides a cleaning device whose performance is not inferior to that of known types.
Moreover, the present invention provides a cleaning device such as carpet cleaner, floorwasher, floor sweeper and the like that can be manufactured easily and cheaply with known systems and technologies.
The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims; all the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.
In practice, the materials employed, so long as they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.
The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. PD2004A000008 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A cleaning device such as carpet cleaner, floorwasher, floor sweeper, polishing machine with two motors, of the type that comprises a wheeled base provided with brushing means driven by a first electric motor, said wheeled base being maneuvered by means of a handle that supports a suction body that is pivoted to said base, said suction body being provided with suction means that are operated by a second electric motor, wherein said first motor and said second motor are accommodated in a corresponding seat on said wheeled base.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein an axis of said second electric motor coincides with an axis about which said suction body, and therefore said handle rigidly coupled to the suction body, are pivoted to said wheeled base.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said first electric motor and said second electric motor are arranged so that their axes are parallel.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein said first electric motor and said second electric motor are arranged so that their axes are perpendicular.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said sweeping means are formed by at least one roller for treating a surface, said roller being turned by said first motor by means of a belt device.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said sweeping means are formed by at least one circular brush, whose axis is perpendicular to the floor, said at least one brush being driven by said first motor by means of a direct coupling.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said suction means comprise a hose for conveying aspirated dust toward a dust collection bag with at least one filtering device, and a suction impeller associated with said second electric motor.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said suction means comprise a hose for conveying aspirated liquids toward a liquid collection tank.

9. The device of claim 5, wherein said roller is provided with bristles.

10. The device of claim 5, wherein said roller is cylindrical and adapted for polishing a floor.

11. The device of claim 6, wherein said at least one circular brush has an abrasive polishing surface.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein said first motor is accommodated in a first seat and said second motor is accommodated in a second seat.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein said first motor and said second motor are accommodated in a same single seat.