(19) |
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(11) |
EP 0 293 149 A2 |
(12) |
EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
(43) |
Date of publication: |
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30.11.1988 Bulletin 1988/48 |
(22) |
Date of filing: 23.05.1988 |
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(51) |
International Patent Classification (IPC)4: A47L 11/206 |
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(84) |
Designated Contracting States: |
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CH DE FR GB IT LI NL |
(30) |
Priority: |
27.05.1987 GB 8712446
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(71) |
Applicant: TRUVOX FLOORCRAFT LIMITED |
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Southampton
Hampshire SO1 0LE (GB) |
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(72) |
Inventors: |
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- Papp, Roger S.
Bournemouth Dorset BH8 0HD (GB)
- Ward, Peter T.
Southampton Hampshire (GB)
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(74) |
Representative: Topps, Ronald et al |
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R. Topps & Co.
"Avilion"
Noads Way
Dibden Purlieu Southampton
Hampshire SO4 5PB Southampton
Hampshire SO4 5PB (GB) |
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(54) |
Floor cleaning apparatus |
(57) A floor cleaning apparatus consists of a main casing (10), a disc or plate (22) mounted
for rotation within the casing (10) and to which a circular brush, pad or mop can
be attached, a skirt (17) surrounding the periphery of the disc or plate (22), a fan
or impeller unit (27) mounted within the casing (10) for providing suction within
the area bounded the skirt (17) and which is connected by a conduit (38) to a filtered
receptacle (39) and an electric motor (19) is mounted on the casing (10) and has its
drive shaft (20) extending within the casing (10) and connected by a first drive transmission
(23, 24) to the disc or plate (22) and connected by a second drive transmission (35,
36, 37) to the fan or impeller unit (27).
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[0001] This invention relates to an electrically powered floor cleaning apparatus of the
type provided with a rotatable plate or disc to which can be attached a circular brush
or cleaning or polishing pad or mop.
[0002] It is known it provide such apparatus with a skirt which surrounds the periphery
of the circular brush, pad or mop and to provide suction within the area bounded by
the skirt for conveying dust or other debris to a receptacle via a conduit connected
to the skirt, in order to prevent dust or other debris being expelled into the surrounding
area and atmosphere. Suction is produced by a fan or impeller driven by an electric
motor which is in addition to the electric motor used for driving the plate or disc.
Such known apparatus has the disadvantage that if used on a wet floor surface water
is sucked up by the fan or impeller and can come into contact with the electric motor
used for driving the fan or impeller: this is undesirable from a safety point of view.
The fan/motor unit for creating suction is usually mounted on a handle part of the
apparatus and is thus spaced well above the base part of the apparatus. This arrangement
increases the weight of the handle part and makes it tiresome to control the movement
of the apparatus over the floor surface.
[0003] Such apparatus requiring the use of two or more electric motors, one of which is
the vacuum motor, is noisy in operation. Floor cleaning is more and more being carried
out in buildings during periods in which the building is occupied, e.g. in hospitals,
offices, etc. and noisy machines can not be tolerated.
[0004] According to the present invention there is provided a floor cleaning apparatus having
a main casing, a disc or plate mounted for rotation within the casing and to which
a circular brush, pad or mop can be attached, a skirt surrounding the periphery of
the disc or plate, a fan or impeller unit for providing suction with the area bounded
by the skirt and electrically driven means for driving the disc or plate and the impeller
unit, characterised in that the fan or impeller unit is located within the casing
and has a conduit which extends to a filtered receptacle and the electrically driven
means for driving the disc or plate and the impeller unit comprises an electric motor
mounted on the casing with its drive shaft extending within the casing, a first drive
transmission drivingly connecting the drive shaft to the disc or plate and a second
drive transmission drivingly connecting the drive shaft to the fan or impeller unit.
[0005] Preferably the first and second drive transmissions each comprise a belt and pulley
drive transmission.
[0006] An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of an example, with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a floor cleaning apparatus according to
the present invention, and
Figure 2 is a cross-section through the casing.
[0007] The floor cleaning apparatus comprises a main casing 10 on which are mounted wheel
11 for use in moving the apparatus from one point of use to another or to storage.
Hinged to the rear of the casing 10 by a hinge connection 12 is a handle 13 provided
at its upper end with a control box 14 and hand grips 15. Secured to the main casing
10 is a cowling 16 to which is detachably fixed a circular skirt 17 which in use of
the apparatus extends to the floor and surrounds the periphery of a rotatable circular
brush, pad or mop (not shown). The bottom edge of the skirt 17 is provided with a
slot or slots 18 to allow air to flow into the area surrounded by the skirt 17.
[0008] Mounted on the upper side of the main casing 10 is an electric motor 19 having an
output shaft 20 which extends through the main casing 10 as shown in Figure 2. Rotatably
mounted within the main casing 10 by bearings 21 is a drive disc or plate 22 which
the circular brush, pad or mop is detachably secured. Secured to the shaft 20 is a
pulley 23 which is drivingly connected by a belt 24 to a tubular part 25 of the disc
or plate 22.
[0009] Mounted within the main casing 10 through support legs 26 is an impeller unit 27
located adjacent to the drive disc or plate 22. The impeller unit 27 comprises a mounting
plate 28 to which is secured a scroll casing 29 having an air inlet 30 and an air
outlet 31. Mounted for rotation in bearings 32 is an impeller shaft 33 on which is
secured an impeller 34. The upper end of the shaft 33 is provided with a pulley 35
which is drivingly engaged with a second pulley 36 provided on the shaft 20 by means
of a belt 37.
[0010] The outlet 31 is connected via a conduit 38 to a filtered receptacle 39 carried by
the handle 13.
[0011] In use of the apparatus, the skirt 17 prevents dust and/or debris being thrown into
the surrounding area and atmosphere by the brush, pad or mop and as the area contained
within the skirt 17 and casing 10 is subjected to suction by the impeller unit 27
any dust and/or debris is conveyed to the filtered receptacle 39. If the apparatus
is used on a wet floor any water sucked up by the impeller unit 27 is conveyed to
the receptacle 39 and can not come into contact with the motor 19. As only a single
motor 19 is used to drive the disc 22 and the impeller unit 27 the operation of the
machine is quiet compared with apparatus having two motors.
[0012] By having the impeller unit 27 mounted on the casing 10 instead of on the handle
13 ensures that its weight is distributed low down on the apparatus and does not adversely
effect handling of the apparatus.
[0013] It will be appreciated that the drive transmissions to the disc 22 and impeller unit
27 may comprise a gear transmission or a chain and sprocket transmission, or other
alternative transmission.
[0014] One or both drive transmissions to the disc 22 and the impeller unit 27 may include
a jockey or tensioning pulley or sprocket.
1. A floor cleaning apparatus having a main casing (10), a disc or plate (22) mounted
for rotation within the casing (10) and to which a circular brush, pad or mop can
be attached, a skirt (17) surrounding the periphery of the disc or plate (22), a fan
or impeller unit (27) for providing suction within the area bounded by the skirt (17)
and electrically driven means for driving the disc or plate (22) and the impeller
unit (27), characterised in that the fan or impeller unit (27) is located within the
casing (10) and has a conduit (38) which extends to a filtered receptacle (39) and
the electrically driven means for driving the disc or plate (22) and the impeller
unit (27) comprises an electric motor (19) mounted on the casing (10) with its drive
shaft (20) extending within the casing (10), a first drive transmission (23, 24) drivingly
connecting the drive shaft (20) to the disc or plate (22) and a second drive transmission
(35, 36, 37) drivingly connecting the drive shaft (20) to the fan or impeller unit
(27).
2. A floor cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the first drive transmission
(23, 24) and the second drive transmission (35, 36, 37) each comprise a belt and pulley
drive transmission or a chain and sprocket drive transmission.
3. A floor cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which one or both drive transmission
(23, 24) and (35, 36, 37) include a jockey or tensioning pulley or sprocket.
4. A floor cleaning apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the main
casing (10) is provided with wheels (11).
5. A floor cleaning apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the main
casing (10) is provided with a cowling (16) to which the skirt (17) is detachably
fixed.
6. A floor cleaning apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the skirt
(17) is provided at its bottom edge with a slot or slots (18).

