|
(11) | EP 1 230 870 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
| (54) | Equipment for cleaning brooms, brushes, scrubbers and the like |
| (57) The invention relates to an equipment for cleaning brooms, brushes, scrubbers and
the like, comprising a body or frame (10) with a first compartment (12) accessible
through floating covers, intended to receive a broom (13) to be cleaned, a second
compartment (15) containing a removable means (16, 27) for dust collection and/or
damping, and at least one sucking space (20) communicating, on the one side, with
a sucking unit (18) and on the other side, with the first compartment. The bottom
of the first compartment is provided with an opening (12") communicating with the
means of the second compartment; in the first compartment there being provided an
optional rotor and stakes. |
Field of application
[0001] The present invention relates to an equipment for cleaning brooms, brushes, scrubbers and the like after their use, and for collecting the resulting dirt and/or dust.
Prior Art
[0002] At present, a broom or the like, after having been used, is simply either shaken to remove dust, or washed so as to collect the dirt and dust present between the broom bristles in water. It is evident that in the first case, the broom cleaning is inaccurate and dust id dispersed in the environment; in the second option, the broom washing is in any case an awkward operation that is usually carried out occasionally in an uncomfortable manner.
Purposes and disclosure of the invention
[0003] A purpose of the present invention is that of providing an easy and quick to use equipment capable of both effectively freeing the broom or the like from dust and/or dirt, and of collecting such waste for disposal.
[0004] Another purpose of the finding is that of providing an equipment which should carry out the function of simple dust suction, or a thoroughly broom washing, according to the needs.
[0005] Such purposes and the resulting advantages are achieved by an equipment essentially comprising a body or frame with a first compartment, accessible through floating covers, suitable for receiving a broom to be cleaned and having a concave bottom, a plate of said first broom stand compartment, a second compartment containing a removable dust collection and/or damping means, and at least one suction space communicating, on the one side, with a suction equipment and, on the other side, with the first compartment through the means into said second compartment, the bottom of the first compartment being provided with a communication opening with the means of the second compartment.
[0006] The equipment of the invention is proposed in different versions: with dry sucking and with water and/or steam washing; with electrical or mechanical pedal drive. Dust and dirt are collected into an extractable bags in the dry versions, or into a water bowl in the versions with water and/or steam.
[0007] Further features of the finding will appear more clearly from the following description made with reference to the attached exemplificative and non-limiting drawings. In such drawings:
- Figure 1 shows a front section view of the equipment in a dry version, with only electrical sucking and feeding;
- Figure 2 shows the stand plate of the broom bristles according to a transversal section II-II on Fig. 1;
- Figure 3 shows a top view of the equipment;
- Figure 4 shows a front section view of the equipment in a dry version similar to that of Fig. 1 but with a broom cleaning rotor;
- Figure 5 shows a transversal section according to arrows V-V on Fig. 4;
- Figure 6 shows a front section view of the equipment in a version with pressurised water cleaning;
- Figure 7 shows a front section view of the equipment in a version with hot pressurised and/or steam washing;
- Figure 8 shows a front section view of the equipment of Fig. 4 but with mechanical pedal-driven operation; and
- Figure 9 shows a version of equipment connectable to a sucker, such as a vacuum cleaner.
[0008] The equipment is provided with a body or frame 10 divided into different compartments. Figure 1 shows a version of the equipment where the body comprises a floating cover 11 on a first compartment 12 intended to receive broom 13 and having a concave bottom 12'. A plate 14 is arranged into compartment 12, as a stand for the bristles of broom 13. Said compartment communicates - through an opening 12" obtained on bottom 12' - with another compartment 15 containing a paper bag 16 intended to receive the dust removed from the broom. Bag 16 is extractable for replacement through a door 15' on the side of compartment 15.
[0009] The body contains a motor 17 that controls a sucking fan 18 facing - through the interposition of a wall consisting of a synthetic filter - towards a sucking space 20, communicating with compartment 15 containing the paper bag 16 and, through this, opening 12". A filter 21 for the ventilation of space containing motor 17 is applied on the sides of the same space, along with an active-carbon filter 22.
[0010] The floating cover 11 is made of rubber, and it consists of two separate halves that open inwardly for inserting the broom, closing again around the broom and its stick.
[0011] The boom stand plate 14 is provided with a central opening 14a whose edges exhibit a series of coves 14b.
[0012] The operation of the equipment being examined as regards the above version is as follows. Once broom 13 has been introduced into compartment 12 and stands on plate 14, the equipment is powered through the supply mains, or using an internal battery, thus actuating the sucking unit 18 that collects the dust from the broom into the paper bag 16.
[0013] In a second version, shown in Fig. 4 and 5, the equipment is totally similar to that of Fig. 1-3, with the addition of a rotor 23 arranged between the stand plate 14 and bottom 12' of the first compartment 12. Said rotor 23 is provided with radial stakes 13b, thus acting between the bristles of broom 12.
[0014] This favours the removal of dust and/or dirt during sucking. The rotation of rotor 23 is controlled by an engaged turbine 24, actuated by the sucking unit.
[0015] In another version, shown in Fig. 6, the equipment, still provided with sucking unit with rotor, is also intended to wash the broom. In this case, the equipment is provided with a tank 25 of clean water and with a pump 26 that withdraws water from said tank 25 and delivers it under pressure towards the broom, through holes 23b obtained in rotor 23 between stakes 23a. On the other side, dirty water is collected through opening 12" into a removable container 27, or basin, arranged in compartment 15 in place of the paper bag 16.
[0016] Figure 7 shows a further version of the equipment intended to wash the broom with hot water and/or steam. A fast steam or steam accumulation generator 28 to be used through rotor 23 is inserted between pump 26 and rotor 23. Said steam generator 28 can also be provided with electronic control at the water level.
[0017] Figure 8 shows an example of embodiment of equipment in the same version as that described in Fig. 4, but provided with a sucking fan and a mechanical rather than electrical rotor. When pressed, an external pedal 29 actuates a series of gears 30 connected to a rotation shaft of the sucking fan 18 and a rotation shaft of rotor 23.
1. Equipment for cleaning brooms, brushes, scrubbers and the like, characterised by a body or frame (10) with a first compartment (12) accessible through floating covers
(11), intended to receive a broom (13) to be cleaned, and a concave bottom (12'),
a broom stand plate (14) into said first compartment, a second compartment (15) containing
a removable means (16, 27) for dust collection and/or damping, and at least one sucking
space (20) communicating, on the one side, with a sucking unit (18) and on the other
side, with the first compartment through the means in said second compartment, the
bottom of the first compartment being provided with an opening (12") communicating
with the means of the second compartment.
2. Equipment according to claim 1, wherein said stand plate (14)has an opening (14a)
and wherein between said plate and the bottom (12') of the first compartment (12)
there is also provided a rotor (23) with radial stakes (23a) passing through said
opening to act between the broom bristles.
3. Equipment according to claim 2, wherein said rotor (23) is controlled by a turbine
(24) connected to the sucking unit (18).
4. Equipment according to claims 1 and 2, wherein the sucking unit and the rotor are
actuated by a mechanical pedal device (29, 30).
5. Equipment according to any one of the previous claims, wherein said dust collecting
means is an interchangeable paper bag (16) connected to the bottom of the first compartment.
6. Equipment according to claims 1 and 2, further comprising an equipment with pump (26)
for delivering cold or hot washing water between the broom bristles through said rotor
(23), said pump being connected on the one side to a water tank (25) and on the other
side to the rotor, said rotor being provided with radial water output holes or nozzles
(23b) to the broom.
7. Equipment according to claims 1 and 2, further comprising an equipment with a pump
for delivering washing water and/or steam between the broom bristles through said
rotor, the equipment comprising a water tank (25) and a steam generator (28) or accumulator,
and the rotor being provided with water output holes or nozzles (23b) to the broom.
8. Equipment according to claim 6 or 7, wherein said dust collecting and damping means
is a removable container (27) for collecting dirty water in communication with the
first compartment.
9. Equipment for broom cleaning, characterised by: a body or frame (10) with a first compartment (12) accessible through floating covers
(11), intended to receive a broom (13) to be cleaned and having a concave bottom (12');
a broom stand plate (14) into said first compartment; a second compartment (15) containing
a removable means (16, 27) for dust collection and/or damping; at least one sucking
space (20) communicating, on the one side, with a sucking unit (18) and on the other
side, with the first compartment through the means in said second compartment, the
bottom of the first compartment being provided with an opening (12") communicating
with the means of the second compartment, and a rotor (23) between the stand plate
(14) and the bottom of the first compartment, provided with radial stakes (23a) intended
to act between the broom bristles through openings into said stand plate.
10. Equipment for broom cleaning, characterised by: a body or frame (10) with a first compartment (12) accessible through floating covers
(11), intended to receive a broom (13) to be cleaned and having a concave bottom (12');
a broom stand plate (14) into said first compartment; a second compartment (15) containing
a removable means (16, 27) for dust collection and/or damping; at least one sucking
space (20) communicating, on the one side, with a sucking unit (18) and on the other
side, with the first compartment through the means in said second compartment, the
bottom of the first compartment being provided with an opening (12") communicating
with the means of the second compartment, and a rotor (23) between the stand plate
(14) and the bottom of the first compartment, provided with radial stakes (23a) intended
to act between the broom bristles through openings into said stand plate, and water
and/or steam delivery means to the broom through holes obtained in the rotor, the
dirty water being collected into the removable container through an opening into the
bottom of the first compartment.
11. Equipment according to one of the previous claims, wherein the sucking space (20)
is connectable to another sucking equipment, such as a vacuum cleaner.