COMBINED SCRUBBER-DRYER MACHINE

Abstract

 A combined scrubber-dryer machine, which comprises a supporting frame (2) which is provided with wheels (3a, 3b) and is movable over the floor to be cleaned along an advancement direction (100); at least one scrubbing assembly (6) and at least one washing assembly (7) are mounted on the supporting frame (2) and are configured to act on the floor (4) to be cleaned; the washing assembly (7) is positioned substantially behind the wheels (3a, 3b) along the advancement direction of the supporting frame (2).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a combined scrubber-dryer machine.

[0002] Combined scrubber-dryer machines are known which combine the typical characteristics of a traditional scrubbing machine, i.e. a machine that uses rotating brushes to collect refuse or waste and dust from the road surface or floor to be cleaned, with those of a washing and drying machine for floors, i.e. a machine capable of executing the cleaning of the road surface or floor with a washing liquid and of leaving the washed surface dry after the passage of the machine.

[0003] Typically, these machines have, generally, a supporting frame, which is provided with a driving seat for the operator and with drive wheels and steering wheels, so that it can be moved over the floor to be cleaned, and are fitted with both a scrubbing assembly and a washing assembly, which can be provided by a single work unit for scrubbing and washing or by two separate units, one for scrubbing and one for washing.

[0004] In particular, a first type of combined machine is constituted by combined scrubber-dryer machines which have a single work unit, with both scrubbing and washing functions.

[0005] In this type of machine, the supporting frame is provided with at least one front wheel for steering and with two rear wheels, while the single work unit present for washing-scrubbing is provided with two horizontal-axis cylindrical brushes that are capable of working both dry, so that the machine can be used with the scrubbing function, and with a detergent solution, dispensed by special nozzles, arranged in front of the brushes, with respect to the advancing motion of the supporting frame, so that the machine can be used with the floor washing function.

[0006] In these machines, the function to dry the road surface is performed by a floor wiper which is located, like the refuse collection bin, at the rear of the machine.

[0007] More specifically, the scrubbing-washing unit in this type of combined machine is located in the central part of the machine, i.e. between the front wheels and the rear wheels, while the floor wiper is located behind the two rear wheels, which therefore, in these machines, operate on a wet floor, with the consequent drawback of leaving dirty streaks on the floor and with the consequent risk of the rear wheels slipping, if the machine is driven by the rear wheels.

[0008] A second type of combined machine is constituted by combined scrubber-dryer machines with two separate work units, one with a scrubbing function and the other with a washing function.

[0009] In this type of combined machine, the scrubbing unit is located at the front and, in particular, in front of the front wheels, and it is made up of one or two brushes which cooperate with a refuse collection bin which is also located at the front of the machine, resulting in there being a considerable distance between the driver's seat and the front surface of the machine.

[0010] By contrast, in machines of this type the washing unit is located in the central part, and its structure is typical of a traditional twin-brush washing and drying machine, with one or more disk brushes and an optional side brush, arranged between the front wheel and the rear wheels, while the floor wiper is located behind the rear wheels.

[0011] In this case too, the rear wheels therefore operate on a floor that is damp/wet.

[0012] The aim of the present invention is to provide a combined scrubber-dryer machine which is capable of improving the known art in one or more of the above-mentioned aspects.

[0013] Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a combined scrubber-dryer machine that makes it possible to avoid having the wheels leaving dirty streaks.

[0014] Another object of the invention is to provide a combined scrubber-dryer machine that is extremely compact lengthwise, so as to be easily maneuverable.

[0015] Another object of the invention is to provide a combined scrubber-dryer machine that offers greater visibility for the operator toward the front, with respect to the prior art.

[0016] Another object of the present invention is to provide a combined scrubber-dryer machine that requires a convenient and simple maintenance.

[0017] Another object of the invention is to provide a combined scrubber-dryer machine that is capable of offering the highest guarantees of reliability and safety in its operation.

[0018] Another object of the present invention is to provide a combined scrubber-dryer machine that is structurally simple to provide.

[0019] Another object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the known art in a different manner with respect to any existing solutions.

[0020] Another object of the invention is to provide a combined scrubber-dryer machine that can also be competitive from an economic viewpoint.

[0021] This aim and these and other objects which will become more apparent hereinafter are achieved by a combined scrubber-dryer machine according to claim 1, optionally provided with one or more of the characteristics of the dependent claims.

[0022] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the combined scrubber-dryer machine according to the invention, which is illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view from another viewpoint of the machine according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a side view of the machine according to the invention;

Figure 4 is a front elevation view of the machine according to the invention;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line V-V in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a plan view from below of the machine according to the invention.

[0023] With reference to the figures, the combined scrubber-dryer machine according to the invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, comprises a supporting frame 2 provided with wheels 3a, 3b, of which at least one is a drive wheel and at least one is a steering wheel, and which is moveable over the floor 4 or over the road surface to be cleaned, along an advancement direction 100.

[0024] Conveniently, the supporting frame 2 comprises one or more front wheels 3a and one or more rear wheels 3b, along the direction of advancement of the supporting frame 2.

[0025] For example, as in the embodiment shown, the supporting frame 2 can have two front wheels 3a, arranged laterally to the supporting frame 2, and a single rear wheel 3b, arranged along the median central axis of the supporting frame 2.

[0026] Also according to the embodiment shown, the rear wheel 3b is both a drive wheel and a steering wheel.

[0027] In other embodiments, it will be possible to have a different number of front and rear wheels or that the front wheels are adapted for steering and driving instead of the rear wheels.

[0028] Advantageously, a driving seat 5 is defined on the supporting frame 2, which can be occupied by the operator and is located, substantially, in the front part of the supporting frame 2.

[0029] At least one scrubbing assembly 6 and at least one washing assembly 7 are mounted on the supporting frame 2 and, in particular, in the lower part of the supporting frame 2, and are configured to act on the floor 4 to be cleaned, so as to remove refuse or other dirt from the floor 4 and wash and dry the floor itself, with the passage of the machine.

[0030] As usual, the scrubbing assembly 6 is arranged in front of the washing assembly 7, along the direction of advancement of the supporting frame 7, so that the machine, when it passes over the floor 4, can first perform the action to remove refuse and subsequently perform an action to wash and dry the floor itself.

[0031] According to the invention, the washing assembly 7 is located substantially behind the wheels 3a, 3b, along the direction of advancement of the supporting frame 2.

[0032] In this manner the wheels 3a, 3b will always operate on the dry floor, in particular the drive rear wheel 3b.

[0033] Conveniently, the scrubbing assembly 6 is interposed between the front wheels 3a and the rear wheel 3b of the supporting frame 2.

[0034] In more detail, the washing assembly 7 comprises, advantageously, one or more washing brushes 8 which are located, substantially, behind the rear wheel 3b, along the direction of advancement of the supporting frame 2, and at least one nozzle 9 dispensing a washing liquid, which is oriented toward a region of the floor 4 to be cleaned that is located behind the rear wheel 3b, again along the direction of advancement of the supporting frame 2.

[0035] Conveniently, the washing brushes 8 are of the disk-type with a substantially vertical axis, and are distributed along a substantially transverse direction with respect to the advancement direction 100 of the supporting frame 2.

[0036] In particular, the number and positioning of the washing brushes 8 are such as to reduce the longitudinal bulk of the machine and they are, advantageously, arranged relatively close to the outer edge of the supporting frame 2, so as to be easily accessible by the operator, so making it convenient and simple to carry out maintenance operations on the machine.

[0037] As in the embodiment shown, there can be, for example, four washing brushes 8 and these are, advantageously, arranged with their axis of rotation arranged behind the axis of rotation of the rear wheel 3b, along the direction of advancement of the supporting frame 2, at least when said rear wheel is in the non-steering position, as can be seen in Figure 6.

[0038] In particular, at least two washing brushes 8 are arranged mutually side by side and arranged centrally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the supporting frame 2 and in a position behind the rear wheel 3b, while two more washing brushes 8 are arranged laterally to the two central washing brushes 8 and in a position slightly further toward the front part of the supporting frame 2, with respect to the central washing brushes 8, so as to have an arrangement of the washing brushes 8 along an arc around the rear wheel 3b with the concavity directed toward the front part of the machine.

[0039] It should be noted that the position of the washing brushes 8 in a region located behind the rear wheel 3b, instead of in a region located in front of the rear wheel 3b, as in the prior art, in addition to preventing the rear wheel 3b from operating on the wet floor, also allows the operator to access the washing brushes 8 and, in particular, the two central washing brushes 8, without any difficulty in order to carry out maintenance operations on them.

[0040] The region of the machine affected by the washing brushes 8 can be delimited by splash guards 10.

[0041] Advantageously, as in the embodiment shown, at least one nozzle 9 is situated at the rotation axis of each one of the washing brushes 8.

[0042] Basically, the washing brushes 8 are, conveniently, actuated by a respective gear motor provided with a hollow shaft, inside which a tube, that carries the washing liquid to the center of the corresponding washing brush 8, runs.

[0043] Conveniently, the washing assembly 7 further comprises at least one floor wiper 11, which is located behind the washing brushes 8, along the direction of advancement of the supporting frame 2.

[0044] According to this embodiment, the floor wiper 11 acts on and dries the floor 4 immediately after the washing brushes 8, which remove any rubber skid marks left by the wheels 3a, 3b without having wheels between the washing brushes 8 and the floor wiper 11, as in some traditional machines, with the attendant risk that the wheels could leave rubber skid marks on the floor, so leaving behind wheel marks.

[0045] Advantageously, the floor wiper 11 comprises, in a manner per se known, a supporting bar 11a for an elastically flexible lamina 11b, arranged in contact with the floor 4, in order to collect the washing liquid and the dirt removed by the washing brushes 8.

[0046] Conveniently, the floor wiper 11 is associated with at least one suction port 12 which is connected, by means of a suction tube 13, to suction means 14, mounted on the supporting frame 2, which make it possible to suck the washing liquid and the dirt removed by the washing brushes 8 from the floor, and send both to a collection tray, not shown, mounted on the supporting frame 2.

[0047] Advantageously, the scrubbing assembly 6 comprises at least one main collection brush 15, which rotates about its own axis and is interposed between the front wheels 3a and the rear wheel 3b, and which cooperates with collection means 16 of the dirt removed from the floor 4 by the action of the main collection brush.

[0048] In particular, the main collection brush 15 has, conveniently, a substantially cylindrical shape and is arranged, with its axis, substantially transversely to the advancement direction 100 of the supporting frame 2.

[0049] More specifically, the main collection brush 15 is rotationally actuatable, about its own axis, by motor means, not shown, in a direction of rotation opposite to the direction of rotation of the wheels 3a, 3b during the advancement motion of the supporting frame 2, so as to be able to act on the floor 4 to push the refuse and dirt toward the front part of the machine.

[0050] Conveniently, the collection means 16 comprise at least one refuse collection bin 17, located in the lower part of the supporting frame 2.

[0051] In particular, the collection bin 17 is located in front of the main collection brush 15, along the direction of advancement of the supporting frame 2, and is arranged with its access inlet 17a directed toward the main collection brush 15.

[0052] In particular, the two front wheels 3a are arranged, on mutually opposite sides, laterally with respect to the collection bin 17, at least one part of which will therefore be interposed between the front wheels 3a.

[0053] By virtue of such an arrangement of the collection bin 17, it is possible to reduce the lengthwise extension of the machine and especially it is possible to reduce the distance between the driving seat and the front part of the machine, thus allowing the operator a greater visibility of the region of the floor 4 that is about to be scrubbed/washed. In addition, the volume available for the collection bin 17 is much greater than in traditional combined machines, but without penalizing the space occupation of the machine overall, especially lengthwise.

[0054] Advantageously, the collection means 16 comprise at least one cylindrical auxiliary brush 18 which extends with its axis substantially parallel to the main collection brush 15 and which is arranged, with at least one portion thereof, substantially between the main collection brush 15 and the access inlet 17a of the collection bin 17.

[0055] Conveniently, such auxiliary brush 18 is arranged in contact with the floor 4 and can be moved by rotation, in the opposite direction with respect to the direction of rotation of the main collection brush 15, in order to draw, toward the access inlet 17a of the collection bin 17, the refuse and dirt removed from the floor 4 and pushed in the direction of the collection bin 17 by the action of the main collection brush 15.

[0056] Advantageously, the auxiliary brush 18 can freely rotate about its own axis and is entrained in rotation as a result of the movement of the supporting frame 2 over the floor 4.

[0057] Conveniently, the auxiliary brush 18 can furthermore be freely moved away from the floor 4, so that it can rotate above any refuse of a certain bulk lying on the floor 4 that it should encounter during the advancement motion of the machine.

[0058] To this end, the auxiliary brush 18 is rotatably supported by a pair of arms 19, which are connected to the supporting frame 2 so that they can oscillate.

[0059] Conveniently, the supporting frame 2 supports, at its front part and in front of the front wheels 3a, in its advancement direction, at least one pair of side brushes 20, which act on the floor 4 and which are actuated in rotation to push the refuse to be collected toward the central vertical plane of the supporting frame 2, so that the refuse can then be collected by the action of the scrubbing assembly 6 and in particular of the main collection brush 15 and of the auxiliary brush 18.

[0060] The operation of the machine, according to the invention, is the following.

[0061] Moving the supporting frame 2 along the advancement direction 100 causes the side brushes 20 to intercept the refuse lying on the floor 4 and directs it toward the central vertical plane of the supporting frame 2.

[0062] The main collection brush 15, rotating about its own axis, pushes the refuse toward the auxiliary brush 18 and the refuse collection bin 17.

[0063] The rotation of the auxiliary brush 18 imparted by its rolling over the floor 4 makes it possible to draw the refuse pushed by the main collection brush 15 into the collection bin 17.

[0064] At this point, after the passage of the main collection_brush 15 and of the rear wheel 3b, the floor 4 is addressed by the jet of washing liquid dispensed by the nozzle 9, and by the action of the washing brushes 8.

[0065] The washing liquid and the dirt removed by the washing brushes 8 are removed from the floor 4, after being collected by the floor wiper 11, by means of the suction of the suction port 12, so that the floor, after the passage of the floor wiper 11, can be dry as well as clean.

[0066] In practice it has been found that the invention is capable of fully achieving the set aim and objects, in that, by virtue of the arrangement of the washing assembly located at the rear, behind all the wheels of the machine, including the drive wheel or wheels, the wheels will always roll on a dry surface, thus improving the safety and performance of operation.

[0067] Another advantage of the combined scrubber-dryer machine according to the invention is that it is extremely compact lengthwise, with consequent improvement of its maneuverability with respect to the prior art.

[0068] Another advantage of the combined scrubber-dryer machine according to the invention is that it improves, with respect to the prior art, the visibility of the operator toward the front region that is about to be scrubbed/washed so that productivity is also improved.

[0069] Yet another advantage of the machine according to the invention is that its washing assembly is close to the rear edge of the machine itself, which allows the operator to remove the washing brushes more easily, so improving maintainability with respect to the prior art.

[0070] The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, all the details may be substituted by other, technically equivalent elements.

[0071] In practice, the materials used, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to the requirements and to the state of the art.

[0072] The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. 102023000009189 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

[0073] Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, such reference signs have been inserted for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. A combined scrubber-dryer machine, comprising a supporting frame (2) which is provided with wheels (3a, 3b) and is movable over the floor to be cleaned along an advancement direction (100), at least one scrubbing assembly (6) and at least one washing assembly (7) being mounted on said supporting frame (2) and being configured to act on the floor (4) to be cleaned, characterized in that said washing assembly (7) is positioned substantially behind said wheels (3a, 3b) along the advancement direction of said supporting frame (2).

2. The machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said supporting frame (2) is provided with at least one front wheel (3a) and at least one rear wheel (3b), said scrubbing assembly (6) being interposed between said at least one front wheel (3a) and said at least one rear wheel (3b) of said supporting frame (2).

3. The machine according to claim 2, characterized in that said washing assembly (7) comprises at least one washing brush (8) and at least one nozzle (9) for dispensing a washing liquid which is oriented toward a region of the floor (4) to be cleaned that is located behind said at least one rear wheel (3b) along the direction of advancement of said supporting frame (2).

4. The machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said washing assembly (7) comprises at least one floor wiper (11) located behind said at least one washing brush (8).

5. The machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said scrubbing assembly (6) comprises at least one rotating main collection brush (15) which is interposed between said at least one front wheel (3a) and said at least one rear wheel (3b) and cooperates with means for collection (16) of the dirt removed from the floor (4) by the action of said main collection brush (15).

6. The machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said main collection brush (15) has a substantially cylindrical shape and is arranged, with its axis, substantially transversely to the advancement direction of said supporting frame (2), said main collection brush (15) being rotationally actuatable by motor means, about its own axis, along a direction of rotation that is opposite with respect to the direction of rotation of said wheels (3a, 3b) during the advancement movement of said supporting frame (2).

7. The machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said means for collection (16) comprise at least one refuse collection bin (17) located in the lower part of said supporting frame (2) and located in front of said main collection brush (15) along the advancement direction of said supporting frame (2), with its access inlet (17a) directed toward said main collection brush (15).

8. The machine according to claim 7, characterized in that said means for collection (16) comprise at least one auxiliary brush (18) having a cylindrical shape, which extends with its axis substantially parallel to said main collection brush (15) and is arranged, with at least a portion thereof, substantially between said main collection brush (15) and the access inlet (17a) of said collection bin (17), said auxiliary brush (18) being rotatably movable in the opposite direction with respect to the direction of rotation of said main collection brush (15) in order to draw the refuse and dirt removed from the floor (4) by said main collection brush (15) toward the access inlet (17a) of said collection bin (17).

Drawing