US20150313436A1

US20150313436A1 - Floor scrubbing machine

Info

Publication number: US20150313436A1
Application number: US14/704,677
Authority: US
Inventors: Massimiliano Ruffo
Original assignee: Fimap SpA
Current assignee: Fimap SpA
Priority date: 2014-05-05
Filing date: 2015-05-05
Publication date: 2015-11-05
Also published as: EP2946713A1; CN105078371A

Abstract

A floor scrubbing machine for household use includes a box-like base structure that can move on a floor to be cleaned and accommodates at least one nozzle for dispensing a washing liquid and at least one rotating brush. The machine further includes at least one squeegee, arranged to the rear of the brush along a forward travel direction of the machine, and at least one intake, which cooperates with the squeegee for drying the floor. A rod-like handle is connected to the box-like base structure and can be tilted with respect to the floor in order to move the box-like base structure on the floor. The handle is connected to the box-like base structure by way of articulation elements adapted to transmit to the box-like base structure a rotation about an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the floor following a rotation imparted to the handle about its own axis.

Description

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a floor scrubbing machine.

BACKGROUND

Conventional floor scrubbing machines for industrial use have a box-like base structure, provided with wheels, which accommodates at least one nozzle for dispensing a washing liquid and at least one brush that removes dirt from the floor.
To the rear of the brush, with respect to the travel direction of the machine, there is a squeegee, which allows to recover the washing liquid together with the dirt removed by the brush, so that they can be collected by an intake that dries the floor.
Usually, a handle is connected to the box-like base structure and is provided in an upper region with a grip that allows to move the machine on the floor.
In current machines, the handle is connected to the box-like base structure by means of a hinge that defines a single rotation axis arranged substantially horizontally and substantially transversely to the travel direction of the machine, in order to allow to adjust the position of the grip depending on the height of the user.
These machines are rather awkward to maneuver, especially in areas of limited space, such as in the case of households.
Moreover, current machines have the disadvantage of being able to work correctly only in one travel direction, which corresponds to the one in which the nozzles for dispensing the washing liquid and the brush precede the squeegee, because by moving the machine in the opposite direction, i.e., backward, the squeegee cannot retain the washing liquid emitted by the dispensing nozzles and the dirt removed by the brush, leaving therefore the floor wet and dirty.
This prevents a valid use of these machines to clean floors under tables or furniture in general and, more usually, wherever it is necessary to move the machine back and forth in order to clean the floor.

SUMMARY

The aim of the present disclosure is to provide a floor scrubbing machine that is extremely easy to maneuver and allows to clean the floors even when it is necessary to move the machine both forward and backward.
Within this aim, an object of the disclosure is to provide a floor scrubbing machine that is structurally very simple and is low cost.
Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a floor scrubbing machine that can be used validly both in a professional environment and in a household environment.
This aim and these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by the floor scrubbing machine, according to the disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages will become better apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the floor scrubbing machine according to the disclosure, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the machine according to the disclosure;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a part of the machine according to the disclosure;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged-scale perspective view of a detail of the machine according to the disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, with parts removed for convenience, of a joint associated with a handle of the machine according the disclosure in the condition in which the handle is locked in a substantially vertical position;

FIG. 5 is a view of the joint of FIG. 4 in the condition in which the handle is folded back on the box-like base structure of the machine according to the disclosure in a substantially horizontal position;

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are perspective views of the machine according to the disclosure in a sequence of steps of its use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With reference to the figures, the floor scrubbing machine according to the disclosure, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, comprises a box-like base structure 2, conveniently provided with wheels 3, which can be moved on a floor to be cleaned and accommodates one or more nozzles for dispensing a washing liquid and at least one brush that is rotated by motor means, also contained in the box-like base structure 2.
To the rear of the brush and the dispensing nozzles, along the forward travel direction 6 of the machine, there are at least one squeegee 7 and at least one intake, which cooperates with the squeegee 7 in order to collect from the floor the washing liquid and the dirt removed by the brush, thus drying the floor.
A rod-like handle 9 is connected, moreover, to the box-like base structure 2 and ends conveniently with a grip 10, in order to allow the user to move the box-like base structure 2 on the floor.
In particular, the handle 9 can be tilted with respect to the floor in order to adapt the position of the grip 10 to the height of the user.
According to the disclosure, the handle 9 is connected to the box-like base structure 2 by way of articulation means 11 adapted to transmit to the box-like base structure 2 a rotation about an axis 2 a that is substantially perpendicular to the floor, following a rotation imparted by the user to the handle 9 about its own axis, even with the handle 9 at an angle with respect to the floor.
In this manner, as shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8, the user, after performing a first cleaning pass by pushing forward the machine, along the travel direction 6, can perform a second pass by moving back the machine, after imparting a rotation to the handle 9 about its own axis, so as to transmit to the box-like base structure 2, by way of the articulation means 11, a rotation substantially through 180° about the axis 2 a, so as to always have the squeegee 7 and the intake in a rear position with respect to the brush and to the dispensing nozzles, during the movement of the machine.
Advantageously, the articulation means 11 comprise a universal joint 12 that defines at least two rotation axes 12 a, 12 b that are substantially perpendicular to each other and are not mutually incident.
More particularly, the universal joint 12 defines a first rotation axis 12 a, which is substantially parallel to the floor and substantially transverse to a direction of motion of the machine, parallel to the forward travel direction 6 of the machine, and a second rotation axis 12 b, which is substantially perpendicular and spaced with respect to the first rotation axis 12 a.
Advantageously, the universal joint 12 has first removable locking means that allow to lock the handle 9, with respect to the box-like base structure 2, both about the first rotation axis 12 a and about the second rotation axis 12 b, at least in a first position, in which the handle 9 is arranged so that its axis is substantially perpendicular to the floor, as shown in FIG. 1.
Conveniently, the universal joint 12 also comprises second removable locking means that allow, instead, to lock the handle 9 with respect to the box-like base structure 2, about at least the first rotation axis 12 a, at least in a second position, in which the handle is arranged so that its axis is substantially parallel to the floor, so as to be folded onto the box-like base structure 2, so as to reduce the vertical space occupation of the machine when not in use.
In greater detail, the universal joint 12 comprises at least one first body 14, which is coupled rotatably, about the first rotation axis 12 a, to the box-like base structure 2.
A second body 15, which is associated with the handle 9, is in turn coupled rotatably about the second rotation axis 12 b to the first body 14.
In particular, the second body 15 has, conveniently, a tubular portion 15 a for accommodating the lower end of the handle 9, while the first body 14 has a pair of mutually opposite eyelets 14 a, to which the second body 15 is articulated about the second rotation axis 12 b.
According to the illustrated example, the first locking means of the universal joint 12 comprise a tab 16 that protrudes from the second body 15 substantially parallel to the axis of the handle 9, passing thought the first body 14.
The tab 16 can be engaged removably within a locking seat 16 a, which is defined on the box-like base structure 2, when the handle 9 is arranged so that its axis is substantially perpendicular to the floor.
More particularly, the locking seat 16 is defined on an abutment body 17 that is mounted on the box-like base structure 2 by way of the interposition of elastic pusher means, constituted for example by a pair of springs 18.
With reference to the embodiment shown in the figures, the abutment body 17 is constituted by an elongated plate 19 that has, in an intermediate position, on its upward facing surface, a rounded recess that provides the locking seat 16 a.
As shown, the elongated plate 19 is conveniently mounted within a frame 20 that is fixed on the inner side of the box-like base structure 2, around a window 21 opened on the upper face of the box-like base structure 2.
Conveniently, the elongated plate 19 is surmounted by a covering body 22 having a through hole 23 at the locking seat 16.
Advantageously, the first body 15 of the universal joint 12 has a pair of rotation pivots 24, which protrude laterally on mutually opposite sides with respect to the handle 9, which define the first rotation axis 12 a and engage rotatably respective rotation seats 25 defined in the box-like base structure 2.
In particular, the rotation seats 25 are, conveniently, provided partially by means of a pair of lateral supports 26, which protrude upwardly from the box-like base structure 2, at opposite edges of the window 21, and are partially defined by a pair of supports 27, which couple to the lateral supports 26 and protrude upwardly from the opposite ends of the covering body 22, ending with a respective sag 27 a, which cooperates to provide a corresponding rotation seat 25 with the corresponding lateral support 26.
Advantageously, the second locking means of the universal joint 12 comprise, at at least one of the rotation pivots 24, a respective retention tooth 28, which is provided for example on a shaped body that is laterally adjacent to the relative rotation pivot 24, along the rotation axis 12 a, and is adapted to engage removably a corresponding retention seat 29, which has a corresponding shape and is defined on the abutment body 17, when the handle 9 is arranged so that its axis is substantially parallel to the floor.
In particular, there is conveniently a retention tooth 28 at each rotation pivot 24 and the seats 29 for retaining the retention teeth 28 are defined at the free end of respective raised portions 30, which protrude upwardly from the longitudinal ends of the elongated plate 19 that provides the abutment body 17 and each of which is laterally adjacent to a respective support 27 defined by the covering body 22.
It should be noted that the springs 18 are accommodated in respective accommodation seats 31 defined in the raised portions 30.
Operation of the machine according to the disclosure is as follows.
The user activates the brush and the nozzles for dispensing the washing liquid as well as the intake and, arranging the handle 9 in an inclined position with respect to the floor, pushes the machine in the forward travel direction 6.
If the user wants to perform a plurality of cleaning passes by first pushing the machine forward and then bringing it back by pulling it toward him, once or a plurality of times, as for example if he has to clean the floor under tables or other furniture, the user, after performing a first pass by pushing the machine forward in the forward travel direction 6, applies to the handle 9 a rotary action about its axis, so as to obtain, thanks to the articulation means 11, a rotation of the box-like structure 2 about the axis 2 a through approximately 180°, so as to move the brush so that it is directed toward himself, as shown in FIG. 8, and at this point the user can pull back the machine, again toward himself, so as to perform a second pass, so that the squeegee 7 and the intake continue acting to the rear of the action of the brush and of the dispensing nozzles.
If the user wishes to interrupt temporarily the use of the machine, he can move the handle 9 in a position that is substantially perpendicular to the floor, so as to lock it by way of the engagement of the tab 16 with the locking seat 16 a.
If the user instead wishes to store the machine, he can turn the handle about the first rotation axis 12 a until the retention teeth 28 engage the corresponding retention seats 29, so as to arrange the handle in a position that is substantially parallel to the floor.
From what has been described above it is evident that the disclosure can achieve fully the intended aim and objects, since it allows to have a correct operation of the machine even when it is necessary to move it back and forth.
All the characteristics of the disclosure, indicated above as advantageous, convenient or the like, may also be omitted or replaced by equivalents.
The individual characteristics given in relation to general teachings or particular embodiments may be all present in other embodiments or replace characteristics in these embodiments.
The disclosure thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.
In practice, the materials used, so long as they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements.
All the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.
The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. VR2014A000114 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A floor scrubbing machine for household use, comprising a box-like base structure that can move on a floor to be cleaned and accommodates at least one nozzle for dispensing a washing liquid and at least one rotating brush, there being at least one squeegee, arranged to the rear of said at least one brush along a forward travel direction of the machine, and at least one intake that cooperates with said squeegee to dry the floor, a rod-like handle being connected to said box-like base structure and being tiltable with respect to the floor in order to move said box-like base structure on the floor, wherein said handle is connected to said box-like base structure by way of articulation means adapted to transmit to said box-like base structure a rotation about an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the floor following a rotation imparted to said handle about its own axis.

2. The machine according to claim 1, wherein said articulation means comprise a universal joint that defines at least two rotation axes that are substantially perpendicular to each other and are not mutually incident.

3. The machine according to claim 2, wherein said universal joint defines a first rotation axis, which is substantially parallel to the floor and substantially transverse to a direction of motion of the machine, and a second rotation axis, which is substantially perpendicular and spaced with respect to said first rotation axis.

4. The machine according to claim 3, wherein said universal joint has first removable locking means for the removable locking of said handle with respect to said box-like base structure, about said first rotation axis and said second rotation axis, at least in a first position, in which said handle is arranged so that its axis is substantially perpendicular to the floor.

5. The machine according to claim 4, wherein said universal joint comprises second means for the removable locking of said handle with respect to said box-like base structure, at least about said first rotation axis, at least in a second position, in which said handle is arranged so that its axis is substantially parallel to the floor.

6. The machine according to claim 5, wherein said universal joint comprises at least one first body, which is coupled rotatably, about said first rotation axis, to said box-like base structure, and at least one second body, which is coupled rotatably, about said second rotation axis, to said first body and is associated with said handle.

7. The machine according to claim 4, wherein said first locking means comprise a tab that protrudes from said second body substantially parallel to the axis of said handle and can be engaged removably in a locking seat, with said handle arranged so that its axis is substantially perpendicular to the floor.

8. The machine according to claim 7, wherein said locking seat is defined on an abutment body that is mounted on said box-like base structure by way of the interposition of elastic pusher means.

9. The machine according to claim 6, wherein said first body is provided laterally with a pair of rotation pivots that define said first rotation axis and engage rotatably in respective rotation seats defined in said box-like base structure.

10. The machine according to claim 9, wherein said second locking means comprise, at at least one of said rotation pivots, a respective retention tooth adapted to engage removably a corresponding retention seat that is defined in said abutment body, with said handle arranged so that its axis is substantially parallel to the floor.