EP2941998A1

EP2941998A1 - Floor scrubbing machine

Info

Publication number: EP2941998A1
Application number: EP15165773.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Massimiliano Ruffo
Original assignee: Fimap SpA
Current assignee: Fimap SpA
Priority date: 2014-05-05
Filing date: 2015-04-29
Publication date: 2015-11-11
Also published as: CN105078373A; US20150313433A1

Abstract

A floor scrubbing machine, which comprises a footing (2) that supports at least one brush (3), which can be actuated rotationally by an actuation assembly (4), at least one device (5) for dispensing a washing liquid, a squeegee (6) arranged to the rear of the brush (3), and at least one device for aspirating from the floor the washing liquid and the dirt removed by the brush (3). The machine further comprises a pair of box-like bodies (7a, 7b), each of which forms a respective tank for containing a liquid processed by the machine. The box-like bodies (7a, 7b) are stacked on each other on the footing (2). Removable retention means are provided which act between the footing (2) and the box-like body (7b) that lies above the other box-like body (7a) in order to retain the box-like bodies (7a, 7b) against each other and against the footing (2).

Description

The present invention relates to a floor scrubbing machine.
Floor scrubbing machines are known which have a supporting base for at least one rotating brush and for at least one dispenser of a washing liquid.
To the rear of the brush, along the forward direction of travel of the machine, there is a squeegee that retains the washing liquid and the dirt removed from the floor so that they are picked up by an intake so as to leave the floor dry and clean.
A tank for the washing liquid, which supplies the dispenser, and a tank for collecting the dirty liquid drawn by the intake are mounted on the supporting base.
In current machines, the tank for the washing liquid and the tank for collecting the dirty liquid are arranged laterally with respect to a vertical central plane of the machine and therefore the machines have a considerable lateral space occupation, which makes them awkward to use in tight spaces, such as for example in a home environment.
Furthermore, these tanks are arranged inside an enclosure and their removal from the supporting base for ordinary operations for maintenance and cleaning of the machine is very awkward to perform.
The aim of the present invention is to provide a floor scrubbing machine that has a very small space occupation, so as to make it fully suitable for home use and furthermore allows easy removal of its tanks.
Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a floor scrubbing machine that allows to make the operations for maintaining and washing its components extremely practical.
This aim, as well as this and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a floor scrubbing machine according to the invention, as defined in claim 1.
Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become better apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the floor scrubbing machine according to the invention, illustrated by way of nonlimiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an exploded top perspective view of the machine according to the invention, with parts omitted for the sake of simplicity;
Figure 2 is an exploded bottom perspective view of the machine according to the invention;
Figure 3 is a top plan view of the machine according to the invention;
Figure 4 is a sectional view, taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of a cover;
Figure 6 is a sectional view, taken along the line VI-VI of Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a sectional view, taken along the line VII-VII of Figure 5.

With reference to the figures, a floor scrubbing machine according to the invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, comprises a footing 2, which supports at least one brush 3, which can be activated rotationally by an actuation assembly 4, which is also mounted on the footing 2 and comprises an electric motor 4a, and at least one device 5 for dispensing a washing liquid, which is constituted for example by a nozzle 5a and by a pumping device 5b, also mounted on the footing 2 and conveniently connected with its intake to a filter 5c that is also mounted on the footing 2.
To the rear of the brush 3, the footing 2 further supports a squeegee 6 and at least one suction device, which comprises a suction intake, associated with the squeegee 6, which allows to pick up from the floor the washing liquid and the dirt removed by the brush 3, in order to leave the floor dry and clean when the machine passes.
An enclosure 2b is, for example, connected to the rear side of the footing 2 and contains electrical components of the machine; at said enclosure there are, conveniently, wheels 2c for resting on the floor and a handle 2d for moving the machine.
The machine according to the invention comprises a pair of box- like bodies 7a and 7b, which each forms a respective tank for containing a liquid treated by the machine.
The box- like bodies 7a, 7b are stacked on each other on the footing 2, with a first box-like body, which corresponds to the one designated by the reference numeral 7a, arranged in a lower region and rested on the footing 2 and with a second box-like body, designated by the reference numeral 7b, arranged in an upper region and rested on the box-like body 7a.
Preferably, the box-like body 7a arranged in a lower region forms a tank for containing the washing liquid emitted by the dispensing device 5, while the box-like body 7b arranged in an upper region forms a tank for collecting dirty liquid picked up by the suction device.
The mutual locking of the box- like bodies 7a, 7b, as well as their locking with respect to the footing 2, are ensured by way of removable retention means, which act between the footing 2 and the box-like body 7b that is arranged in an upper region, so as to keep the box- like bodies 7a, 7b rested against each other and against the footing 2.
Advantageously, the retention means comprise a pair of hooks 8a, 8b, which are arranged on opposite sides of the footing and each have a wing that is pivoted at one end to the footing 2 and has, at its opposite end, at least one engagement protrusion 9, which can engage a respective abutment region 10, which is formed on a corresponding side of the box-like body 7b that is arranged in an upper region.
As shown, the box-like body 7a arranged in a lower region has, on its upward-facing side, a mouth 11 for access to its internal cavity in order to allow to fill it with the washing liquid.
The access mouth 11 is closed by an occlusion portion 12, which is formed on the bottom of the box-like body 7b that is arranged in an upper region and has for example a substantially dome-like shape.
Optionally, the access mouth 11 can be closed further also by an adapted removable plug, not shown, which can engage detachably the rim of the access mouth 11.
Conveniently, in the bottom of the box-like body 7a arranged in a lower region there is a connecting port 13, which is intended to connect to the pumping device 5b and more particularly, according to the illustrated example, to the intake of the filter 5c, once the box-like body 7a has been rested on the footing 2.
Conveniently, the connecting port 13 is provided with a closure valve, arranged inside it, which is adapted to open automatically upon the engagement of the connecting port 13 with the pumping device 5b.
Advantageously, the box-like body 7b that is arranged in an upper region also has, on its upward-facing side, an opening 14 for access to its internal cavity, in order to allow its emptying and internal cleaning.
The access opening 14 is closed by means of a cover 15, which is provided with means for locking to the box-like body 7b which advantageously are constituted by a pair of levers 16, which are pivoted to opposite sides of the cover 15 and have, at a free end, at least one respective locking tooth 17, which can engage against a respective border 18 formed on a corresponding side of the box-like body 7b.
Conveniently, the box-like body 7a arranged in a lower region is crossed, substantially at right angles to the footing, by at least one passage 19, inside which the actuation assembly 4 of the brush 3 and a duct 20 are accommodated, said duct rising vertically from the footing 2 and being intended to connect, at one end, to the box-like body 7b at an intake 21 formed on the bottom of the box-like body 7b, and being connected, at its other end, to the suction device and more precisely to the suction intake by means of a flexible hose.
More particularly, according to the illustrated example, the intake 21 passes through the box-like body 7b in order to accommodate the duct 20 and allow it to connect to a suction port 22 that is formed in the side of the cover 15 that is directed toward the box-like body 7b and is arranged in a region of the cover 15 that is intended to remain outside the cavity of the box-like body 7b.
The suction port 22 is connected, by means of a first channel 23, formed within the thickness of the cover 15, to an inlet 24 for the dirty liquid aspirated by the suction intake into the internal cavity of the box-like body 7b.
Conveniently, the inlet 24 is controlled by a closure valve 25 that is constituted by an oscillating flow control element 25a with automatic closure.
Advantageously, in the side of the cover 15 that is directed toward the box-like body 7b and in a region intended to remain external with respect to the cavity of the box-like body 7b there is also a connecting port 26, which is intended to be connected to air intake means, not shown, and is connected, through a second channel 27 also formed within the thickness of the cover 15, to an air evacuation port 28, which is intended to face the cavity of the box-like body 7b, in order to allow to create a partial vacuum within the box-like body 7b that allows to draw into the box-like body 7b the dirty liquid from the suction intake, through the duct 20, the first channel 23 and the inlet 24.
Conveniently, the air evacuation port 28 also is controlled by a closure valve 29, which is structurally similar to the valve 25.
Use of the machine according to the invention is as follows.
The box-like body 7a is rested on the footing 2, arranging it so as to insert the actuation assembly 4 of the brush 3 and the duct 20 into the passage 19 and so that its connecting port 13 mates with the pumping device 5b, and is then filled through its access mouth 11 with the washing liquid.
The box-like body 7b rests on the box-like body 7a so as to couple the duct 20 to the intake 21 of the box-like body 7b.
The box- like bodies 7a, 7b are then locked to the footing 2, rotating the hooks 8a and 8b so as to engage their engagement protrusions 9 with the corresponding abutment regions 10.
The access opening 14 of the box-like body 7b is closed by means of the cover 15, which is locked to the box-like body 7b by rotating the levers 16 until their locking teeth 17 engage the borders 18 provided on the box-like body 7b.
At this point, the machine is ready to operate.
If one wishes to proceed with maintenance or cleaning of the machine, it is sufficient to disengage the engagement protrusions 9 from the abutment regions 10 by means of an opposite rotation of the hooks 8a and 8b, so as to release the box- like bodies 7a and 7b, which can thus be removed from the footing 2.
From what has been described above it can be understood that the invention is capable of achieving fully the intended aim and objects, since it allows to limit the lateral space occupation of the machine and to simplify the removal from the machine of the tanks for their cleaning or filling.
All the characteristics of the invention indicated above as advantageous, convenient or the like may also be omitted or be replaced with equivalents.
The individual characteristics described with reference to general teachings or to particular embodiments may all be present in other embodiments or may replace characteristics in said embodiments.
The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.
In practice, the materials employed, 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. VR2014A000115 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.
Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included 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

A floor scrubbing machine, comprising a footing (2) that supports at least one brush (3), which can be actuated rotationally by an actuation assembly (4), at least one device (5) for dispensing a washing liquid, a squeegee (6) arranged to the rear of said brush (3), and at least one device for aspirating from the floor the washing liquid and the dirt removed by said brush (3), characterized in that it comprises a pair of box-like bodies (7a, 7b), each of which forms a respective tank for containing a liquid processed by the machine, said box-like bodies (7a, 7b) being stacked on each other on said footing (2), removable retention means being provided which act between said footing (2) and the box-like body (7b) that lies above the other box-like body (7a) in order to retain said box-like bodies (7a, 7b) against each other and against said footing (2).
The machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said retention means comprise a pair of hooks (8a, 8b), which are arranged on opposite sides of the footing (2) and are each provided with a wing that is pivoted, at one end, to the footing and has, at its opposite end, at least one engagement protrusion (9) that can engage a respective abutment region (10) formed on said box-like body (7b) arranged in an upper region.
The machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the box-like body (7a) that is arranged in a lower region has, on its upward-facing side, a mouth (11) for accessing its internal cavity, which is closed by an occlusion portion (12) that is formed on the bottom of said box-like body (7b) that lies in an upper region.
The machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said box-like body (7b) that is arranged in an upper region has, on its upward-facing side, an opening (14) for accessing its internal cavity, which can be blocked by means of a cover (15) provided with means for locking to said box-like body (7b) that lies in an upper region.
The machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said locking means comprise a pair of levers (16) that are pivoted to opposite sides of said cover (15) and have, at one of their free ends, at least one respective locking tooth (17) that can engage against a respective border (18) formed on said box-like body (7b) that is arranged in an upper region.
The machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said box-like body (7a) that is arranged in a lower region forms a tank for containing a washing liquid that supplies said dispensing device (5), and in that said box-like body (7b) that is arranged in an upper region forms a tank for collecting the dirty liquid drawn by said suction device.
The machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said box-like body (7a) arranged in a lower region is crossed by at least one passage (19) for accommodating at least one duct (20), which is connected to said box-like body (7b) that is arranged in an upper region and is connected to said suction device, and said actuation assembly (4) of said brush (3).
The machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that in said cover (15) there is a suction port (22), which is intended to be connected to said duct (20) and is connected to an inlet (24) for the dirty liquid, which is intended to be connected to the inside of said box-like body (7b) that is arranged in an upper region, and a connection port (26), which is intended to be connected to air suction means and is connected to an air evacuation port (28) that is intended to be connected to the inside of said box-like body (7b) that is arranged in an upper region, said inlet (24) and said air evacuation port (28) being controlled by respective closure valves (25, 29).