FLOOR TREATMENT FACILITY

Abstract

A floor treatment facility includes a chassis, a running gear for guiding the chassis over a floor, a treatment facility for treating the floor, a suction mouth, and a guide for applying the treatment facility movably along a predetermined path in relation to the chassis. The path extends in a vertical direction in relation to the floor and the path encloses a predefined angle with a plane parallel to the floor when the floor-treatment facility is standing on an even floor. The angle is at most approximately 45°.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A floor treatment facility, comprising: a chassis; a running gear for guiding said chassis over a floor; a treatment facility for treating the floor, said treatment facility including a suction mouth; a guide for applying said treatment facility movably along a predefined path relative to sad chassis; said predefined path extending in a vertical direction relative to the floor, and said predefined path enclosing a predefined angle with a plane parallel to the floor when the floor is even and said floor treatment facility stands on the even floor, said predefined angle amounting to a maximum of approximately 45°.

12. The floor treatment facility according to claim 11, wherein the floor treatment facility is configured to travel over the floor in a predefined direction of travel, and said predefined path is inclined against said predefined direction of travel.

13. The floor treatment facility according to claim 11, which further comprises a support element supporting said treatment facility relative to the floor.

14. The floor treatment facility according to claim 11, which further comprises an elastic element for pressing said treatment facility onto the floor relative to the chassis.

15. The floor treatment facility according to claim 11, wherein said guide includes a linear guide. and said predefined path runs straight.

16. The floor treatment facility according to claim 11, wherein said guide includes a swing arm, and said predefined path follows an arc of a circle.

17. The floor treatment facility according to claim 11, wherein said treatment facility includes a rotating brush.

18. The floor treatment facility according to claim 11, wherein the floor treatment facility is configured to travel in a predefined direction of travel over the floor, said running gear includes first and second wheels, and said first and second wheels and said treatment facility are attached to said chassis and spaced apart from one another in said predefined direction of travel.

19. A floor treatment machine, comprising the floor treatment facility according to claim 11.

20. A vacuum cleaner, comprising the floor treatment facility according to claim 11.

Description

[0025] The invention will now be explained in greater detail with reference to the enclosed figures, in which:

[0026] FIG. 1 shows floor treatment facility;

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a floor treatment facility when negotiating an obstacle; and

[0028] FIG. 3 shows a floor treatment facility in a further variant.

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a floor treatment facility 100, which is configured to treat a floor 105. To this end the floor treatment facility 100 comprises a treatment facility 110, which in the present example is configured to clean the floor 105 by means of a pneumatic vacuum. The floor treatment facility 100 shown in FIG. 1 is for example a suction robot, in particular a robot vacuum cleaner. In other variants however other floor treatment machines can also be realized on the basis of the floor treatment facility 100, of which the treatment facilities 110 can be configured to act on the floor 105 in a different way. In particular the floor treatment facility 100 can also be part of a conventional vacuum cleaner or of a cordless vacuum. The cordless vacuum can be equipped with different fittings and/or accessories and can also be referred to as a Multi-Use Handstick (MUH).

[0030] The floor treatment facility 100 comprises a chassis 115, which can also be referred to as its subframe, which can comprise a floor plate or a housing of the floor treatment facility 100. The floor treatment facility 100 further comprises running gear 120, which establishes a connection between the chassis 115 and the floor 105. In the present example the running gear 120 comprises a first wheel 125 and at least one second wheel 130. In relation to an assumed direction of travel 135 of the floor treatment facility 100 over the floor 105, the wheels 125, 130 or their axles are offset longitudinally. The first wheel 125 is not steered in the present example and can for example comprise a trailing wheel or a shaft and usually has a small diameter in the region of around 15 millimeters. In a further variant the first wheel 125 can also be replaced by a sliding element.

[0031] The second wheel 130 is embodied as a drive wheel for example. Usually a number of second wheels 130 are attached to the floor treatment facility 100 offset to the side and connected to individually controllable motors. Axles of the second wheels 130 can be flush with one another. Through suitable activation of the motors the wheels 125, 130 can each be made to rotate at different speeds in order to accelerate, brake, steer or turn the floor treatment facility 100. A diameter of the second wheels 130 can lie in the region of around 70 millimeters.

[0032] Usually the floor treatment facility 100, above and beyond the elements shown, also has a control facility for controlling a movement of the floor treatment facility 100 over the floor 105 and/or a function of the treatment facility 110. An energy store and proximity sensors can also be provided. These and further possible elements are not shown in FIG. 1.

[0033] The treatment facility 110 is embodied in the present example as a suction facility, of which only a section close to the floor 105 is shown, which can be referred to as the suction mouth 140. In addition the suction facility usually comprises a fan, a dirt container und a filter, which are not shown in FIG. 1. The suction facility is configured to bring about a flow of air 145 through the suction mouth 140, so that air is drawn in from the area between the suction mouth 140 und the floor 105. In this case particles of dirt can be picked up from the floor 105. The air can be directed into the dirt container. Air emerging from the dirt container can be filtered in order to keep the dirt in the container.

[0034] The suction mouth 140 can be sealed with regard to the floor 105 on a preferably circumferential curve by means of a sealing element, for example by means a rubber lip, a brush strip or a strip of felt. Preferably the sealing element, on a hard, level subbase, has a predefined permeability for a horizontal airflow. The sealing element can be complete or can have one or more interruptions. In one form of embodiment the sealing element can be adjusted vertically in relation to the chassis 115. The sealing element can be adjusted between different predefined heights, for example between a first, in which it is configured to rest on the floor 105, and a second, in which it is raised upwards, so that the suction mouth 140 can rest directly on the floor 105 or be guided over the floor 105 by means of another element. In a further form of embodiment a corresponding sealing element can be attached to the chassis 115.

[0035] It is proposed to apply the suction mouth 140 by means of a guide 150 along a predefined path 155 movably in relation to the chassis 115. If the path 155 runs straight, this can be termed a linear guide. The guide 150 can for example be designed as a curtain guide with a slot nut accommodated in a slot. The guide 150 can also be designed telescopically for example or a sleeve can run along the path 155 on a rail.

[0036] For movable and airtight connection of the suction mouth 140 to the chassis 115 or the dirt container a bellows 160 can be provided. The suction mouth 140, by virtue of the force of its weight, or by means an elastic element 165, can be pressed against the floor 105 along the path 155. Preferably the suction mouth is supported by means a support element 170 in relation to the floor 105. The support element 170 can for example comprise a wheel, a roller or a shaft. A diameter of a rotatable support element can be around 5 millimeters. In a further variant the support element 170 can also be arranged non-rotatably and be configured to slide over the floor 105. In the preferred variant shown a rotating brush 175, which can be rotated about a horizontal axis, is additionally attached to the suction mouth 140. Particles of dirt in the region of the floor 105 can be dislodged by means of the rotating brush 175, in order to be transported away with the flow of air 145.

[0037] In the variant shown the path 155 runs straight for example. The guide 150 can be configured to move the suction mouth 140 from the position of floor treatment facility 100 shown on a level floor 105 in a direction along the path 155. This mobility can allow the suction mouth 140 to be kept on the floor 105 when the floor treatment facility 100 is traveling over an uneven surface. As regards the direction of travel 135, the path 155 runs backwards and upwards, so that it encloses an angle 180 with the floor 105 or with a plane parallel thereto. There can also be provision for a movement in the opposite direction, for which the path 155 can be correspondingly lengthened. The angle 180 is usually selected as fixed and preferably amounts to greater than around 20° and further preferably to less than around 45°.

[0038] The angle 180 preferably lies in a longitudinal plane of the floor treatment facility and can also assume larger values in other variants. In one variant the path 155 can be at right angles on the floor 105, so that the angle 180 is a right angle and amounts to 90°. In yet another variant the angle 180 indicated can also be greater than 90°, so that the path 155 is inclined forwards in the longitudinal plane of the floor treatment facility 100. In this case the angle 180 should be less than around 160°.

[0039] FIG. 2 shows a floor treatment facility 100 when it is negotiating an obstacle 205. Phases of the negotiation following on from one another are shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C. Purely by way of example it assumed that the obstacle 205 is present as a threshold and must be climbed over by the floor treatment facility 100. In another variant for example a step can be comprised, which the floor treatment facility 100 must go down. Further possible obstacles 205 comprise a trench, which can be interpreted as a combination of a step and a threshold, or a general unevenness in the floor. For the observations made here it is assumed that the first wheel 125 lies at the front with regard to the direction of travel 135, is followed by the support element 170 and that this is followed by the second wheel 130. Size and distance relationships in FIG. 2 are to be considered as being by way of example.

[0040] If the floor treatment facility 100 is traveling over a level floor 105, then the image shown in FIG. 1 is produced. The obstacle 205 is first negotiated by the first wheel 125, so that the constellation shown in FIG. 2A is produced. The guide 150 has allowed a downwards movement of the suction mouth 140 in relation to the chassis 115, so that the suction mouth 140 protrudes further downwards than in FIG. 1 from the floor treatment facility 100. The support element 170 is still located before the obstacle 205 and the suction mouth 140 is guided at a height above the floor that ensures that said floor can be cleaned by the flow of air 145.

[0041] If the floor treatment facility 100 travels further along the direction of travel 135, the support element 170 is displaced at the obstacle 205 along the path 155, so that it protrudes less far from the underside of the floor treatment facility 100 than it does in FIG. 1.

[0042] This situation is shown in FIG. 2B. A distance between the suction mouth 140 and the floor 105 here has become so large that particles of dirt can no longer be picked up from the floor 105. The air not directly entering the suction mouth 140 from close to the floor is referred to as wrong air, ancillary air or false air. The raising of the suction mouth 140 is unavoidable in order to lift it over the obstacle 205. The mouth is lifted from a section of the floor 105 that has already been cleaned, so that the result of the cleaning is not adversely affected at this point.

[0043] As soon as the support element 170 has negotiated the obstacle 205 the suction mouth 140 can again be brought to its working distance in relation to the floor 105 after surmounting the obstacle 205. This situation is shown in FIG. 2C. It can be seen that the suction mouth 140 is almost flush with the floor 105, so that said floor can be cleaned as intended. Advantageously the floor 105 can be treated on both sides up to the obstacle 205, so that a strip of dirt cannot form at the obstacle 205. In the constellation shown the suction mouth 140 is pressed by the guide 150 on the path 155 further into the underside of the floor treatment facility 100 than it is in the position shown in FIG. 1. After the second wheel 130 has negotiated the obstacle 205, the constellation shown in FIG. 1 can once again be produced.

[0044] FIG. 3 shows a floor treatment facility 100 in a further variant. By contrast with the variant shown in FIG. 1 the guide 150 is embodied here not as a linear guide but as a swing arm 305. The suction mouth 140 is attached, optional pivotably, to one end of an arm 305, of which the other end is supported on an axis of rotation 310 that runs transversely to the direction of travel 135. The path 155 along which the suction mouth 140 is able to be moved in relation to the chassis 115 follows the arc of a circle in this case. In the position shown, on a level floor 105, the angle 180 can correspond to that arc of the path 155 in the form of embodiment shown in FIG. 1, as is indicated by a dashed line, which forms a tangent to the arc 155 and corresponds to the path 155 from FIG. 1. If the axis of rotation 310 in relation to the direction of travel 135 lies as shown before the suction mouth 140, this is referred to as a pulled swing arm 305; if the axis of rotation 310 lies after the suction mouth 140, a pushed swing arm 305 is involved. The elastic element 165 in this form of embodiment can be embodied as a spiral spring instead of the cylindrical spring shown in FIG. 1.

[0045] In general different variants and aspects of a floor treatment facility are described. In particular, according to a variant A, a floor treatment facility is disclosed that comprises: a chassis; a running gear for guiding the chassis over a floor; a treatment facility for treating the floor; a guide for applying the treatment facility movably along a predefined path in relation to the chassis, wherein the path extends in a vertical direction in relation to the floor.

[0046] In variant B the floor treatment facility according to variant A can be embodied in such a way that the path encloses a predefined angle with a plane parallel to the floor when the floor treatment facility is standing on a level floor.

[0047] In variant C the floor treatment facility according to variant B can be configured to travel over the floor in a predefined direction of travel, wherein the path can be inclined against the direction of travel.

[0048] In variant D, with the floor treatment facility according to one of the variants B or C, the angle can amount to a maximum of around 45°.

[0049] In variant E, with the floor treatment facility according to one of the preceding variants, the treatment facility can be supported in relation to the floor by means a support element.

[0050] In variant F the floor treatment facility according to one of the preceding variants can further comprise an elastic element for pressing the treatment facility onto the floor in relation to the chassis on the floor.

[0051] In variant G, with the floor treatment facility according to one of the preceding variants, the guide can comprise a linear guide and the path can run straight.

[0052] In variant H, with the floor treatment facility according to one of the variants A to G, the guide can comprise a swing arm and the path can follow the arc of a circle.

[0053] In variant I the floor treatment facility according to one of the preceding variants can comprise a rotating brush.

[0054] In variant J the floor treatment facility according to one of the preceding variants can comprise a suction mouth.

[0055] In variant K the floor treatment facility according to one of the preceding variants can be configured to travel in a predefined direction of travel (135) over the floor (105), wherein the running gear (120) comprises a first (125) and a second wheel (130) and the wheels (125, 130) and the treatment facility (110) are attached spaced apart from one another on the chassis (115) along the direction of travel (135).

REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0056] 100 Floor treatment facility [0057] 105 Floor [0058] 110 Treatment facility [0059] 115 Chassis/subframe [0060] 120 Running gear [0061] 125 First wheel [0062] 130 Second wheel [0063] 135 Direction of travel [0064] 140 Suction mouth [0065] 145 Flow of air [0066] 150 Guide [0067] 155 Path [0068] 160 Bellows [0069] 165 Elastic element [0070] 170 Support element [0071] 175 Rotating brush [0072] 180 Angle [0073] 205 Obstacle (threshold) [0074] 305 Swing arm [0075] 310 Axis of rotation