Abstract
A wet-cleaning appliance, in particular a wet mop, has a cleaning roller, which is mounted in a rotatable manner about a roller axis, and having a roller cover, which encloses the cleaning roller in the circumferential direction, at least in part, and has at least one movable covering element for optionally closing and/or releasing an opening region of the roller cover. In order to prevent residual liquid contained in the roller cover from dripping from the wet-cleaning appliance when the roller cover is opened, the movable covering element has a collecting unit, in particular a collecting container, which has a storage volume for collecting liquid that remains in the roller cover.
Claims
1. A wet cleaning appliance (1), with a cleaning roller (3) mounted so that it can rotate around a roller axis (2) and a roller cover (4) that completely encloses the cleaning roller (3) in a circumferential direction during a regeneration operation of the wet cleaning appliance (1), which has at least one displaceable covering element (5) for selectively closing and opening an opening region (6) of the roller cover (4) during a wiping operation of the wet cleaning appliance (1), wherein the displaceable covering element (5) has a storage volume-providing collecting unit (8) in the form of a collecting vessel, for collecting liquid remaining behind inside of the roller cover (4), and being arranged on the displaceable covering element (5), wherein with regard to a closed position of the covering element (5), the collecting unit (8) is located completely above a deepest point of the closed covering element (5), and wherein the collecting unit (8) has an opening (9) that faces in a direction of the deepest point of the closed covering element (5) and precedes the storage volume in an opening direction (r) of the roller cover (4).
2. The wet cleaning appliance (1) according to claim 1, wherein the collecting unit (8) is arranged offset radially inward on an inner wall (7) of the covering element (5) facing the cleaning roller (3).
3. The wet cleaning appliance (1) according to claim 1, wherein the collecting unit (8) is designed to hold liquid in an amount of up to 30 ml.
4. The wet cleaning appliance (1) according to claim 1, wherein the collecting unit (8) is formed along the entire axial longitudinal extension of the covering element (5).
5. The wet cleaning appliance (1) according to claim 1, wherein the collecting unit (8) is formed in the circumferential direction of the covering element (5) over an angular section (α) of 30° to 90°.
6. The wet cleaning appliance (1) according to claim 1, wherein the collecting unit (8), has an end side that is arranged on an end side of the covering element (5) in relation to an axial direction.
7. The wet cleaning appliance (1) according to claim 6, wherein an inner wall (7) of the covering element (5) has a feed ramp (10) that is inclined against a horizontal and in particular extends from the middle of an axial longitudinal extension of the covering element (5) to the end-side collecting unit (8), which is designed in such a way that gravity guides the liquid located inside of the roller cover (4) into the collecting unit (8) when the covering element (5) is displaced into an opening direction (r).
8. The wet cleaning appliance (1) according to claim 1, wherein the collecting unit (8) has a discharge opening (11), which can be connected with a collecting tank by rotating the covering element (5) in the opening direction (r), so that liquid collected in the collecting unit (8) can be transferred into the collecting tank.
9. The wet cleaning appliance (1) according to claim 1, wherein the covering element (5) can be displaced relative to the roller axis (2) by at least 130°.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) The invention will be explained in more detail below based on exemplary embodiments. Shown on:
(2) FIG. 1 is a wet cleaning appliance according to the invention;
(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cleaning roller with a surrounding roller cover;
(4) FIG. 3 is the roller cover according to FIG. 2 in the closed position;
(5) FIG. 4 is the roller cover in a partially open position;
(6) FIG. 5 is the roller cover in a more open position relative to FIG. 4;
(7) FIG. 6 is the roller cover in an open position;
(8) FIG. 7 is the roller cover according to FIG. 2 depicted separately;
(9) FIG. 8 is a displaceable covering element of the roller cover according to an alternative embodiment;
(10) FIG. 9 is a radial section through the covering element according to FIG. 8 in a closed position;
(11) FIG. 10 is the covering element in a partially open position;
(12) FIG. 11 is the covering element in a more open position relative to FIG. 10, and
(13) FIG. 12 is the covering element in the open position.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
(14) FIG. 1 shows a wet cleaning appliance 1, which is here designed as a wet mop with a base device 13 and an attachment 14. Arranged on the base device 13 is a stalk 16 with a handle 17, by means of which a user can guide the wet cleaning appliance 1 over a surface to be cleaned. The stalk 16 here advantageously has a telescoping design, so that a user can adjust the height of the wet cleaning appliance 1 to his or her body size. During a conventional wiping operation, the user displaces the wet cleaning appliance 1 back and forth over the surface to be cleaned, wherein he or she alternately pushes the wet cleaning appliance 1 out and pulls it back.
(15) The attachment 14 has an appliance housing 12, in which a tank (not shown) for cleaning fluid is arranged. Liquid can be filled into the tank via a filler 15. Also arranged in the appliance housing 12 is a cleaning roller 3, which can be rotated around a roller axis 2. The roller axis 2 is essentially perpendicular to a conventional direction of movement of the wet cleaning appliance 1. The liquid can be dispensed from the tank onto the surface of the cleaning roller 3 so as to moisten the latter.
(16) During a wiping operation, the cleaning roller 3 rotates around the roller axis 2, so that the circumferential surface of the cleaning roller 3 continuously rolls onto the surface to be cleaned. The cleaning roller 3 is usually wound with a cleaning layer, if necessary with a sponge body that stores additional liquid interspersed. For example, the cleaning layer is here a textile cleaning cloth. During the wiping operation, dirt continues to accumulate on the cleaning roller 3, i.e., the cleaning layer. For this reason, it may become necessary to regenerate the cleaning roller 3 after a certain operating period, wherein dirt and liquid loaded with dirt are removed from the cleaning roller 3 during a regeneration operation. For this purpose, the cleaning roller 3 is usually rotated with a speed that is higher than the speed of the cleaning roller 3 during a wiping operation. This causes dirt and liquid loaded with dirt to be spun off of the cleaning roller 3. The sprayed off liquid can be collected and fed to a collecting tank.
(17) FIG. 2 shows a partial region of the appliance housing 12 of the attachment 14, in which the cleaning roller 3 is held so that it can rotate around the roller axis 2. The roller axis 2 simultaneously forms a rotational axis for a displaceable covering element 5 of a roller cover 4, which surrounds the cleaning roller 3 in the circumferential direction. The covering element 5 can be displaced relative to a fixed part of the roller cover 4 in an opening region 6 of the roller cover 4, so as to preferably completely close the roller cover 4 in the circumferential direction of the cleaning roller 3. The closed position of the covering element 5 or roller cover 4 depicted on FIG. 2 corresponds to the position during a regeneration operation of the wet cleaning appliance 1, in which dirt and liquid are spun off of the cleaning roller 3 and transferred into a collecting tank. In order to reset the wet cleaning appliance 1 for a conventional wiping operation again proceeding therefrom, the covering element 5 is displaced from the opening region 6 of the roller cover 4, so that the cleaning roller 3 can be displaced out of the roller cover 4 in the direction of a surface to be cleaned. Usually provided for this purpose are a drive motor and a gearbox, which initiate the displacement of the covering element 5 and, if necessary, the cleaning roller 3 (not shown) as well.
(18) A regeneration operation of the wet cleaning appliance 1 is introduced by displacing the covering element 5 until the cleaning roller 3 is completely housed by the roller cover 4 in the circumferential direction. The cleaning roller 3 is then strongly accelerated, if necessary after or while adding liquid. The high speed of the cleaning roller 3, which should be higher than the speed of the cleaning roller 3 during a wiping operation, spins the liquid and dirt out of the cleaning roller 3. In addition, a stripping device 19 can be provided, which touches the surface of the cleaning roller 3 and also supports regeneration. The rotation of the cleaning roller 3 simultaneously produces a flow of ambient air, which supports the transport of liquid and dirt in the direction of a collecting channel 18. As a consequence, an optimal overall regeneration result is achieved.
(19) For the subsequent wiping operation, the roller cover 4 is again opened by displacing the covering element 5 in the opening direction r around the roller axis 2, and allowing the cleaning roller 3 to exit the appliance housing 12 and come into contact with a surface to be cleaned.
(20) During the displacement of the covering element 5 in the opening direction r, residual liquid that was not transferred into the collecting channel 18 during the regeneration operation flows along an inner wall 7 of the covering element 5 to a respective currently deepest point of the roller cover 4 or covering element 5. An end region of the covering element 5 adjacent to the opening region 6 of the roller cover 4 has a collecting unit 8, which is here designed as a collecting vessel, which is arranged radially inwardly offset proceeding from the inner wall 7. The collecting unit 8 provides a storage volume for the liquid to be accommodated. For example, liquid in the amount of 20 ml can here be accommodated. Since only liquid amounts of a few milliliters remain behind inside of the roller cover 4 after a regeneration operation of the cleaning roller 3, the collecting unit 8 is large enough to be able to accommodate this amount of liquid.
(21) How the collecting unit 8 functions will be explained in greater detail below based on FIGS. 3 to 6. These show the covering element 5 of the roller cover 4 proceeding from a closed position (FIG. 3) given a displacement in the direction of an open position (FIG. 6).
(22) On FIG. 3, the covering element 5 is in the closed position, in which the roller cover 4 completely envelops the cleaning roller 3 in a circumferential direction. At the point in time depicted, a regeneration operation of the wet cleaning appliance 1 has ended, and a majority of the liquid of the cleaning roller 3 has been transferred into the collecting channel 18. Only a small portion of residual liquid (not shown to scale on the figures) remains inside of the roller cover 4, and is made to accumulate at a deepest point on the inner wall 7 of the covering element 5 through exposure to gravity. In the closed position of the covering element 5, the collecting unit 8 arranged on the covering element 5 is located completely above the deepest point at which the liquid and possibly dirt have accumulated in relation to a vertical direction. The collecting unit 8 is here formed along the entire longitudinal extension of the cleaning roller 3 (not visible in the sectional view shown). The collecting unit 8 extends in a circumferential direction over an angular section α of the covering element 5 that occupies roughly 45°. This corresponds to one fourth of the angular range occupied by the entire covering element 5, which here measures 180°.
(23) FIG. 4 shows a position of the roller cover 4 in which the covering element is displaced in the opening direction r in such a way as to at least partially release the opening region 6. In this position, the opening 9 of the collecting unit 8 is located roughly in the region of the deepest point of the roller cover 4, so that the liquid accumulated at the deepest point can flow into the collecting unit 8.
(24) As the covering element 5 continues to be displaced in the opening direction r, the opening region 6 opens noticeably, as depicted on FIG. 5. The collecting unit 8 now has now exceeded the deepest point, and is located in a position in which the opening 9 of the collecting unit 8 is arranged at a higher level than the liquid collected in the collecting unit 8. In this position, the liquid can no longer escape the collecting unit 8, and thus also not drip onto the surface to be cleaned.
(25) In the open position shown on FIG. 6, the opening region 6 of the roller cover 4 is maximally opened. This is the position which the roller cover 4 has during the wiping operation of the wet cleaning appliance 1.
(26) If the roller cover 4 closes again proceeding from the open position shown on FIG. 6, the liquid again flows out of the collecting unit 8 and onto the inner wall 7 of the covering element 5. During the subsequent regeneration operation of the cleaning roller 3, the liquid is once more accelerated through the rotating cleaning roller 3, and along with additional liquid spun off of the cleaning roller gets to the collecting channel 18, and from there into a collecting tank for contaminated liquid. After the regeneration operation has ended, residual liquid possibly remains behind again inside of the roller cover 4, which is likewise again collected in the collecting unit 8 when the roller cover 4 is opened. The amount of liquid that remains behind is thus not increased by sequential regeneration cycles. Rather, the residual liquid of a preceding regeneration operation is only temporarily stored in the collecting unit 8, and again released during the ensuing regeneration operation, so that it can merge with the liquid that is spun off of the cleaning roller 3 anew, and get to the collecting channel 18. As a consequence, an equilibrium is established for the liquid remaining behind inside of the roller cover 4.
(27) Since the collecting unit 8 is designed in an axial direction along the entire longitudinal extension of the cleaning roller 3 or roller cover 4, liquid can be transferred from each region of the cleaning roller 3 into the collecting unit 8, without special guiding devices being necessary. Rather, the liquid spun off of the cleaning roller 3 follows the curvature of the inner wall 7 in the direction of the deepest point of the covering element 5, where it is collected and can finally be transferred into the collecting unit 8 while displacing the covering element 5 in the opening direction r.
(28) FIG. 7 shows the roller cover 4 in isolation, i.e., without the cleaning roller 3 arranged therein. The roller cover 4 is located in the closed position, in which the covering element 5 completely seals the opening region 6 of the roller cover 4. The collecting channel 18 is discernible, through which liquid can get into a collecting tank of the wet cleaning appliance 1. The collecting channel 18 is integrally formed with the roller cover 4, for example in an injection molding process. The opening 9 of the collecting unit 8 precedes the storage volume of the collecting unit 8 relative to the opening direction r of the covering element 5. In addition, the opening 9 has a plurality of webs 20, which are arranged one next to the other in an axial direction of the covering element 5, and along which the liquid can flow into the collecting unit 8.
(29) FIG. 8 shows a covering element 5 of a roller cover according to another embodiment. The depicted covering element 5 has end-side collecting units 8 in relation to an axial direction. Liquid can flow into these collecting units 8 from an inner wall 7 of the covering element 5 through openings 9. Arranged on the inner wall 7 of the covering element 5 for each of the covering units 8 is a respective feed ramp 10, which extends from a center of the longitudinal extension of the covering element 5 to the respective collecting unit 8. In the position of the covering element 5 shown on FIG. 8, the feed ramp 10 has a gradient, over which liquid can flow from the inner wall 7 of the covering element 5 to the opening 9 of the respective collecting unit 8 during a rotation of the covering element 5. Displacing the covering element 5 from the closed position into the open position also causes the respective feed ramp 10 to be displaced, wherein the orientation of the feed ramp 10 changes relative to the effective direction of gravity. The liquid collected in the collecting unit 8 can no longer flow back through the opening 9 onto the feed ramp 10 or the inner wall 7 of the covering element 5 in the open position of the covering element 5. As a result, the liquid is captured in the collecting unit 8, and cannot drip onto a surface to be cleaned in the open position of the roller cover 4.
(30) In order to illustrate the function, FIGS. 9 to 12 show a radial cross section through a collecting unit 8 during a rotation of the covering element 5 from a closed position (FIG. 9) into an open position (FIG. 12).
(31) In the closed position of the covering element 5 according to FIG. 9, the feed ramp 10 ascends in the direction of the opening 9 of the collecting unit 8, so that residual liquid located inside of the roller cover 4 cannot yet flow from the inner wall 7 of the covering element 5 via the feed ramp 10 into the collecting unit 8. The liquid or possibly even dirt collects at initially a deepest point inside of the covering element 5.
(32) Given a displacement of the covering element 5 into the opening direction r as depicted on FIG. 10, the deepest point of the covering element 5 or feed ramp 10 is also displaced, so that the collected liquid can get into the collecting unit 8 during the displacement.
(33) FIG. 11 shows a time during a continued (relative to FIG. 10) displacement of the covering element 5 in the opening direction r. The liquid is here now under the feed ramp 10 in relation to a vertical direction.
(34) Finally, FIG. 12 shows the position of the covering element 5 with the opening region 6 of the roller cover 4 completely open. In this position, the liquid collected in the collecting unit 8 is located above a discharge opening of the collecting unit 8 in relation to a vertical direction, so that the liquid contained in the collecting unit 8 can flow out of the collecting unit 8. The collecting channel 18 of the attachment 14 preferably follows the discharge opening 11 of the collecting unit 8 in the opening position of the covering element 5, so that the liquid can be transferred from the collecting unit 8 into a collecting tank for dirty liquid.
(35) Even though the invention was exemplarily described in relation to a hand-guided wet cleaning appliance 1, the wet cleaning appliance 1 can of course also be a cleaning robot. In addition, the wet cleaning appliance 1 can also be a combined wiping and vacuuming device or a wet cleaning appliance 1 that can exclusively perform a wet cleaning task.
REFERENCE LIST
(36) 1 Wet cleaning appliance 2 Roller axis 3 Cleaning roller 4 Roller cover 5 Covering element 6 Opening region 7 Inner wall 8 Collecting unit 9 Opening 10 Feed ramp 11 Discharge opening 12 Appliance housing 13 Base device 14 Attachment 15 Filler 16 Stalk 17 Handle 18 Collecting channel 19 Stripping device 20 Web α Angular section r Opening direction
