Surface treatment machine with speed control

Abstract

A surface treatment machine, comprising a frame configured to translate with respect to a surface to treat, a surface treatment element connected to said frame and configured to treat with liquid a surface, a reservoir connected to the frame arranged to provide liquid to the surface treatment element through a delivery mouth; an adjustment element arranged to feed adjustably the liquid supplied from the reservoir to the delivery mouth. It is then provided a sensor configured to measure the speed of the frame with respect to the surface to treat. A control unit receives from the sensor a signal proportional to a speed for adjusting the adjustment element responsive to this value, in order to deliver the liquid with optimization of the flow-rate. It is possible then to maximize the range of the machine, and to optimize the working time of the operator.

Claims

1. A surface treatment machine, comprising: a frame configured to translate with respect to a surface to treat; a surface treatment element connected to said frame and configured to treat with a treatment liquid a surface with respect to which said frame advances; a reservoir connected to said frame and arranged to supply the treatment liquid to said surface treatment element through a delivery mouth; an adjustment element arranged to adjustably feed the treatment liquid provided by said reservoir to said delivery mouth; a sensor configured to measure a value of translation speed of the frame with respect to the surface to treat and to provide a signal proportional to the value of translation speed measured by the sensor; a control unit comprising a microcontroller and arranged to receive from said sensor said signal proportional to the value of translation speed measured by the sensor; the control unit configured to set adjust the adjustment element if the value of translation speed measured by the sensor is different from predetermined values, the control unit being arranged to adjust the adjustment element for supplying a flow-rate of liquid in an increasing way responsive to an increase of the value of translation speed measured by the sensor, in order to achieve a maximum range of the surface treatment machine; wherein said control unit is associated with a display unit for displaying said translation speed and a value of range of the surface treatment machine determined on the basis of instant values of the measurement of a volume of residual liquid present in the reservoir and of a flow rate value responsive to the value of translation speed measured by the sensor for calculating the value of range of the surface treatment machine as residual time or residual surface that can be treated by said surface treatment machine before a replenishment of liquid in said reservoir.

2. Surface treatment machine according to claim 1, wherein said adjustment element is selected from the group consisting of: a piloted valve, wherein said control unit is configured to adjust the opening of said valve in an increasing way responsive to an increase of the value of translation speed measured by the sensor; a pump with an adjustable speed, wherein said control unit is configured to adjust the adjustable speed of said pump in an increasing way responsive to an increase of the value of translation speed measured by the sensor.

3. Surface treatment machine according to claim 1, wherein said frame is provided with a plurality of wheels for translating the frame with respect to said surface to treat, and wherein said sensor is an encoder arranged to measure a value of translation speed of one of said plurality of wheels.

4. Surface treatment machine according to claim 1, wherein said frame is provided with a plurality of wheels operated by a motor for translating the frame with respect to said surface to treat, and wherein said sensor is arranged to measure a pulse-width modulation (PWM) of said motor.

5. A method of treatment of surfaces, comprising the steps of: translating a surface treatment machine with respect to a surface to treat, said surface treatment machine having a surface treatment element connected to a frame; feeding, at said surface treatment element, a treatment liquid, so that said surface treatment element treats with said liquid said surface during said translating; said treatment liquid being drawn from a reservoir connected to said frame, in order to provide said treatment liquid to said surface treatment element through a delivery mouth; said method further comprising the steps of: measuring by a sensor a value of translation speed of the frame with respect to the surface to treat; adjusting said delivery of treatment liquid provided by said reservoir to said delivery mouth if the value of translation speed measured by the sensor is different from predetermined values; wherein said adjusting provides to supply a flow-rate of treatment liquid in an increasing way responsive to an increase in the value of translation speed measured by the sensor, in order to achieve a maximum range of the surface treatment machine; calculating a value of range of the surface treatment machine determined on the basis of instant values of the measurement of the volume of residual liquid present in the reservoir and of the flow-rate value responsive to said value of translation speed measured by the sensor, the value of range of the surface treatment machine being calculated as residual time or residual surface that can be treated by said surface treatment machine before a replenishment of liquid in the reservoir; displaying, by a display unit, said value of translation speed measured by the sensor and the calculated value of range of the surface treatment machine.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be now shown with the following description of an exemplary embodiment thereof, exemplifying but not limitative, with reference to the attached drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a generic surface treatment machine according to the prior art;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a generic surface treatment machine according to the invention;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a generic surface treatment machine according to the invention;

(5) FIG. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of the surface treatment machine of FIG. 3, with the addition of a input/output unit, with possible display unit;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a possible flow-sheet of the program means resident in the control unit of the machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

(7) As shown in FIG. 1, a surface treatment machine, whose general layout is known and indicated as 1, comprises a frame 11 configured to translate with respect to a surface 12 to treat.

(8) The translation, in the direction of arrow 2, can be carried out by pushing, through a handlebar or through separate handles (not shown), or in a motorized way, through wheels or tracks (not shown), and the machine can be of ride-on type or of walk-behind type. The surface 12 to treat can be a floor but it can also be vertical, such as the case of windows or vertical walls, with the machine moved on vertical guides or through lifting platforms (not shown).

(9) Machine 1 comprises a surface treatment element 13, which is connected to the frame 11 and configured to treat with liquid surface 12, with respect to which the frame 11 advances.

(10) The surface treatment element, indicated generally as block 13, can be a rotating brush or other brush element, as well as it can be a vibrating pad or other treatment element, for example a spray liquid distributor. A motor can be provided or other actuating element 13a for actuating a connecting element 13b linked to the surface treatment element 13, for example a rotating shaft.

(11) Furthermore, machine 1 comprises a reservoir 14 connected to the frame 11 and arranged to supply a liquid to surface treatment element 13 through a delivery mouth 15. It is then provided an adjustment element 16 arranged to feed adjustably the liquid supplied from reservoir 14 to delivery mouth 15, and located between two branches 15a and 15b arranged for feeding the liquid from reservoir 14 to delivery mouth 15.

(12) The treatment liquid in reservoir 14 can be water, water with detergent, pure detergent, or other treatment liquid, for example protecting film, coating film, etc. A further reservoir can also be provided which can contain a detergent to mix with water before the delivery (not shown).

(13) The adjustment element indicated generally with block 16 can be a valve or a pump. It can be simply an On/Off device or an adjustable device, for example an adjustable tap valve.

(14) In FIG. 1 a collection element 17 is also shown, for example a squegee associated with a suction device, which is arranged to drain, as machine 1 progressively moves in the direction of arrow 2, the surplus treatment liquid 18 that soaks surface 12. Collection element 17 is connected hydraulically to a container 19 arranged for collecting residual liquid and possible dirt.

(15) Collection element 17 can also be missing in certain models of machine.

(16) In the rear zone of the machine wheels can be provided, not shown, driven or idle, both in the presence of collection element and without it.

(17) As shown in FIG. 2, according to the present invention, a surface treatment machine 10, starting from surface treatment machine 1 of FIG. 1, is modified in order to comprise an adjustment element 16 arranged to feed adjustably the liquid supplied by reservoir 14 to the delivery mouth. Adjustment element 16 can be, for example, an electrically operated adjustment valve, or an electric pump with adjustable speed.

(18) Furthermore, it comprises a speed sensor 20 configured to measure the translation speed of the machine relatively to surface 12.

(19) A control unit 30 is provided arranged to receive from sensor 20 a signal proportional to the speed. In particular, control unit 30 comprises program means 80, such as a microcontroller, configured to set adjustment element 16 responsive to this speed. More in particular, control unit 30 is programmed for adjusting adjustment element 16 in case the speed is different from predetermined values.

(20) In particular, control unit 30 receives by sensor 20 the signal proportional to a speed and then compares it with the predetermined values.

(21) In this case, adjustment element 16 can be a piloted valve, where control unit 30 is configured to adjust an opening rate of the valve in an increasing way responsive to an increase of the speed determined by sensor 20.

(22) Alternatively, adjustment element 16 can be a pump, where control unit 30 is configured to adjust the speed of the pump in an increasing way responsive to an increase of the speed.

(23) In the control unit for example, a servo-assistance function of adjustment element 16 can be recorded, which is configured to cause an adjustment of the flow-rate responsive to an increase of the speed, increasing responsively the opening rate of the valve or the number of turns of the pump.

(24) As shown in FIG. 2, the frame 11 is configured to translate with respect to surface 12 to treat by means of wheels 40, and sensor 23, which is configured to provide a value proportional to a translation speed of the machine, can be an encoder arranged to measure the speed of one of wheels 40.

(25) For example, the higher the speed, the higher the values of the adjustment parameter, in order to keep constant the amount of supplied liquid versus treated surface.

(26) The translation can be carried out by pushing the frame or in a motorized way. Such solution with encoder 23 on one of wheels 40 adjusts precisely the delivery of the treatment liquid even with translation by pushing, which can be particularly irregular, since, with respect to a driven translation, the operator can keep in a difficult way a constant value of the speed.

(27) In case of motorized translation, as diagrammatically shown in FIG. 3, the frame 11 is configured to translate with respect to surface 12 to treat operated by a motor 50. Alternatively to the encoder described of FIG. 2, the sensor, in the case of FIG. 6 can be an amperometric sensor 24 arranged to measure, as parameter proportional to the speed, the pulse-width modulation (PWM) of the motor 50. Even in this case, the higher the driving current, function f(P3), in the form of table or analytical function, the higher the values of the adjustment parameter, in order to keep constant the amount of supplied liquid versus treated surface.

(28) In FIG. 5 a flow-sheet 200 is shown in which, owing to the main phases made by the program means 80 resident in control unit 30 of machine 1 for adjusting adjustment element 16, a flow-rate of liquid is supplied in an increasing way responsive to an increase of the speed optimizing the flow-rate, in order to achieve a maximum range of the machine.

(29) The foregoing description of specific exemplary embodiments will so fully reveal the invention according to the conceptual point of view, so that others, by applying current knowledge, will be able to modify and/or adapt in various applications the specific exemplary embodiments without further research and without parting from the invention, and, accordingly, it is meant that such adaptations and modifications will have to be considered as equivalent to the specific embodiments. The means and the materials to realize the different functions described herein could have a different nature without, for this reason, departing from the field of the invention. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology that is employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.