Abstract
The invention relates to a cleaning device, in particular a floor-cleaning device, comprising a cleaning unit which is at least partly covered by an endless cleaning element that can be rotated continuously in relation to a surface to be cleaned during the action upon a surface to be cleaned. In order to devise a cleaning device in which regeneration of the endless cleaning element is particularly comfortable, the cleaning unit comprises at least one first roller part which can be placed on the surface to be cleaned and a second roller part, the radius of curvature of a roller subsection of the first roller part being different from a radius of curvature of a roller subsection of the second roller part.
Claims
1. A cleaning device (1), in particular a floor cleaning device, with a cleaning unit (2) at least partially covered by an endless cleaning element (3), which while acting on a surface to be cleaned can rotate continuously relative to the surface to be cleaned, wherein the cleaning unit (2) has a first roller part (4) that can be placed on the surface to be cleaned and a second roller part (5), wherein the endless cleaning element (3) is stretched exclusively over the first roller part (4) and the second roller part (5) without contacting any other structures of the cleaning device, wherein a radius of curvature (r.sub.1) for a roller subsection (6) of the first roller part (4) is different from a radius of curvature (r.sub.2) for a roller subsection (7) of the second roller part (5), wherein at least one roller part (4, 5) is non-rotatably arranged inside of the cleaning unit (2).
2. The cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein at least one roller part (4, 5) is rotatably arranged inside of the cleaning unit (2).
3. The cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning unit (2) is designed as a traction mechanism drive, wherein the roller parts (4, 5) are shafts spaced apart from each other, which are connected with each other by the endless cleaning element (3) so as to transmit torque.
4. The cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the roller parts (4, 5) are non-rotatably, joined together.
5. The cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the endless cleaning element (3) is configured to be displaced relative to the cleaning unit (2).
6. The cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning unit (2) has a tensioning device (8) that exerts a spring force on the endless cleaning element (3).
7. The cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the radius of curvature (r.sub.1) for the first roller part (4) is two to twenty times larger than the radius of curvature (r.sub.2) for the second roller part (5).
8. The cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein each of the roller parts (4, 5) is round or drop-shaped.
9. The cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the second roller part (5) has at least one action element that mechanically acts on the endless cleaning element (3) to clean the endless cleaning element (3).
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) The invention will be described in more detail below based on exemplary embodiments. Shown on:
(2) FIG. 1 is a cleaning device according to the invention;
(3) FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a cleaning unit according to the invention;
(4) FIG. 3 is a side view of a cleaning unit according to a first embodiment;
(5) FIG. 4 is a side view of a cleaning unit according to a second embodiment in a first position;
(6) FIG. 5 is the cleaning unit according to FIG. 4 in a second position.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
(7) Shown and described first with reference to FIG. 1 is a cleaning device 1 in the form of a wet cleaning device for wet cleaning a surface to be cleaned. The cleaning device 1 has an attachment 9, which is in contact with the surface to be cleaned during a cleaning process. The attachment 9 has a cleaning unit 2 comprised of two roller parts 4, 5 designed separately from each other, as well as an endless cleaning element 3 designed as an endless cloth. The endless cleaning element 3 is wrapped around the two roller parts 4, 5, so that it can circulate from the first roller part 4 to the second roller part 5 and back while the roller parts 4, 5 rotate around a respective rotational axis x. The cleaning device 1 is supported on the surface to be cleaned by way of the first roller part 4. The second roller part 5 is not in contact with the surface to be cleaned, but rather is offset inside of the attachment 9 in such a way as to preclude contact. The roller parts 4, 5 extend transverse to a conventional traversing direction r of the cleaning device 1, which results from the usual working movement of a user of the cleaning device 1, specifically generally alternatingly to and fro, possibly further accompanied by a slight swerving into an adjacent cleaning path. The roller parts 4, 5 extend approximately over the entire width of the cleaning device 1 standing transverse to the traversing direction r. In the arrangement shown, a respective roller part 4, 5 is located at the front or back of the attachment 9 as the cleaning device 1 moves in the traversing direction r. At least one of the roller parts 4, 5 can be driven by an electric motor, i.e., rotated around its rotational axis x.
(8) The attachment 9 has a tank for holding liquid for cleaning the surface to be cleaned. The liquid can be filled into the tank of the attachment 9 via a filler 10. The endless cleaning element 3 can be moistened with the liquid either from inside by at least one roller part 4, 5, or by spraying the liquid onto the roller part 4, 5 from outside.
(9) During a conventional traversing process of the cleaning device 1 in which a surface to be cleaned is not processed, the cleaning unit 2 is not actively driven. Rather, just the frictional connection to the surface to be cleaned itself makes the roller parts 4, 5 passively rotate, but this does not produce a centrifugal force large enough for centrifuging the dirty liquid. During the process of cleaning the surface with the first roller part 4, at least one of the roller parts 4, 5 is actively driven by means of the electric motor. During the cleaning process, a wiping edge arises along the line of contact between the first roller part 4 and the surface to be cleaned. This wiping edge takes over the cleaning of the surface by being moved relative to the surface, thereby loosening dirt and conveying it on the endless cleaning element 3 in the area of the first roller part 4.
(10) FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of the first roller part 4 of the cleaning unit 2. The first roller part 4 is here shown in an exploded view relative to its various sheaths. The first roller part 4 is basically designed as a cylindrical hollow body sealed on the front side, wherein the front seal is not depicted to provide an improved view. Alternatively, the first roller part 4 can also be designed as a massive body. The first roller part 4 is enveloped by a sponge body non-rotatably arranged thereon. The sponge body 11 has an open-pored design, and is capable of temporarily storing liquid. The sponge body 11 is covered at least partially by the endless cleaning element 3, which connects the first roller part 4 with the second roller part 5. The endless cleaning element 3 is here designed as a microfiber cloth. As opposed to the sponge body 11, the latter is rotatably arranged inside of the cleaning unit 2, so that the subsection of the endless cleaning element 3 abutting against the sponge body 11 is changed through circulation. As soon as the sponge body 11 and/or the endless cleaning element 3 is exposed to liquid, the cleaning unit 2 is pressurized by shifting the cleaning device 1 onto the surface to be cleaned, and thereby dispenses liquid onto the surface to be cleaned. In the process, liquid exits in the area of the wiping edge of the first roller part 4. The liquid is here squeezed out of the sponge body 11 and/or endless cleaning element 3 and applied to the surface to be cleaned. As the cleaning unit 2 continues to rotate in the traversing direction r of the cleaning device 1, dirt is loosened from the surface to be cleaned and transferred to the endless cleaning element 3.
(11) FIG. 3 shows a first embodiment of a cleaning unit 2 according to the invention. The cleaning unit 2 has a first roller part 4 and a second roller part 5. Both roller parts 4, 5 are designed as cylindrical roller parts 4, 5, which have a constant radius of curvature r.sub.1, r.sub.2 over their periphery. The first roller part 4 here has a radius of curvature r.sub.1, which is the same size in all roller subsections 6. The second roller part 5 also has a radius of curvature r.sub.2 whose size is also the same in all roller subsections 7. The radius of curvature r.sub.1 for the first roller part 4 is here roughly three times larger than the radius of curvature r.sub.2 for the second roller part 5. Both the first roller part 4 and second roller part 5 are mounted so that they can rotate around their respective rotational axis x. The endless cleaning element 3 is draped over the roller subsections 6, 7 of the roller parts 4, 5, wherein the cleaning unit 2 as a whole forms a traction mechanism drive, in which the first roller part 4 can be actively, driven by an electric motor, and the second roller part 5 is made to passively co-rotate by the transmission of torque from the first roller part 4 to the second roller part 5. The rotation of the first roller part 4 around the rotational axis x displaces the endless cleaning element 3 relative to the cleaning unit 2, as a result of which a different subsection 6 of the first roller part 4 always lies on the surface to be cleaned when the cleaning unit 2 acts on the surface to be cleaned. Rotating the first roller part 4 causes a centrifugal force to act on the liquid, which is stored in this area or on the endless cleaning element 3. However, due to the diameter r.sub.1 of the first roller part 4, the centrifugal force acting on the liquid (at a defined rotational speed ) is not large enough to centrifuge the dirty liquid out of the endless cleaning element 3. By continuously conveying the endless cleaning element 3 from the first roller part 4 to the second roller part 5 and back again, the area of the endless cleaning element 3 that previously abutted against the first roller part 4 gets into the area of the second roller part 5, which has the smaller radius of curvature r.sub.2. As a result of this smaller radius of curvature r.sub.2, the centrifugal force acting on the dirty liquid increases in the area of the second roller part 5, so that the liquid can be centrifuged in the corresponding area of the endless cleaning element 3. A corresponding housing part is advantageously provided inside of the cleaning device 1 for catching the centrifuged dirty liquid, so that the user does not come into contact with the dirty liquid, and no dirty liquid can drip onto the surface to be cleaned either.
(12) FIGS. 4 and 5 show a second embodiment of a cleaning unit 2 according to the invention, in which the second roller part 5 is drop-shaped in design. As the conveying process continues, this causes the endless cleaning element 3 at one time to abut against the tip of the drop shape, which has a smaller radius of curvature r.sub.2 relative to the radius of curvature r.sub.1 for the first roller part, and at another time against the opposing subsection of the drop shape, which has a radius of curvature r.sub.1 that corresponds with the radius of curvature r.sub.1 of the first roller part 4. Due to this configuration, the liquid stored in the endless cleaning element 3 is not continuously centrifuged in the area of the second roller part 5, but rather only when the endless cleaning element 3 happens to abut against the tip of the drop shape with the radius of curvature r.sub.2 (see FIG. 5). In order for the endless cleaning element 3 to here always abut against the first roller part 4 and second roller part 5 in a tensioned state, the second roller part 5 has a tensioning device 8, which exposes the second roller part 5 to a spring force relative to its rotational axis x. The tensioning device 8 has a spring whose restoring force attempts to displace the second roller part 5 from the rotational axis x toward the endless cleaning element 3, wherein the endless cleaning element 3 always remains tensioned, regardless of the current orientation of the drop shape.
(13) The embodiments of the invention shown on FIG. 3 or 4 and 5 only represent exemplary embodiments. Of course, the cleaning unit 2 can also have differently configured roller parts 4, 5. For example, the roller parts 4, 5 can be non-rotatably joined together as an integral roller. The roller parts 4, 5 here advantageously take the form of a drop (similar to FIGS. 4 and 5), thereby providing a larger radius of curvature r.sub.1 on the one hand and a comparatively smaller radius of curvature r.sub.2 on the other. The endless cleaning element 3 can here be pulled over the surface of the roller parts 4, 5 by means of an electric motor, creating a frictional force between the endless cleaning element 3 and roller parts 4, 5.
REFERENCE LIST
(14) 1 Cleaning device 2 Cleaning unit 3 Endless cleaning element 4 First roller part 5 Second roller part 6 Roller subsection 7 Roller subsection 8 Tensioning device 9 Attachment 10 Filler 11 Sponge body r Traversing direction x Rotational axis Rotational speed r.sub.1 Radius of curvature r.sub.2 Radius of curvature
