Abstract
A cleaning device has a cleaning roller that is rotatable about an axis of rotation and serves for treating a surface to be cleaned. The cleaning roller is in the form of a hollow body with an internal liquid chamber, and at least one hollow body opening for releasing liquid from the liquid chamber. In order to develop a cleaning device, in which liquid is only released from the liquid chamber to the surface of the hollow body under certain conditions, a mechanically actuated valve element is assigned to the hollow body opening, wherein the valve element can be displaced into a closing position, in which the hollow body opening is closed, and/or into an opening position, in which the hollow body opening is released, depending on the magnitude of a centrifugal force that acts upon the valve element as a result of a rotation of the cleaning roller.
Claims
1. A cleaning device (1), particularly a floor cleaning device, with a cleaning roller (2) that is rotatable about an axis of rotation (x) and serves for treating a surface to be cleaned, wherein the cleaning roller (2) is at least partially realized in the form of a hollow body (3) with an internal liquid chamber (4), and wherein the hollow body (3) features at least one hollow body opening (5) for releasing liquid from the liquid chamber (4), wherein a mechanically actuated valve element (6) is assigned to the hollow body opening (5), wherein said valve element can be displaced into a closing position, in which the hollow body opening (5) is closed, and/or into an opening position, in which the hollow body opening (5) is released, depending on the magnitude of a centrifugal force that acts upon the valve element (6) as a result of a rotation of the cleaning roller (2).
2. The cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the valve element (6) is designed for allowing a release of liquid from the liquid chamber (4) once the cleaning roller (2) has reached a minimum rotational speed (n.sub.min).
3. The cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein a return element (8), particularly a spring, is assigned to the valve element (6) and/or wherein the valve element (6) is realized in the form of a return element (8), wherein the restoring force of the return element (8) acts opposite to the centrifugal force in the direction of the closing position.
4. The cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the valve element (6) features at least one closing element (7) that is pivotably arranged on the hollow body (3).
5. The cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the valve element (6) features a closing element (7), which is arranged on the hollow body (3) in a linearly movable fashion, in particular slidably.
6. The cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the valve element (6) is formed by an elastic edge region of the hollow body (3), which defines the hollow body opening (5).
7. The cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the hollow body (3) is formed by an at least partially elastic diaphragm (9), wherein at least one hollow body opening (5) is contracted in the closing position and expanded in the opening position.
8. The cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein an at least partially elastic diaphragm (9) containing at least one diaphragm opening (10) is arranged on the hollow body (3).
9. The cleaning device (1) according to claim 8, wherein the diaphragm opening (10) and the hollow body opening (5) are arranged on a common straight line referred to a radial direction of the cleaning roller (2).
10. The cleaning device (1) according to claim 8, wherein the diaphragm (9) is arranged on the hollow body (3) in a stationary fashion, particularly fastened on the radially outer side of the hollow body (3).
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) The invention is described in greater detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments. In the drawings:
(2) FIG. 1 shows an inventive cleaning device,
(3) FIG. 2 shows an inventive cleaning roller,
(4) FIG. 3 shows a hollow body of a cleaning roller according to a first embodiment,
(5) FIG. 4 shows a hollow body of a cleaning roller according to a second embodiment,
(6) FIG. 5 shows a hollow body of a cleaning roller according to a third embodiment, and
(7) FIG. 6 shows a hollow body of a cleaning roller according to a fourth embodiment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
(8) A cleaning device 1 in the form of a wet-cleaning device for wet-cleaning a surface to be cleaned is initially described with reference to FIG. 1. The cleaning device 1 features an attachment 11 that is in contact with the surface to be cleaned during a cleaning process. In the example shown, the attachment 11 features two cleaning rollers 2 that can be acted upon with liquid from inside. To this end, the attachment 11 features a (not-shown) tank that can be filled with liquid through a filler opening 12. The liquid is continuously conveyed from the tank to the cleaning rollers 2 through liquid lines. The cleaning device 1 is supported on the surface to be cleaned by means of the two cleaning rollers 2. The cleaning rollers 2 extends transverse to a normal moving direction r of the cleaning device 1, which results from a normal working motion of a user of the cleaning device 1 that generally extends alternately forward and backward, if applicable, while diverting into a nearest parallel cleaning path. The cleaning rollers 2 approximately extend over the entire width of the cleaning device 1 transverse to the moving direction r. According to the arrangement shown, one cleaning roller 2 is respectively arranged on the front and on the rear of the attachment 11 referred to a motion of the cleaning device 1 in the moving direction r. The cleaning rollers 2 can be driven, i.e. rotated about an axis of rotation x, by means of an electric motor. The cleaning rollers 2 are not actively driven during a normal motion of the cleaning device 1 without treatment of a surface to be cleaned. In fact, only a passive rotation of the cleaning rollers 2 takes place in this case due to the frictional engagement with the surface to be cleaned. However, the cleaning rollers 2 are actively rotated by means of the motor during a cleaning process of the surface by means of the cleaning rollers 2 and/or during a self-cleaning process of the cleaning rollers 2. In this case, a wiping edge is formed along the contact line between the cleaning roller 2 and the surface to be cleaned. This wiping edge makes it possible to clean the surface with a motion relative thereto such that dirt is removed. The cleaning rollers 2 are supplied with a liquid for wet-cleaning processes. This liquid advantageously consists of water and, if applicable, an additional cleaning agent containing surfactants. This liquid is initially stored in the tank of the attachment 11. The cleaning rollers 2 are subsequently supplied with the liquid via the liquid lines. The liquid lines are connected to the axial face regions of the cleaning rollers 2. A free end region of the liquid line therefore extends parallel to an axis of rotation x of a cleaning roller 2.
(9) FIG. 2 shows a detail of the cleaning roller 2. In this case, the cleaning roller 2 is essentially illustrated in the form of an exploded view with respect to its different covers. The cleaning roller 2 is basically designed in the form of a cylindrical hollow body 3 that is closed on its face sides, wherein the closure on the face side is not illustrated in this figure in order to provide a better overview. The hollow body 3 consists of a hard plastic and contains a plurality of circumferentially extending, liquid-permeable hollow body openings 5. A likewise cylindrical liquid chamber 4 for accommodating liquid is formed within the hollow body 3. Under certain conditions, liquid can be released outward from the liquid chamber 4 through the hollow body openings 5. The hollow body 3 is surrounded by a sponge body 13, which is arranged on the hollow body in a rotationally rigid fashion. The sponge body 13 has an open-pored design and is capable of intermediately storing liquid. Furthermore, the sponge body 13 is covered with a cleaning cloth 14, which is realized in the form of a microfiber cloth in this case. The cleaning cloth 14, the sponge body 13 and the hollow body 13 are connected to one another in a rotationally rigid fashion and jointly rotatable about the axis of rotation x.
(10) The liquid chamber 4 of the hollow body 3 serves for storing the liquid. This storage chamber is replenished by the above-describes tank via the liquid lines. As soon as the sponge body 13 and/or the cleaning cloth 14 are acted upon with liquid, they transfer the liquid to the surface to be cleaned under the pressure generated by a displacement of the cleaning device 1 on the surface to be cleaned. During this process, liquid is discharged in the region of the wiping edge. In this case, the liquid is squeezed out of the sponge body 13 and/or the cleaning cloth 14 and applied to the surface to be cleaned by means of the cleaning cloth 14. Dirt is removed from the surface to be cleaned and transferred to the cleaning cloth 14 during the further rotation of the cleaning roller 2 in the moving direction r of the cleaning device 1.
(11) FIGS. 3-6 respectively show schematic sections through a hollow body 3 of a cleaning roller 2. The hollow body 3 has a surface that contains a plurality of hollow body openings 5, wherein only one hollow body opening 5 is respectively illustrated (in FIGS. 3-5) in order to simplify the drawing. The hollow body openings 5 may be regularly or irregularly distributed over the hollow body 3. The hollow body 3 encloses the liquid chamber 4 that serves for accommodating a liquid. The liquid can be released from the liquid chamber 4 to the surface of the hollow body 3 through the hollow body openings 4. As described above, the hollow body 3 may, if applicable, also be surrounded by a sponge body 13 and/or a cleaning cloth (which are not illustrated in FIGS. 3-6). A ring of liquid, the centrifugal force of which acts upon the inner wall of the hollow body 3, is formed in the liquid chamber 4 of the hollow body 3 due to the rotation of the cleaning roller 2. Starting from the axis of rotation x, the centrifugal force acts radially in the direction of the inner wall of the hollow body 3, as well as the hollow body openings 5 arranged therein.
(12) According to the figures, a valve element 6 is assigned to each hollow body opening 5 and closes or releases the respective hollow body opening 5 in dependence on the magnitude of the centrifugal force. The figures show different embodiments of the valve element 6. However, the valve element is in all embodiments designed such that it can be displaced into a closing position, in which the hollow body opening 5 is closed, and/or into an opening position, in which the hollow body opening 5 is released, depending on the current magnitude of the centrifugal force acting upon the valve element 6 as a result of the rotation of the cleaning roller 2. To this end, the respective valve elements 6 feature one or more closing elements 7, which are prestressed in the direction of the closing position and therefore opposite to the centrifugal force such that the force attempting to close the hollow body opening opposes the centrifugal force. The hollow body opening 5 is either opened or closed depending on the magnitude of the closing force and the magnitude of the centrifugal force such that liquid is either released from the liquid chamber or not. A centrifugal force of greater or lesser magnitude acts upon the valve element 6 in dependence on the current rotational speed of the cleaning roller 2. In this case, liquid is released from the liquid chamber 4 once a defined minimum rotational speed has been reached. This minimum rotational speed depends on parameters of the hollow body opening 5 and the valve element 6, as well as on the quantity of liquid pressing against the valve element 6 during the rotation of the cleaning roller 2.
(13) FIG. 3 shows a first embodiment of a hollow body 3. In this case, the hollow body 3 features a valve element 6 that is assigned to a hollow body opening 5. The hollow body opening 5 is offset radially inward in the direction of the axis of rotation x starting from the outer surface of the hollow body 3, wherein a chamber-like valve region, which is fluidically separated from the liquid chamber 4, is formed between the hollow body opening 5 and the surface of the hollow body 3. A closing element 7 of the valve element 6 is arranged in the chamber-like valve region and can be displaced into a closing position, in which the hollow body opening 5 is closed, and into an opening position, in which the hollow body opening 5 is released. For this purpose, a return element 8 is formed within the valve region between the surface of the hollow body 3 and the lower body opening 5, wherein said return element carries the closing element 7 on an end region adjacent to the hollow body opening 5. In this case, the return element 8 is realized in the form of a coil spring, on one face of which the plate-shaped closing element 7 is arranged. The return element 8 exerts its restoring force upon the closing element 7 and presses this closing element against the edge region of the hollow body 3, which defines the hollow body opening 5. The hollow body opening 5 is thereby closed in a fluid-tight fashion such that no liquid can escape from the liquid chamber 4. The closing element 7 is advantageously made of a sealing material such as a rubber-like material. It would alternatively also be conceivable, for example, that the edge region of the hollow body 3, which defines the hollow body opening 5, features a sealing ring or the like.
(14) During a standstill of the cleaning roller 2 or during a rotation of the cleaning roller 2 with a rotational speed, which lies below the minimum rotational speed for releasing liquid from the liquid chamber 4, the closing element 7 is pressed against the edge region of the hollow body opening 5 in a sealing fashion due to the restoring force of the return element 8. In this way, no liquid can escape from the liquid chamber 4. When the rotational speed of the cleaning roller 2 increases, for example, in order to clean a surface to be cleaned or to self-clean the cleaning roller 2, the centrifugal force acting upon the side of the valve element 6, which points in the direction of the axis of rotation x, increases accordingly. In this case, the centrifugal force comprises a force component based on the liquid that is contained in the liquid chamber 4 and acts against the closing element 7, as well as a force component based on the mass of the valve element 6 itself, particularly the closing element 7 and the return element 8. In this case, the centrifugal force counteracts the restoring force of the return element 7. As the rotational speed of the cleaning roller 2 increases, the magnitude of the centrifugal force increases accordingly until the centrifugal force ultimately exceeds the restoring force. Once the minimum rotational speed of the cleaning roller 2 has been reached, the closing element moves away from the hollow body opening 5 such that liquid from the liquid chamber 4 can enter the chamber-like valve region of the valve element 6 and ultimately reach the surface of the hollow body 3. If applicable, the liquid can be absorbed on the surface of the hollow body 3 by a sponge body 13 and/or a cleaning cloth 14 in order to optimally wet the surface to be cleaned with liquid. The valve element 6 is therefore arranged on the hollow body 3 in a linearly movable fashion
(15) FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the invention, in which the valve element 6 features a closing element 7, in this case a cover flap, which is pivotably arranged on the hollow body 3. The flap-like closing element 7 is arranged within the chamber-like valve region of the hollow body 3 together with a return element 6, which is realized in the form of a torsion spring in this case. The return element 8 is assigned to the axis of rotation of the closing element 7, wherein the restoring force attempts to pivot the closing element 7 into the closing position, in which the hollow body opening 5 is closed. In the opening position, the closing element 7 contacts a limit stop formed on the chamber-like valve region of the hollow body 3 such that the pivoting angle in the opening position is limited. During the rotation of the cleaning roller 2, the restoring force of the return element 8 counteracts the centrifugal force such that the valve element 6 is not pivoted into the opening position in order to thereby release liquid from the liquid chamber 4 until a minimum rotational speed of the cleaning roller 2 has been reached.
(16) FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment of the invention, in which the valve element 6 is formed by an elastic edge region of the hollow body 3, which defines the hollow body opening 5. In this case, the valve element 6 (illustrated in dark gray) consists, for example, of a rubber material that is respectively displaced in the direction of the closing position or the opening position in dependence on the inherent restoring force of the material and the magnitude of the centrifugal force. The centrifugal force, which radially acts upon the respective closing element 7 from inside, causes the closing elements 7, namely the edge regions of the hollow body 3, to elastically deform radially outward such that the hollow body opening 5 is released in order to discharge liquid from the liquid chamber 4. As soon as the centrifugal force drops again due to a reduction of the rotational speed of the cleaning roller 2 below a defined minimum rotational speed, the restoring force of the closing element 7 predominates such that the valve element 6 is once again displaced into the closing position. The closing elements 7 may be realized integrally with the remaining sections of the hollow body 3, wherein different materials may, among other things, also be connected to one another by means of injection molding, welding or the like. It would furthermore be possible that the closing elements 7 are connected to the remaining sections of the hollow body 3 by means of an integral hinge and an axis of rotation for the pivoting motion of the closing elements 7 is formed between the closing elements 7 and the hollow body 3. This axis of rotation is advantageously prestressed in the direction of the closing position either due to the respective material or by means of a separate return element 8. Although the closing elements 7 have the same thickness as the wall of the hollow body 3 in the drawings, it would also be conceivable that the closing elements 7 have a smaller thickness and are arranged on the hollow body 3 such that they are offset inward or outward. Furthermore, it is naturally also possible to use a different number of closing element 7 such as, for example, only one closing element 7, two closing elements 7 or multiple closing elements 7. The hollow body opening 5 can be selectively realized round, oval, angular, etc.
(17) FIG. 6 ultimately shows a fourth embodiment of the invention, in which the hollow body 3 is surrounded by an elastic diaphragm 9. The diaphragm 9 is arranged on the hollow body 3 in a stationary fashion, i.e. rotationally rigid, wherein the diaphragm 9 is fastened on the side of the hollow body 3 that faces away from the axis of rotation x. The diaphragm 9 contains a plurality of diaphragm openings 10, wherein a diaphragm opening 10 is assigned to each hollow body opening 5 of the hollow body 3 such that the openings 5, 10 radially lie on a common straight line starting from the axis of rotation x. The elastic material of the diaphragm 9 is realized in an overlapping fashion in the region of the diaphragm openings 10 such that the pinhole-like diaphragm openings 10 are closed in the closing position, wherein the material is in the opening position pressed outward due to the centrifugal force, which radially acts upon the material from inside, such that the diaphragm openings 10 are enlarged due to the elastic properties of the material of the diaphragm 9.
(18) The embodiment according to FIG. 6 could also be modified in such a way that the hollow body 3 itself is realized in the form of an elastic diaphragm 9 with corresponding diaphragm openings 10. Analogous to FIG. 6, the restoring force for reaching the closing position of the valve element 6 also results from the inherent restoring force of the material in this case. The diaphragm openings 10 are opened in order to release liquid from the liquid chamber 4 in dependence on the magnitude of the restoring force and the counteracting centrifugal force. Due to the small diameter of the pinhole-like diaphragm openings 10, the liquid is particularly sprayed from the liquid chamber 4.
(19) In all embodiments of the invention illustrated in the drawings, no liquid can escape from the liquid chamber 4 when the cleaning device 1 is not in contact with a surface to be cleaned, but rather merely transported, for example. In this case, the rotational speed of the cleaning roller 2 is zero such that the minimum rotational speed for respectively opening the hollow body opening 5 or the diaphragm opening 10 is not exceeded. However, when the cleaning roller 2 rotates with a rotational speed that is greater than the minimum rotational speed during a cleaning process, the liquid can be respectively released from the liquid chamber 4 through the hollow body opening 5 or the diaphragm opening 10 and used for the cleaning process.
REFERENCE LIST
(20) 1 Cleaning device 2 Cleaning roller 3 Hollow body 4 Liquid chamber 5 Hollow body opening 6 Valve element 7 Closing element 8 Return element 9 Diaphragm 10 Diaphragm opening 11 Attachment 12 Filler opening 13 Sponge body 14 Cleaning cloth x Axis of rotation r Moving direction
