Cleaning tool for a floor cleaning machine and a floor cleaning machine

Abstract

A cleaning tool for a floor cleaning machine is proposed which includes a cleaning-action device and a supporting part on which the cleaning-action device is arranged and by means of which the cleaning tool is fixable to the floor cleaning machine, wherein the supporting part includes a seating having a wall and a seating space for a tool holding head of the floor cleaning machine which is bounded by the wall, and the wall includes a holding region for the tool holding head, wherein the wall includes an insertion region for the tool holding head to which the holding region is adjoined, wherein the seating space is widened in the insertion region in comparison with the holding region and tapers towards the holding region.

Claims

1. A cleaning tool for a floor cleaning machine comprising: a cleaning-action device and a supporting part on which the cleaning-action device is arranged; wherein the cleaning tool is fixable to the floor cleaning machine via the supporting part; wherein the supporting part comprises a seating having a wall and a seating space for a tool holding head of the floor cleaning machine which is bounded by the wall, and the wall comprises a holding region for the tool holding head; wherein the wall comprises an insertion region for the tool holding head to which the holding region is adjoined; and wherein the seating space is widened in the insertion region in comparison with the holding region and tapers towards the holding region.

2. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein the seating space tapers continuously in the insertion region in a direction towards the holding region.

3. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein the seating space is of greater diameter in the insertion region than in the holding region.

4. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein the insertion region is arranged in the seating space before the holding region taken with reference to an insertion direction of the tool holding head.

5. The cleaning tool in accordance with any claim 1, wherein a wall region which defines the insertion region is oriented at an obtuse angle to a wall region which defines the holding region.

6. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 5, wherein the obtuse angle lies in a range of between 120 and 160.

7. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein, with regard to an envelope thereof, an inner surface of the holding region facing the seating space is cylindrical.

8. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein, with regard to an envelope thereof, an inner surface of the insertion region facing the seating space is in the form of a frustum of a cone.

9. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein the wall is in the form of a ring.

10. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein the wall has a cylindrical outer surface.

11. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein the supporting part extends in an axial direction with an axial axis which coincides with a rotational axis of the cleaning tool.

12. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein one or more sub-regions of the wall protrude beyond a flange.

13. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein a plurality of spaced ribs are arranged on an inner surface of the wall at least in the holding region, wherein a mating element of the tool holding head is insertable into a space between spaced ribs.

14. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 13, wherein the ribs are oriented in an axial direction and are spaced in a circumferential direction.

15. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 13, wherein the ribs have an upper surface which is oriented at an acute angle to an axial direction.

16. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 15, wherein the upper surface is arranged at least partly in the insertion region.

17. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 13, wherein a rib comprises a tapering region towards a spaced rib in which a width of the rib in the direction of spacing from the neighboring rib reduces in a direction towards the insertion region.

18. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 17, wherein a sloping surface serving as an insertion aid for a mating element of the tool holding head is formed in the tapering region.

19. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein a locating element for the tool holding head in an axial direction is arranged on the supporting part.

20. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one meshing element for the tool holding head is arranged on the supporting part for axial fixing purposes.

21. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 20, wherein the at least one meshing element is arranged on a locating element for the tool holding head.

22. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 20, wherein the at least one meshing element is seated on the supporting part in moveable manner and is latchable to the tool holding head.

23. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 1, wherein the supporting part is formed in one piece manner.

24. The cleaning tool in accordance with claim 1, said cleaning tool being in the form of a brushing tool.

25. A floor cleaning machine comprising at least one tool holding head to which a cleaning tool is fixable or is fixed in releasable manner, said cleaning tool comprising: a cleaning-action device and a supporting part on which the cleaning-action device is arranged; wherein the cleaning tool is fixable to the floor cleaning machine via the supporting part; wherein the supporting part comprises a seating having a wall and a seating space for a tool holding head of the floor cleaning machine which is bounded by the wall, and the wall comprises a holding region for the tool holding head; wherein the wall comprises an insertion region for the tool holding head to which the holding region is adjoined; and wherein the seating space is widened in the insertion region in comparison with the holding region and tapers towards the holding region.

26. The floor cleaning machine in accordance with claim 25, wherein the tool holding head is driven or is drivable in rotary manner.

27. The floor cleaning machine in accordance with claim 25, wherein the at least one tool holding head is moveable in a height direction taken with respect to a substrate on which the floor cleaning machine is placed.

28. The floor cleaning machine in accordance with claim 25, wherein the at least one tool holding head comprises a plurality of spaced grooves on an outer surface thereof, wherein a respective mating element is formed between each of the neighboring grooves, and ribs of the supporting part of the cleaning tool are insertable into the grooves and the mating element is insertable into a space between neighboring ribs of the supporting part.

29. The floor cleaning machine in accordance with claim 25, wherein the at least one tool holding head comprises at least one recess for a meshing element of the cleaning tool for the purpose of the axial fixing thereof.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a floor cleaning machine having a cleaning tool arranged thereon;

(2) FIG. 2 shows a view from below of the cleaning machine in accordance with FIG. 1 in the region of the cleaning tool;

(3) FIG. 3 shows a sectional view along the line 3-3 in accordance with FIG. 2;

(4) FIG. 4 shows a perspective illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a cleaning tool which is detached from the floor cleaning machine;

(5) FIG. 5 shows a plan view of the cleaning tool in accordance with FIG. 4; and

(6) FIG. 6 shows a perspective partially sectional illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a tool holding head of the floor cleaning machine in accordance with FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) An exemplary embodiment of a floor cleaning machine which is shown schematically in FIG. 1 and referenced 10 therein is a mobile floor cleaning machine. The floor cleaning machine 10 shown in FIG. 1 is a walk-behind floor cleaning machine and is in the form of a scrubbing machine for example.

(8) It comprises a chassis 12 on which two rear wheels 14 that are rotatable about a common rotational axis are held. Furthermore, there is a steerable front wheel which is not visible in FIG. 1

(9) The chassis 12 holds a tank 16 for a cleaning fluid as well as a tank 18 for dirty fluids. The tank 18 projects into the tank 16 at the upper end in the exemplary embodiment.

(10) A cleaning tool 22 which faces the substrate 20 upon which the floor cleaning machine 10 stands is arranged on the chassis 12. In particular, the cleaning tool 22 is disk-shaped and is in the form of a rotary brush for example. The cleaning tool is held on the floor cleaning machine 10 by means of a tool holding head 24. The tool holding head 24 is coupled by a drive shaft 26 to a drive motor 28. The drive motor 28 propels the drive shaft 26, upon which the tool holding head 24 is seated in mutually non-rotatable manner, such that it effects a rotary movement about a rotational axis 30. Thereby, the rotational axis 30 is oriented transversely and at least approximately perpendicularly to the substrate 20.

(11) The drive motor 28 is arranged in the interior space of the floor cleaning machine 10 wherein it is protected.

(12) The cleaning tool 22 is held on the tool holding head 24 in releasable manner. In one exemplary embodiment, there is provided a release mechanism which is operable by a user and by means of which the cleaning tool 22 is separable from the tool holding head 24 in the axial direction. The release mechanism is operable by the user by means of a foot pedal 32 for example. In this connection, reference is made to WO 2007/033719 A1, the entire content of which is incorporated herein.

(13) Provision may be made for the tool holding head 24 to be adjustable relative to the substrate 20 in the vertical direction 34 and in particular, to be lowerable for the purposes of facilitating the process of changing the cleaning tool.

(14) A cleaning tool 22 can then be positioned on the substrate 20 and the tool holding head 24 can be advanced onto the cleaning tool 22 in order to fix it.

(15) The height variability in the height direction 34 can be achieved in that the combination of the drive motor 28, the drive shaft 26 and the tool holding head 24 is displaced as a whole. For this purpose, an appropriate height adjusting device 36 is provided on the floor cleaning machine 10.

(16) It is also possible for example, for only the drive shaft 26 and the tool holding tool 24 affixed thereto to be displaceable in the height direction 34.

(17) The cleaning tool 22 comprises a disk-shaped supporting part 38 on which a cleaning-action device 40 is fixed (FIGS. 2 to 5).

(18) In this example of a brush tool, the cleaning-action device 40 comprises a plurality of bristles 42 which are fixed to a plate 44. The plate 44 with the bristles 42 is in turn fixed to the supporting part 38.

(19) In one exemplary embodiment, there are provided bristles 46a which are arranged in the form of a ring and they are arranged substantially perpendicularly to the plate 44. The bristles 46a are surrounded by a crown 48 of bristles 46b, wherein the bristles 46b are likewise arranged in the form of a ring and are oriented at an acute angle to the plate 44.

(20) The supporting part 38 has a seating 50 for the tool holding head 24. The seating 50 comprises a wall 52 which bounds a seating space 54. The wall 52 is in the form of a ring. At the outer side thereof, there is arranged a flange 56 which is in the form of an annulus. Thereby, the wall 52 has a cylindrical outer surface 58 which rises above the flange 56 in an axial direction 59.

(21) The flange 56 serves for fixing the plate 44 of the cleaning-action device 40.

(22) The seating space 54 comprises a first region 60a and a second region 60b. The first region serves for fixing the tool holding head 24 in mutually non-rotatable manner. The second region 60b serves for facilitating the insertion of the tool holding head 24 into the first region 60a.

(23) For the purposes of forming the first region 60a, the wall 52 comprises a holding region 62. In the holding region 62 and with regard to an envelope thereof, the wall 52 is in the form of a (hollow) cylinder and the cylinder axis thereof is parallel to the axial direction 59.

(24) An insertion region 64 which defines the second region 60b follows the holding region 62 of the wall 52 in the axial direction 59 away from the bristles 42. During the process of inserting the tool head 24 in an insertion direction 66 (FIG. 4), the tool holding head 24 must initially pass through the second region 60b incorporating the insertion region 64 of the wall 52 so that it can enter the first region 60a incorporating the holding region 62 of the wall 52.

(25) For the purposes of facilitating the insertion process, the wall 52 tapers in the insertion region 64 towards the holding region 62 and in particular, tapers continuously towards the holding region 62. In the insertion region 64 thereof, the seating space 54 is of greater diameter than in the holding region 62, wherein the diameter of the seating space 54 is constant in the holding region 62 whilst the diameter in the insertion region 64 decreases from an upper end 68 of the wall 52 down to the holding region 62.

(26) With regard to an envelope thereof, the insertion region 64 is in the form of a (hollow) frustum of a cone. The insertion region 64 forms a sort of insertion funnel for the tool holding head 24.

(27) A wall region of the wall 52 in the insertion region 64 is at an obtuse angle 70 (FIG. 3) to a wall region of the wall 52 in the insertion region 64. This obtuse angle lies, in particular, in a range of between 120 and 160 and is approx. 150 for example.

(28) The wall region of the wall 52 at the insertion region 64 lies at an acute angle to the axial direction 59. This acute angle lies in particular in a range between 20 and 40 and is approx. 30 for example.

(29) Spaced ribs 72 projecting into the seating space 54 are arranged on the wall 52. Thereby, the ribs 72 extend in the axial direction 59 and are spaced from each other in a circumferential direction, wherein they project in a radial direction into the seating space 54.

(30) A space 73 is formed between neighboring ribs 72.

(31) A rib 72 is arranged in the holding region 62 and projects into the insertion region 64. Hereby, a rib 72 comprises an upper surface 74, wherein the upper surface 74 of the rib 72 is inclined with respect to the axial direction 59. The upper surface 74 of a rib 72 lies at an acute angle to the axial direction 59.

(32) A rib 72 comprises a tapering region 76 in the circumferential direction. The width of a particular rib 72 relative to a neighboring rib decreases in this tapering region 76, wherein the direction of the decrease is oriented in the axial direction 59. A sloping surface 78 is formed on the tapering region 76 of each of the ribs 72. This sloping surface 78 is a wedge-shaped surface which facilitates the introduction of a mating element 80 (FIG. 6) of the tool holding head 24 into the corresponding space 73 between neighboring ribs. A ring-like locating element 82 which serves to locate the tool holding head 24 in the axial direction 59 during the process of inserting it into the holding region 62 is arranged on the wall 52. The locating element 82 is arranged on the lower surface of the wall 52 (remote from the upper end 68). In particular, the ribs 72 project up to the locating element 82 and are connected thereto. This thus results in great rigidity.

(33) Meshing elements 84 which are spaced in the circumferential direction and serve for the axial fixing of the tool holding head 24 to the cleaning tool 22 are arranged on the supporting part 38 and in particular on the locating element 82.

(34) The meshing elements 84 are in the form of snap-action elements which project into the seating space 54 and are moveable due to their self-elasticity.

(35) With regard to the envelope thereof, the tool holding head 24 (FIG. 6) has a cylindrical outer contour 86. Grooves 88, which are spaced in a circumferential direction and between which mating elements 80 are seated, are formed on this outer contour 86. When the cleaning tool 22 is fixed to the tool holding head 24, the mating elements 88 enter the corresponding spaces 73 between neighboring ribs 72. A rib 72 then enters a respective groove 88. An anti-rotation arrangement is thereby formed.

(36) Upon rotation of the tool holding head 24 about the rotational axis 30, the cleaning tool 22 is then carried along therewith due to the interlocking action between the mating element 80 in the spaces 73 and the ribs 72 in the grooves 88.

(37) In particular, the rotational axis 30 coincides with an axial axis which extends in the axial direction 59 when the cleaning tool 22 is fixed to the tool holding head.

(38) The tool holding head 24 comprises an interior space 90. The interior space 90 is formed by a recess with respect to a lower surface 92. The interior space 90 is bounded by a base 94 and a ring wall 96. In the ring wall 96, there are formed recesses 98 into which an engagement head 100 of a corresponding meshing element 84 can engage and in particular can latch in order to provide for the axial fixing process in the axial direction 59 in a direction opposite to that of the insertion direction 66.

(39) The cleaning tool 22 is fixable to the tool holding head 24 in releasable manner by the meshing elements 84.

(40) By the application of appropriate force to the cleaning tool 22 for example, it can be detached from the tool holding head 24 using a release mechanism such as is described in WO 2007/033719 A1.

(41) For example, the release mechanism is effective on the flange 56 from an upper surface thereof by means of one or more pressure elements in order to enable the engagement of the meshing elements 84 in the recesses 98 to be released.

(42) The cleaning tool in accordance with the invention in combination with the tool holding head 24 of the floor cleaning machine 10 functions as follows.

(43) The seating space 54 is of greater diameter in the insertion region 64 than in the holding region 62. Consequently, the process of inserting the tool holding head 24 into the seating space 54 is facilitated and a more rapid and simplified process for changing the tool on the floor cleaning machine 10 can be carried out.

(44) For the purposes of changing a tool for example, the supporting part 38 of the cleaning tool 22 is laid on the substrate 20 underneath the tool holding head 24. The tool holding head is then moved downwardly by means of the height adjusting device 36, i.e. it is moved towards the substrate 20 in the height direction 34 so that it can enter the seating space 54.

(45) A sort of insertion funnel is formed by the second region 60b incorporating the insertion region 64 so that this results in a greater amount of play for the process of insertion into the seating space 54 thereby facilitating the insertion process.

(46) The introduction of the mating elements 80 into the corresponding spaces 73 between neighboring ribs 72 is facilitated by virtue of the tapering regions 76 of the ribs 72 and the upper surfaces 74 of the ribs 72.

(47) The tool holding head 24 is inserted until such time as it rests on the locating element 82.

(48) Engagement of the engagement heads 100 of the meshing elements 84 in the corresponding recesses 98 then also takes place. A latching process in the axial direction 59 thereby occurs.

(49) An anti-rotation effect is realized due to the insertion of the mating elements 80 into the spaces 73 between the neighboring ribs 72 so that the cleaning tool 22 is driven by the rotation of the tool holding head 24.

(50) Subsequently, the cleaning tool 22 is lifted from the substrate 20 to such an extent that its cleaning position is reached. In particular thereby, a lower surface of the cleaning tool 22 is oriented at an acute angle to the substrate 20.

(51) In order to release the cleaning tool 22, the releasing device is operated appropriately as described in WO 2007/033719 A1.

(52) Due to the solution in accordance with the invention, one obtains rapid and simple replacement of a tool.

(53) In particular, the supporting part 38 is formed in one piece manner. It can be constructed in a simple manner so as to be mechanically rigid.

REFERENCE SYMBOLS LIST

(54) 10 floor cleaning machine 12 chassis 14 rear wheel 16 tank 18 tank 20 substrate 22 cleaning tool 24 tool holding head 26 drive shaft 28 drive motor 30 rotational axis 32 foot pedal 34 height direction 36 height adjusting device 38 supporting part 40 cleaning-action device 42 bristle 44 plate 46a bristle 46b bristle 48 crown 50 seating 52 wall 54 seating space 56 flange 58 outer surface 59 axial direction 60a first region 60b second region 62 holding region 64 insertion region 66 insertion direction 68 upper end 70 obtuse angle 72 rib 73 space 74 upper surface 76 tapering region 78 sloping surface 80 mating element 82 locating element 84 meshing element 86 outer contour 88 grooves 92 interior space 94 lower surface 96 floor 98 ring wall 98 recess 100 engagement head