SUCTION NOZZLE FOR A HARD SURFACE CLEANING APPARATUS AND HARD SURFACE CLEANING APPARATUS HAVING SUCH A SUCTION NOZZLE

Abstract

A suction nozzle for a portable hard surface cleaning apparatus includes a suction nozzle housing having a first and a second housing half-shell which between them form a suction duct which extends from a suction opening to a suction duct end section to which a source of vacuum can be connected for creating a suction flow. Arranged at the suction opening is a replaceable squeegee lip, and the two housing half-shells each have at least one holding element adjacent to the suction opening, and a holding section of the replaceable squeegee lip is arranged between the holding elements of the two housing half-shells. In order to improve the suction nozzle in such a manner that it is reliably held at the suction opening, the holding elements in each case form an engagement with the holding section.

Claims

1. A suction nozzle for a portable hard surface cleaning apparatus for drawing off and suctioning off liquid from a hard surface, in particular from a window pane, comprising a suction nozzle housing having a first and a second housing half-shell which between them form a suction duct, wherein the suction duct extends from a suction opening at which a replaceable squeegee lip is held in place, to a suction duct end section to which a source of vacuum is connectable for creating a suction flow and wherein the two housing half-shells each have at least one holding element adjacent to the suction opening and a holding section of the replaceable squeegee lip is arranged between the holding elements of the two housing half-shells, wherein the holding elements of the housing half-shells in each case form an engagement with the holding section of the replaceable squeegee lip.

2. The suction nozzle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the holding section of the replaceable squeegee lip is positionable between the at least one holding element of the first housing half-shell and the at least one holding element of the second housing half-shell both in a first position of use of the replaceable squeegee lip and in a second position of use of the squeegee lip turned through 180 about the center axis thereof, wherein the center axis is oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of the suction duct.

3. The suction nozzle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the replaceable squeegee lip has a symmetrical configuration with respect to the center plane thereof, wherein the center plane is oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the suction duct.

4. The suction nozzle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the holding section of the replaceable squeegee lip is configured as an enlargement and the holding elements each have a depression.

5. The suction nozzle in accordance with claim 4, wherein the enlargement is configured in the form of a straight-line bead and the holding elements each have a depression into which the bead extends.

6. The suction nozzle in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one holding element of the first housing half-shell is arranged in the area of the suction duct and forms a flow guide element.

7. The suction nozzle in accordance with claim 6, wherein the at least one holding element arranged in the area of the suction duct forms a flow guide rib.

8. The suction nozzle in accordance with claim 7, wherein a plurality of flow guide ribs in spaced-apart relation to one another are arranged in the area of the suction duct.

9. The suction nozzle in accordance with claim 8, wherein the flow guide ribs are arranged in a fan-like manner.

10. The suction nozzle in accordance with claim 8, wherein the flow guide ribs are arranged at the same height relative to the longitudinal axis of the suction duct.

11. The suction nozzle in accordance with claim 8, wherein the flow guide ribs taper against the direction of flow of the suction flow.

12. The suction nozzle in accordance with claim 8, wherein the flow guide ribs in each case have, at their upper edge facing away from the first housing half-shell, a depression into which the holding section of the replaceable squeegee lip extends.

13. The suction nozzle in accordance with claim 12, wherein the depressions at the upper edges of the flow guide ribs are arranged in a rear end region of the flow guide ribs relative to the direction of flow of the suction flow and wherein, in a section upstream of the depressions, the upper edges form a planar contact face for the replaceable squeegee lip.

14. The suction nozzle in accordance with claim 8, wherein the flow guide ribs are of wedge-shaped configuration in cross-section.

15. The suction nozzle in accordance with claim 8, wherein the replaceable squeegee lip makes contact with the flow guide ribs over at least one half of its extension, relative to the direction of flow of the suction flow.

16. The suction nozzle in accordance with claim 6, wherein the first housing half-shell has at least one further holding element that is arranged outside of the suction duct.

17. The suction nozzle in accordance with claim 16, wherein the first housing half-shell has at least two further holding elements which are arranged outside of the suction duct in symmetrical relation with each other, relative to the longitudinal axis of the suction duct.

18. The suction nozzle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the suction nozzle has a non-replaceable squeegee lip which is integrally formed on the first housing half-shell.

19. The suction nozzle in accordance with claim 18, wherein the non-replaceable squeegee lip together with the first housing half-shell forms an injection-molded part comprising a hard component and an elastomer component.

20. The suction nozzle in accordance with claim 19, wherein at least one holding element of the first housing half-shell is arranged in the area of the suction duct and forms a flow guide element and wherein the elastomer component at least partially surrounds, in a circumferential direction, the at least one holding element arranged in the area of the suction duct.

21. The suction nozzle in accordance with claim 1, wherein one of the two housing half-shells has a latch element in the area of the suction duct end section, which latch element forms an elastically deformable wall section of the suction duct and is overmolded by an elastomer component.

22. The suction nozzle in accordance with claim 21, wherein the latch element forms a latch hook which has a spring tongue forming an elastically deformable wall section of the suction duct and a latch projection projecting outwards from the spring tongue, wherein the spring tongue is overmolded by the elastomer component.

23. A portable hard surface cleaning apparatus for drawing off and suctioning off liquid from a hard surface, in particular from a window pane, the portable hard surface cleaning apparatus having a suction unit, a dirty-liquid tank and a separating device for separating liquid from a suctioned liquid/air mixture, and having a suction nozzle in accordance with claim 1.

24. The portable hard surface cleaning apparatus in accordance with claim 23, wherein the portable hard surface cleaning apparatus has a suction duct receiving socket which is pluggably connectable to the suction duct end section, and has a latch receptacle for receiving a latch projection of the suction nozzle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] FIG. 1 shows a perspective representation of a portable hard surface cleaning apparatus;

[0047] FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the hard surface cleaning apparatus in FIG. 1;

[0048] FIG. 3 shows a perspective representation of a suction nozzle of the hard surface cleaning apparatus;

[0049] FIG. 4 shows a perspective representation of a first and second housing half-shell of the suction nozzle in FIG. 3;

[0050] FIG. 5 shows a perspective representation of the first housing half-shell viewed obliquely from above;

[0051] FIG. 6 shows a perspective representation of the first housing half-shell viewed obliquely from below;

[0052] FIG. 7 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the suction nozzle in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0053] An advantageous embodiment of a portable hard surface cleaning apparatus in accordance with the invention, denoted in its entirety by reference numeral 10, is shown schematically in the drawings. With the aid of the portable hard surface cleaning apparatus 10, liquid can be drawn off and suctioned off a hard surface, in particular a window pane. Mirror surfaces or tiled walls can also be cleaned by use of the portable hard surface cleaning apparatus 10. The hard surface cleaning apparatus 10 can be moved along the hard surface by the user in the manner of a manual window squeegee. The hard surface cleaning apparatus 10 forms a portable window cleaning apparatus.

[0054] The hard surface cleaning apparatus 10 comprises a basic part 12 in which a suction unit 14 is arranged. The suction unit 14 comprises an electric motor 16 which drives a suction turbine 18 for rotational movement. The suction turbine 18 can draw air via a turbine inlet conduit 20 which in the present exemplary embodiment is shown as being of straight-line configuration. The turbine inlet conduit 20 extends into a separating chamber 22. Arranged in the separating chamber 22, at a distance from the turbine inlet conduit 20, is a separating element in the form of an impact wall which covers an inlet opening 26 of the turbine inlet conduit 20 and is generally convexly curved in the direction facing away from the turbine inlet conduit 20.

[0055] On the side of the separating chamber 22 facing away from the turbine inlet conduit 20, the basic part 12 forms a suction duct receiving socket 28 which receives a suction duct end section 30 of an advantageous embodiment of a suction nozzle 32 in accordance with the invention. The suction nozzle 32 is shown schematically in the drawings and will be described in greater detail below.

[0056] The suction turbine 18 is separated from the separating chamber 22 by way of a first partition wall 34, wherein the turbine inlet conduit 20 passes through the first partition wall 34. In the area of the first partition wall 34, the turbine inlet conduit 20 is surrounded by a seal ring 36 with which it is ensured that liquid cannot inadvertently pass from the separating chamber 22 along the outer side of the turbine inlet conduit 20 to the suction turbine 18.

[0057] The basic part 12 has a second partition wall 38 at a distance from the first partition wall 34 and oriented in parallel relation thereto. The suction turbine 18 is arranged between the first partition wall 34 and the second partition wall 38, and the electric motor 16 is arranged on the side of the second partition wall 38 facing away from the suction turbine 18, in a drive chamber 40 of the basic part 12. A motor shaft 42 of the electric motor 16 passes through the second partition wall 38 and is connected to the suction turbine 18 in rotationally fixed relation thereto. The suction turbine 18 can be given rotation by way of the motor shaft 42.

[0058] In addition to the electric motor 16, the drive chamber 40 has positioned therein a rechargeable battery 44 and control, switching and charging electronics 46. The control, switching and charging electronics 46 cooperates with an actuating element 48 which in the illustrated exemplary embodiment is configured as a press switch for switching on and off the electric motor 16. Furthermore, the control, switching and charging electronics 46 controls the rotational speed of the electric motor 16 and the charging process for the battery 44. The control, switching and charging electronics 46 and the rechargeable battery 44 are arranged on a common circuit board 49.

[0059] The drive chamber 40 is arranged in a hand grip 50 of the basic part 12. The hand grip 50 can be grasped by the user with one hand.

[0060] The hand grip 50 extends to a bottom wall 52 of the basic part 12 which permits resting the portable hard surface cleaning apparatus 10 on a supporting surface.

[0061] In addition to the basic part 12 and the suction nozzle 32, the portable hard surface cleaning apparatus 10 has a dirty-liquid tank 54 which is toollessly, releasably held on the basic part 12 and has extending thereinto a filling device 56. Via the filling device 56, liquid can pass from the separating chamber 22 into the dirty-liquid tank 54. The filling device 56 has a filler tube 58 and a vent tube 60 which are connected to one another in one piece and extend into the dirty-liquid tank 54.

[0062] The dirty-liquid tank 54 has an upper tank section 62 which faces towards the separating chamber 22 and can be inserted in an upper recess 64 of the basic part 12 via an upper opening 63, and a rear tank section 66 which can be inserted in a lower recess 68 of the basic part 12 via a lower opening 67. The upper recess 64 is arranged laterally next to the suction turbine 18 and is in flow communication with the suction turbine 18 so that suction air from the suction turbine 18 can be exhausted to atmosphere via the upper recess 64 and the upper opening 63.

[0063] Opening into the upper recess 64 is a fill funnel 70 which is connected in one piece to the first partition wall 34. Via the fill funnel 70, liquid can pass from the separating chamber 22 into a trough-like depression 72 of the filling device 56 which is adjoined by the filler tube 58. The vent tube 60 extends parallel to the filler tube 58, wherein it protrudes, at its upper end facing away from the dirty-liquid tank 54, above the filler tube 58 and extends into the fill funnel 70.

[0064] The lower recess 68 is arranged immediately above the bottom wall 52, wherein the bottom wall 52 has, in the area of the lower recess 68, resiliently deformable bottom wall sections and thereby exerts on the dirty-liquid tank 54 a resilient holding force in a direction towards a contact wall 74 arranged at a distance from the bottom wall 52, against which contact wall 74 the rear tank section 66 is in contact at an upper side thereof. The rear tank section 66 can be latched to the lower recess 68 by way of latch elements that are configured complementarily thereto.

[0065] The dirty-liquid tank 54 together with the hand grip 50 delimit a through-hole 75, for finger insertion therethrough, of the hard surface cleaning apparatus 10 which permits the user's fingers to be inserted therethrough when he or she holds the portable hard surface cleaning apparatus 10.

[0066] The suction nozzle 32 is shown separately in FIGS. 3 to 7. It has a suction nozzle housing 77 having a first housing half-shell 76 and a second housing half-shell 78 which are releasably connected to one another. In the exemplary embodiment as illustrated, the two housing half-shells 76, 78 are connected together by screwing them together.

[0067] The two housing half-shells 76, 78 define between them a suction duct 80. At its rear end region facing towards the separating chamber 22, the suction duct 80 forms the suction duct end section 30, already mentioned, which can be inserted in the suction duct receiving socket 28. The suction duct 80 extends between the two housing half-shells 76, 78 from a suction opening 82 to the suction duct end section 30.

[0068] The first housing half-shell 76 forms a bottom wall 84 of the suction duct 80 and first arcuately curved side walls 86, 88 of the suction duct 80. In a corresponding manner, the second housing half-shell 78 forms a top wall 90 of the suction duct 80 and second arcuately curved side walls of the suction duct 80 which can be placed onto the first side walls 86, 88 in a flow-tight manner.

[0069] For drawing off liquid from a hard surface that is to be cleaned, the suction nozzle 32 has, in the area of the suction opening 82 thereof, a replaceable squeegee lip 92 and a non-replaceable squeegee lip 94. The non-replaceable squeegee lip 94 is integrally formed on the first housing half-shell 76 and forms together with the first housing half-shell 76 an injection molded part having two components, namely a hard component forming the first housing half-shell 76 and an elastomer component forming the non-replaceable squeegee lip 94.

[0070] The suction duct 80 has a centrally arranged longitudinal axis 102, and the replaceable squeegee lip 92 is configured symmetrically with respect to its center plane 96 oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis 102 and has a holding section 98 which is formed by a bead 100 having a generally circular shape in cross-section. The bead 100 extends in a direction transverse with respect to the longitudinal axis 102 of the suction duct 80 along the entire length of the replaceable squeegee lip 92 and forms the rear end portion thereof. The front end portion of the replaceable squeegee lip 92 is formed by a first squeegeeing edge 104 and a second squeegeeing edge 106 which extend along an end face 108, facing away from the bead 100, of the replaceable squeegee lip 92.

[0071] The first housing half-shell 76 has a plurality of holding elements for fixing in place of the replaceable squeegee lip 92, wherein multiple first holding elements are arranged in the area of the suction duct and each of these forms a flow guide rib 114. The flow guide ribs 114 are arranged in a fan-like manner so that with increasing distance from the longitudinal axis 102 of the suction duct 80, the flow guide ribs 114 are at an increasing inclination to the longitudinal axis 102. All of the flow guide ribs 114 are arranged at the same level, relative to the longitudinal axis 102. They protrude vertically upwards from the bottom wall 84 and have in each case a depression 118 at the upper edge 116 thereof into which the bead 100 extends in a form-locking manner. Upstream of the depressions, the flow guide ribs 114 in each case have, at the upper edges thereof, a planar contact face 119 oriented at an incline with respect to the bottom wall 84, for contacting the replaceable squeegee lip 92. The flow guide ribs 114 provide support to the replaceable squeegee lip 92 in the area of the suction duct 80. The flow guide ribs 114 are optimized in the shape in terms of fluid flow, wherein they are tapered at the front end portions thereof facing towards the non-replaceable squeegee lip 94. In addition to their function of providing support, the flow guide ribs 114 enable a suction flow to be guided with very small losses of flow so that a mixture of liquid and suction air can pass through between the flow guide ribs 114 with only small losses of flow.

[0072] In addition to the flow guide rib 114, the first housing half-shell 76 has two further holding elements for fixing the replaceable squeegee lip 92. Said further holding elements are configured in the form of a holding channel 120 and a holding channel 122 which are located outside of the suction duct and which in each case extend away from a first side wall 86 and 88 respectively of the suction duct 80 to an external wall 124, 126 of the first housing half-shell 76.

[0073] The second housing half-shell 78 has a holding element in the form of a holding channel 110 for fixing of the replaceable squeegee lip 92 in place at the suction opening 82. The holding channel 110 receives an upper edge portion 112 of the bead 100. In a corresponding manner, the two holding channels 120, 122, which are arranged outside of the suction duct 80, and the flow guide ribs 114, which are arranged within the suction duct 80, receive in each case a lower edge portion 128 of the bead 100 so that the replaceable squeegee lip 92 is fixed in place between the two housing half-shells 76, 78.

[0074] For cleaning a hard surface, the portable hard surface cleaning apparatus 10 can be moved with the replaceable squeegee lip 92 along a hard surface that is to be cleaned. The replaceable squeegee lip 92 can initially assume a first position of use in which the first squeegeeing edge 104 faces towards the non-replaceable squeegee lip 94, as illustrated for example in FIG. 7. In cleaning the hard surface, the first squeegeeing edge 104 in this first position of use slides along the hard surface being cleaned. The first squeegeeing edge 104 can be subjected to wear, in particular in cases where the hard surface presents roughness. When a maximum amount of wear is reached, the cleaning effect that is can be achieved by use of the first squeegeeing edge 104 can be adversely affected. It is then possible for the user to pull the replaceable squeegee lip 92 sideways out of the suction nozzle housing 77 via one of the external walls 124, 126, then turn it over through 180 relative to the center axis 130 thereof and then pull it back into the suction nozzle housing 77 via one of the external wall 124, 126. The replaceable squeegee lip 92 then assumes its second position of use in which the second squeegeeing edge 106 faces the non-replaceable squeegee lip 94 and can slide along the hard surface being cleaned. In this way, the lifetime of the replaceable squeegee lip 92 can be considerably increased.

[0075] As has already been mentioned, the suction duct end section 30 can be inserted in the suction duct receiving socket 28 of the basic part 12. This is shown in FIG. 2 in particular. In order to prevent inadvertent release of the suction nozzle 32 from the basic part 12, the suction nozzle 32 can be latched to the basic part 12. To this end, the suction duct receiving socket 28 has a latch recess 134 arranged therein and the first housing half-shell 76 forms, in the area of the suction duct end section 30, a latch element in the form of a latch hook 136. The latch hook 136 has a spring tongue 138 which forms an elastically deformable wall section 139 of the suction duct 80 and is connected to the first housing half-shell 76 in one piece therewith. At its free end, the spring tongue 138 carries, on the exterior of the first housing half-shell 76, an outwardly projecting latch projection 140. This is shown in FIG. 6 in particular. The spring tongue 138 is surrounded, except for the end thereof facing away from the latch projection 140, at which end it is connected to the first housing half-shell 76 in one piece therewith, by a U-shaped through-slot 142. It is thereby possible, when the suction duct end section 30 is inserted in the suction duct receiving socket 28, for the spring tongue 138 to perform a resilient movement until the latch projection 140 assumes a position located at a level of the latch recess 134 and latches into the latch recess 134. In order to ensure that no suction air and no liquid can leak out of the suction duct 80 via the through-slot 142, the spring tongue 138 is, on the interior side of the suction duct 80, overmolded using the same elastomer component that forms the non-replaceable squeegee lip 94. The elastomer component forms a U-shaped living hinge in the area of the through-slot 142 that allows for the spring tongue 138 together with the latch projection 140 to be moved relative to the hard component forming the first housing half-shell 76, while yet ensuring that neither suction air nor liquid can leak out of the suction duct 80 through the through-slot 142.

[0076] The elastomer component extends from the non-replaceable squeegee lip 94 along the first side walls 86, 88 of the suction duct 80 to the latch hook 136. This is shown in FIG. 5 in particular.

[0077] Once the suction nozzle 32 is connected to the basic part 12 by inserting the suction duct end section 30 in the suction duct receiving socket 28, the portable hard surface cleaning apparatus 10 can, in the manner of a manual window squeegee for cleaning a hard surface, in particular a window pane or a glass door, be moved along said hard surface, wherein liquid present on the hard surface can be fed to the suction opening 82 by way of the replaceable squeegee lip 92 and the non-replaceable squeegee lip 94 supporting same. The liquid, together with air, can be aspirated into the suction opening 82 via the suction duct 80 and fed into the separating chamber 22. To this end, the turbine inlet conduit 20 can have a negative pressure applied thereto by the suction unit 14 via the turbine inlet conduit 20. The mixture of liquid and air passes through the suction duct 80 and, inside the separating chamber 22, first strikes an impact plate 144 held to the suction duct end section 30, on which impact plate 144 a portion of the entrained liquid separates out. The liquid/air mixture then impinges against the impact wall 24 on which the remaining entrained liquid separates out, whereas the suctioned air flows around the impact plate 144 and the impact wall 24 and reaches the suction turbine 18 via the turbine inlet conduit 20. From the suction turbine 18, the suctioned air is discharged to the exterior via an annular air outlet chamber 146 which surrounds the upper tank section 62 within the upper recess 64 in a circumferential direction.

[0078] The impact plate 144 forms a first separating element for separating liquid, and the impact wall 24 forms a second separating element for separating liquid from the drawn liquid/air mixture. The liquid separated in the separating chamber 22 can reach the dirty-liquid tank 54 via the fill funnel 70 and the filler tube 58. The dirty-liquid tank 54 can be emptied as required. To this end, the user can remove the dirty-liquid tank 54 together with the filling device 56 held thereto from the basic part 12 by pulling the rear tank section 66 out of the lower recess 68 and then removing the upper tank section 62 from the upper recess 64. Subsequently, the user can release the filling device 56 from the dirty-liquid tank 54 and empty the dirty-liquid tank 54. The user can then re-insert the filling device 56 in the dirty-liquid tank 54 and insert same at the upper tank section 62 thereof in the upper recess 64 and at the rear tank section 66 thereof in the lower recess and latch the dirty-liquid tank 54 to the basic part 12.

[0079] Should, after prolonged use of the portable hard surface cleaning apparatus 10, the first or second squeegeeing edge 104, 106 that slides along the hard surface to be cleaned become worn, it is possible for the user, as has been described above in detail, to turn over the replaceable squeegee lip 92 through 180 relative to the center axis 130 thereof so that the user can now use the unused squeegeeing edge 104 or 106.

[0080] The portable hard surface cleaning apparatus 10 constructed in accordance with the invention is distinguished by long life and can be moved along the hard surface by the user in the usual manner of a manual window squeegee. The portable hard surface cleaning apparatus 10 is distinguished by having low cost of manufacture.