Roller brush, in particular for a cleaning and/or maintenance device and a cleaning and/or maintenance device

Abstract

Roller brushes for a cleaning and/or care devices, for example, for cleaning and/or care of floor coverings in the form of tiles, natural, artificial, blocks of concrete or wood, with a rotationally symmetrical cylinder which comprises a cylinder surface. At least one first plurality of a first bundle of bristles with a first brush and a second plurality of a second bundle of bristles with a second brush may be arranged on the cylinder surface. The first bundle of bristles may be different from the second bundle of bristles.

Claims

1. A hand-held cleaning and maintenance device for tile floorings or wood floorings or artificial grass, comprising: a motor housing, an electric motor and at least one transmission disposed in the motor housing, the at least one transmission having a transmission output shaft, and at least one drive shaft which is driven by the electric motor and which acts on the at least one transmission and transmission output shaft; wherein the cleaning and maintenance device includes a first processing device and a second processing device that is different from the first processing device; wherein the first and second processing device are designed and configured to be exchangeably installed on the cleaning and maintenance device without tools, and are each configured to be driven by the transmission output shaft; wherein the second processing device includes a roller in the form of a roller brush with a roller surface, which can be connected to the transmission output shaft, wherein the roller brush has a width of at least 250 mm and the cleaning and maintenance device comprises two transmission elements, a first transmission element and a second transmission element for use with the roller brush, wherein the first transmission element and second transmission element are removed when exchanging the roller brush for the first processing device.

2. The hand-held cleaning and maintenance device according to claim 1, wherein the roller brush comprises: a rotationally symmetrical cylinder which has a cylinder surface, wherein at least a first plurality of first bundles of bristles with first bristles and a second plurality of second bundles of bristles with second bristles are arranged on the cylinder surface, wherein the first bundles of bristles are different from the second bundles of bristles.

3. The hand-held cleaning and maintenance device according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning and maintenance device has a shaft for held-held use, the shaft having an adjustable in length, wherein the shaft is rigidly connected to the motor housing.

4. The hand-held cleaning and maintenance device according to claim 1, wherein the electric motor is a universal motor.

5. The hand-held cleaning and maintenance device according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning and maintenance device has a mains connection or an electrical storage device.

6. The hand-held cleaning and maintenance device according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning and maintenance device comprises a protective hood in the area of the roller brush.

7. The hand-held cleaning and maintenance device according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning and maintenance device comprises latching and unlatching devices in the area of the motor housing configured to provide for the exchange of the first and/or the second processing device without tools.

8. The hand-held cleaning and maintenance device according to claim 1, wherein the first transmission element is situated between the electric motor and a belt drive and the second transmission element is situated between the housing of the motor and a guide device.

9. The hand-held cleaning and maintenance device according to claim 8, wherein the first transmission element comprises a transmission shaft connected to the electric motor and the belt drive and the second transmission element is a guiding element.

10. The hand-held cleaning and maintenance device according to claim 9, wherein the first transmission element is configured to be removably coupled to a first side of the motor housing and the belt drive and the second transmission element is configured to be removably coupled to a second side of the motor housing opposite the first side and the guide device; wherein the first and second transmission elements are configured as spacing elements to space the belt drive and the guide device laterally outward relative to the motor housing to accommodate the width of the roller brush.

11. The hand-held cleaning and maintenance device according to claim 1, wherein the roller brush is sectioned into different elements along the roller brush.

12. The hand-held cleaning and maintenance device of claim 11, wherein the length of each element is between 40 mm and 100 mm per each element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will subsequently be described with the aid of the figures, without being limited to them:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a roller brush according to the invention, used for cleaning a wooden floor, in a three-dimensional view;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a cutaway view of a roller brush according to the invention for cleaning a wood floor;

(4) FIGS. 3a-b shows a top view of a roller brush;

(5) FIGS. 4a-c show a one-piece roller brush with laterally arranged brush attachments;

(6) FIGS. 5a-b show a segmented roller brush with brush attachments;

(7) FIG. 6a shows a side view of a cleaning and maintenance device with a joint brush as a floor processing device;

(8) FIG. 6b shows a side view of the cleaning and maintenance device with a roller brush as a floor processing device;

(9) FIGS. 7a-b show a view of the cleaning and maintenance device in the area of the electric motor (FIG. 7a) or the roller brush (FIG. 7b);

(10) FIG. 7c shows a view of the cleaning and maintenance device, cutaway in front, with joint brush;

(11) FIG. 7d shows a view of the cleaning and maintenance device, cutaway in front with roller brush;

(12) FIG. 7e shows a view of the cleaning and maintenance device with a broad roller brush and transmission elements;

(13) FIG. 7f shows a cross sectional view of the cleaning and maintenance device of FIG. 7e;

(14) FIGS. 8a-b show a detail view of the joint brush; and

(15) FIG. 9 shows a detail view of a part of the roller brush.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(16) FIG. 1 shows a roller brush according to the invention according to a first aspect of the invention, which is used for cleaning a wood surface 3. Roller brush 1 according to the invention comprises a rotationally symmetrical cylinder 5 with a cylinder surface 7 into which a plurality of bundles of bristles is inserted. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, two types of bundles of bristles are inserted into the surface, a first bundle of bristles 10.1 and a second bundle of bristles 10.2. The bundles of bristles comprise a plurality of bristles, wherein the individual bristles may have a diameter from 0.2 to 1 mm. The roller brush comprises first bundles of bristles with first bristles, in particular for cleaning of wooden surfaces in the form of longitudinally profiled boards, as shown in FIG. 1. First bristles 10.1 are short bristles with diameters in the range from 0.5 to 1 mm, in particular, a diameter of 0.6 mm. The second bristles are long bristles with a diameter in the range of 0.2 to 0.8 mm, preferably a diameter of 0.4 mm. The roller diameter of the region provided with long bristles lies preferably in the range from 70 to 120 mm, preferably at 90 mm, and the roller diameter of the region provided with long bristles lies in the range from 80 to 130 mm, preferably at 100 mm.

(17) The length of the short bristles lies, for example, at 20 mm, that of the long bristles at 25 mm, i.e. the length of the short bristles is approximately 80% of the length of the long bristles. In general, the length of the bristles lies in the range from 15 to 30 mm.

(18) The different lengths of the bristles are especially clear in FIG. 2. In this case, the long bristles with a diameter of 0.4 mm are designated with 10.2 and the short bristles with a diameter in the range of 0.6 mm with 10.1.

(19) All bristles are preferably manufactured from the same material, for example, from a plastic material, preferably polyamide.

(20) Due to the use according to the invention of longer bundles of bristles with thinner bristles and shorter bundles of bristles with thicker bristles, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the subsequently described cleaning effect results when the bundles of bristles are alternatingly uniformly distributed across the surface of the roller brush. Thus, the soft bristles, i.e. the longer bundles of bristles with thinner bristles, initially contact the floor and gently clean it. For stubborn dirt, a higher pressure may be exerted on the roller brush. This leads to the bristles yielding and the harder, shorter bristles come into contact with the surface and remove stubborn residual dirt which might not be removed using the soft first bristles.

(21) The roller brush according to the invention is preferably used in a hand-held cleaning device which has an electric motor as a drive and which drives the roller brush at a speed of 600 to 1400 rpm. The speed is preferably in the range of 1000 to 1200 rpm. With the aid of the roller brush, it is possible to excellently remove filth, moss, and algae which accumulate over the course of time in the pores, preferably in the profiled grooves of the boards, from wooden surfaces, for example, wooden decks, in particular, after wet pre-treatment with water, soap solution, bleach, or algae remover, using a brush geometry according to the invention, as described.

(22) FIGS. 3a and 3b show a top view on a roller surface according to the invention with two different bundles of bristles. FIG. 3a is a three-dimensional view. Identical components as in FIGS. 1 and 2 are provided with identical references. The different bristles are again designated with the references 10.1 and 10.2. As is clear from FIG. 3a, identical bristles are arranged along a line 20 in a diagonal direction on the roller body. The implementation of the surface according to FIG. 3b shows the arrangement of the different types of bristles in a regular structure, wherein the bristles are arranged in diagonals in arrow shapes across the surface. The roller brush preferably has an outer diameter between 80 and 120 mm, more preferably of 100 mm. The width of the roller brush contact surface lies between 120 and 400 mm, in some examples, 120 and 300 mm, and in some examples at 165 mm. For the maintenance, cleaning and straightening of artificial grass it can be beneficial to make the width broader then 165 mm. In some examples the width of the roller brush is extended by 80 mm to 200 mm, meaning that the width of the roller brush contact surface especially for the cleaning and/or maintenance and/or straightening of artificial grass is between 240 mm and 400 mm, and in some examples, between 240 mm and 370 mm, and in some examples, between 240 mm and 300 mm. The roller brush can be sectioned into different elements along the length of the roller brush. The width of each element may be between 40 mm and 100 mm per each element. In one example, the width of an element is 42.5 mm. In some examples, the processing of artificial grass is achieved with a roller brush having a width of 250 mm. In examples where the roller brush has a width of 250 mm, artificial grass can be cleaned more gently. This is due to the fact, that due to the broader contact or supporting surface of the bristles the compressive force of each individual bristle bundle onto the surface of the artificial grass especially for cleaning purposes is relatively small. Aside from the cleaning effect, the grass bundle of the artificial grass can be straightened and aligned by the arrangement of the bristles of the roller brush. In order to use broader roller brushes of 250 mm instead of 165 mm with a system which also drives the 165 mm roller brush, a transmission element that may include a shaft, for example, a driving shaft, can be introduced between the electric motor and the belt drive. On the opposite side of the electric motor a further transmission element can be introduced between the housing of the motor and the guide device. In some examples, all elements, and especially the transmission elements, can be mounted or demounted without using tools.

(23) In FIGS. 4a through 4c, the embodiment of the roller brush according to the invention is shown with bristle attachments 50.1, 50.2, shown attached on the sides, which are connected in a positive locking way to the roller brush on one or both sides, for example, by a screw connection. Bristle attachments 50.1, 50.2 have bundles of bristles 60 positioned at exterior angles so that areas close to the edge may be completely covered by the bristles. A shaft shoulder 70 between roller brush 1 and respective attachments 50.1, 50.2 guarantees the mounting of the bristles. The drive may be carried out in an embodiment according to FIGS. 4a through 4c by a gear or a pulley 80 which is rigidly connected to the roller brush. An axial drive, as shown in FIG. 7b may only be carried out for single-sided bristle attachments.

(24) FIGS. 5a and 5b show an alternative embodiment of the roller brush according to the invention. In this embodiment, the entire roller brush is divided into individual segments 100.1, 100.2, 100.3, 100.4, 100.5. As in the embodiment according to FIGS. 4a through 4c, bristle attachments are again provided. Individual segments 100.1, 100.2, 100.3, 100.4, 100.5 may be configured with different bundles of bristles. The bundles of bristles of the respective segments differ in their material selection in the embodiment shown. Thus, the bristles in segments 100.1, 100.3, 100.5 are, for example, bristles made from steel wire, and the bristles in segments 100.2, 100.4 are made from nylon wire. This type of mixture expands the cleaning force for the area to be treated. As already shown in FIGS. 4a through 4c, the drive of the roller brush is carried out via a gear or a pulley.

(25) Four tests of cleaning using a device according to the invention are subsequently described. The device according to the invention is a roller brush with a rotationally symmetrical cylinder, which has two different bristles on its cylinder surface, first bristles and second bristles. The first and second bristles are made from polyamide and have the following dimensions:

(26) First, short bristles: Diameter 0.6 mm, length 20 mm

(27) Second, long bristles: Diameter 0.4 mm, length 25 mm

(28) Test 1: Balcony Flooring, Thermal Treated Wood

(29) The test was carried out on a balcony flooring made from thermal treated (TMT) fir laid in 2004. The floorboards are grooved, the area is 1.1×2.6 m.sup.2. The balcony has a western exposure and direct exposure to weathering. The surface was last cleaned in spring 2014 by scrubbing and mopping with soap solution. In 2013, the surface was maintained with a wood oil. This represents the typical case, in that the surface is cleaned once annually in late winter/spring before the garden or balcony season. The surface was not discolored by algae or mildew; the usual urban dust and dirt deposits were present.

(30) A dry cleaning was initially carried out. The accumulated dirt could be partially removed; dust or dirt particles were not noticeably stirred up or propelled away. The cleaning effect was, however, low. The terrace floorboards were subsequently saturated with a mop and after 2 minutes of exposure time, they were brushed with the device according to the invention.

(31) The cleaning effect was significantly greater. There was no damage to the surface. Two or three cleanings per year with the device according to the invention do not represent an unacceptable demand.

(32) Test 2: Deck Flooring, Thermal Treated Fir

(33) Deck flooring made from TMT fir, grooved, and in use for 6 years, was cleaned in a damp state (after rain) without targeted wetting. The cleaned areas then dried very quickly; in contrast, the dirty area remained damp significantly longer.

(34) The cleaning effect was estimated as good.

(35) Test 3: Wood-Plastic-Composite Grooved Boards

(36) A test surface of 1.0×0.5 m.sup.2, consisting of 3 wood-plastic-composite floorboard sections, was cleaned. The floorboards are grooved and brushed, painted medium brown, with a matrix of polypropylene, 70% wood. The test surface had a northern exposure for 4 years at a 45° inclination.

(37) The cleaning was carried out dry and wet with an algae remover. The cleanser was applied saturated using a brush and the surface was wetted again after approximately 1 hour contact time.

(38) Very good effects were shown already with the dry cleaning, and with the wet cleaning with the algae remover, the surface looked virtually new. Even the grooves were cleaned very well.

(39) Test 4: Deck Flooring Test Surface, Different Woods

(40) The bristles were tested on different wooden surfaces of a test surface:

(41) TABLE-US-00001 Floorboard no. Material 477 Bangkirai, untreated 480 Bangkirai, oiled 483 TMT ash, untreated 486 TMT ash, oiled 489 Oak, untreated 492 Oak, oiled 495 Pressure-treated spruce 498 Larch, untreated 501 Larch, oiled 504 Douglas fir, untreated 507 Douglas fir, oiled 510 Moso bamboo (compressed)

(42) For each material variant, 3 floorboard sections were installed, 700 mm in length and 130 mm width; each section was respectively cleaned, namely in thirds of the length, dry, wetted with pure water, and with water containing detergent; contact time approximately 2 min.

(43) The cleaning effects was analogous to Test 1, i.e. dry had low effects, wet had good effects; the addition of cleanser (1 spray for 5 l) resulted in an improvement on some materials, which, however, was only visible after drying.

(44) In contrast to all of the wood variants, which appeared significantly lighter after cleaning and drying, the bamboo appeared darker, apparently due to a smoothed surface.

(45) In summary, it may be stated that the device according to the invention was tested on different flooring materials made from wood and wood-plastic-composite. All materials were located for many years exposed to the weather and thus represent the situation in practice very well. The woods were weathered and wood-discoloring fungi grew on them; the wood-plastic composite had algae growths.

(46) While the cleaning effect on the tested woods is very low for dry cleaning, it is very good for wet cleaning. No damage was determined on the wood surfaces.

(47) While a dry cleaning already provided good effects in the case of the algae growth on the wood-plastic composite, the effect in the case of wet cleaning and pre-treatment with an algae remover was significantly improved.

(48) Unacceptable damage to the surfaces was not observed, even for sensitive materials, like pressure-treated or thermally modified fir. A certain amount of wear on the surface is, however, normal and necessary for achieving the cleaning effect.

(49) As shown, the rotating roller brush may free hard floor surfaces from stubborn contaminants due to the hardness of the bristles. The hard bristles have essentially the function of a scrubber, in contrast to previous systems, which instead had the sweeping function of a broom. Using the roller brush according to the invention, stone terraces and pavement slabs in the exterior area, and also tile and natural stone surfaces, for example, granite, may be processed. In particular, it is possible to free smooth and structured wood surfaces, in particular wooden decks in the exterior area, from moss and algae residue pore deep. The uniform distribution of different lengths and different hardnesses of bundles of bristles on the roller surface leads to a two-stage cleaning effect.

(50) FIG. 6a is a side view of a cleaning and maintenance device according to a second aspect of the invention.

(51) FIGS. 6a and 6b show cleaning and maintenance devices with a joint brush (FIG. 6a) and a roller brush (FIG. 6b). The cleaning and maintenance device essentially comprises a shaft 112, a motor housing 113 with a motor and transmission accommodated therein (which are not shown) for driving the respective processing device. According to the invention, the cleaning and maintenance device 111 is hand-held, for which purpose shaft 112 functions. Shaft 112 is preferably designed as a metal tube, wherein the metal tube is connected to motor housing 113, and is, for example, telescoping.

(52) FIG. 6a shows a side view, in which a joint disk 122, which is driven by the electric motor accommodated in motor housing 113, is quite clear as first processing device 120. The cover hood 124.1 is also clearly visible, which protects the operator from dirt particles that are stirred up.

(53) Joint disk 122, which is also designated as a joint brush, is shown in detail in FIGS. 8a and 8b.

(54) A handle 130 is preferably arranged on the opposite end of shaft 112 from motor housing 113. Handle 130 has a plug socket 132, which functions as a mains connection in the currently shown embodiment. In order to start up and stop operation of the cleaning and maintenance device, an on/off switch 134 is arranged on the handle. A cable connection, laid in shaft 112, leads from mains connection 132 arranged on the handle and from the electric motor, which is preferably designed as a universal motor, arranged in motor housing 113.

(55) Ventilation slits (not shown) may be arranged on the under side of motor housing 113. Air may be sucked in through these ventilation slits and discharged through opposing ventilation slits, so that the motor accommodated in housing 113 is cooled.

(56) Instead of the mains connection depicted, an accumulator, e.g. for 12 volts, 18 volts, 24 volts, or 36 volts of power supply voltage, may be provided. However, these variants are not currently shown.

(57) Optionally, an additional handle 142, which is may be designed to be detachable, may be arranged on shaft 112 for better guidance.

(58) By switching the on/off switch 134, the motor and the transmission connected thereto and thus the processing device is set into rotation. According to the embodiment shown, the rotational movement from the electric motor, which is accommodated in motor housing 113, is thereby transmitted to a motor shaft, then to the transmission connected thereto, and from the output shaft of the transmission to the respective processing device, currently the joint brush or the roller brush.

(59) Another variant of the cleaning and maintenance device is shown in FIG. 6b, which is obtained in that the base device, which comprises shaft 112, motor housing 113 with electric motor and transmission accommodated therein, and handle 130, now drives a roller in the form of a roller brush 140. The drive is carried out using the same electric motor and transmission as is carried out in FIG. 6a for driving joint brush 122. The roller brush may be, however it does not have to be, a roller brush according to FIGS. 1 through 5b. Roller brushes according to FIGS. 1 through 5b are advantageous as they permit a particularly good cleaning of floor surfaces.

(60) Joint brush 122 in the form of a disk, in particular a wire disk according to FIG. 6a, is arranged on the same axis line as the motor- and transmission shafts. The joint brush is thus arranged off center to the guide tube.

(61) Although an off center arrangement of the roller brush would also be possible, this would have the disadvantage that the relatively widely designed roller brush tends to tumble and impedes handling.

(62) Therefore, the second processing device in the form of a roller brush, as shown in FIG. 6a, is arranged centered. The brush axis is then parallel to the motor axis, which enables the introduction of higher pressure forces. The drive of the roller brush is then carried out via a belt drive, specifically in this case a toothed belt device 180. The toothed belts in the toothed belt device have the advantage over a transmission in that they run at low noise and damp oscillations due to the roller brush at the motor. The conversion of the processing device shown in FIG. 6a with a joint brush 122 to the processing device shown in FIG. 6b with a roller brush 140 is carried out by the simple exchange of the respective processing device 122, 140, which after the exchange is connected to one and the same drive shaft of the electric motor via the transmission connected thereto. The exchange is preferably carried out without tools through a simple insertion and unplugging of the respective processing device on the transmission output shaft, which is connected to the electric motor. Latching and unlatching devices are provided for safety.

(63) Identical components as in FIG. 6a are provided with identical references in FIG. 6b.

(64) FIG. 7a initially shows the part of the hand-held cleaning and maintenance device, which is the same for both variants, which are shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b and FIGS. 7a and 7b. This is shaft 112 with motor housing 113, which connects thereon and in which the electric motor and the transmission (not shown) are accommodated. The housing is shown closed in FIGS. 7a and 7b. FIGS. 7c and 7d show a cutaway.

(65) As shown in FIG. 7a, motor housing 113 preferably comprises two plastic half shells which enclose the motor. The two plastic half shells are connected to one another using screws.

(66) In FIGS. 7a and 7b, the different processing devices, which may be driven by the electric motor accommodated in motor housing 113, are shown.

(67) In the depiction of the electric motor, which is common to both the cleaning and maintenance device in motor housing 113 according to FIG. 7a, only the transmission output shaft 160 is shown, which, in the case of FIG. 7a and the first cleaning and maintenance device shown in the form of a joint brush, is directly driven from shaft 160 by the connection, preferably without tools, of joint brush 122.

(68) Furthermore, cover 124.1 of joint brush 122 is visible, which prevents the distribution of dirt particles.

(69) The drive of joint brush 122 is carried out, as previously mentioned, directly via transmission output shaft 160 so that the speed of the joint brush corresponds to the speed of the transmission output shaft. The speed lies in the range of 800 rpm to 2000 rpm, preferably at 1600 rpm, and thus enables an efficient removal of noxious plants, moss, and dirt from the joints between stone slabs and paving stones. The translation from the high-speed electric motor to the speed of 800 rpm to 2000 rpm is carried out preferably by a planetary gear transmission.

(70) The joint brush is currently essentially configured as a disk shape, wherein the disk has a width B. The disk is preferably a disk which is populated with bristles and is shown in detail in FIGS. 8a and 8b. The width B of the joint disk corresponds essentially to the width of the joints and lies preferably between 1 mm and 20 mm.

(71) In order to be able to safely guide the hand-held device on the ground, a guide device, in particular in the form of a guide wheel 162, is provided on the opposite side of the transmission from output shaft 160 in the configuration with the joint brush.

(72) FIG. 7b shows an alternative processing device, which may be operated using the cleaning and maintenance device according to the invention. This is carried out simply by placing an alternative processing device on output shaft 160 of the transmission which is accommodated in motor housing 113. In this case, this is a roller in the form of a roller brush 140 with a bristle surface 172, which currently comprises a plurality of bristles 174.

(73) Preferably, the cleaning and maintenance device may comprise different roller brushes. Roller brushes with different thicknesses of bristles may hereby be exchanged. This has the advantage that the bristle surface may be selected corresponding to the nature of the floor to be cleaned, for example, a tile, stone, marble, concrete block, natural stone, artificial stone, or wooden flooring.

(74) The thickness of the bristles varies according to the surface conditions from 0.4 mm to 1 mm, preferably in 0.1 mm increments. A table will be subsequently provided, from which it may be gathered which bristle thickness is suitable for which floor surfaces.

(75) The cleaning results were surprising for the person skilled in the art and not predictable, since the cleaning result did not depend on the bristle thickness alone, but also on the rotational speed of the roller surface, which lies preferably below the conventional 3000 rpm of the state of the art, preferably between 800 rpm and 2000 rpm, particularly preferably at approximately 1600 rpm.

(76) Subsequent cleaning results in Table 1 related to speeds of the roller brush in the range of 1600 rpm.

(77) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 1 Dry cleaning results Fine pavement, Coarse natural stone, Wooden deck, pavement concrete, tile profiled Bristle diameter 0.4 mm Surface cleaning − − ++ Penetration depth into − + ++ intermediate spaces Smearing/Smudging − − + Residue −− + + Bristle diameter 0.5 mm Surface cleaning − − − Penetration depth into −− + ++ intermediate spaces Smearing/Smudging −− −− + Residue −− −− − Bristle diameter 0.6 mm Surface cleaning + + ++ Penetration depth into ++ ++ ++ intermediate spaces Smearing/Smudging −− − + Residue + + ++ Bristle diameter 0.7 mm Surface cleaning + + − Penetration depth ++ ++ ++ into intermediate spaces Smearing/Smudging + + + Residue + + + Bristle diameter 1.0 mm Surface cleaning + + ++ Penetration depth into ++ ++ −− intermediate spaces Smearing/Smudging ++ ++   −− * Residue ++ ++ + * abrasive on wooden surfaces + good cleaning result ++ very good cleaning result − poor cleaning result −− very poor cleaning result

(78) In FIG. 7b, toothed belt device 180 is clearly visible, which currently is designed as a toothed belt drive and transmits the rotations of transmission output shaft 160 to mounting pin 190, on which the roller brush is placed and which functions to drive the roller brush parallel to the motor shaft.

(79) Furthermore, bearing means 1000 is clear in FIG. 7b, which functions to position roller brush 140 centered with respect to electric motor 113 in a positive locking way between shaft stubs 305 (FIG. 7d).

(80) The guide device or bearing means 1000 is arranged opposite toothed belt device 180. As is clear from FIG. 7b, the width BU of the toothed belt device is designed as significantly larger than the width BF of the guide device or bearing means 1000, which accommodates shaft 190 on which roller brush 140 is applied. This means that bearing means 1000 is substantially thinner than toothed belt device 180. This enables that, in the case that cleaning is carried out with the roller in the form of a roller brush 140, that roller brush 140 may be moved into areas close to the edge, and thus a trend towards a good cleaning in the areas close to the edge is carried out.

(81) In the configuration according to FIG. 7b, roller brush 140 is applied on a hexagonal shaft journal 190 and driven by the same. This is a version of the configuration of a shaft for driving roller brush 140. Alternative to the coupling, a through shaft may be used.

(82) In FIGS. 7c and 7d, views are shown as in FIGS. 7a and 7b; however these are cutaway views from below, from which the components accommodated in housing 113, for example, are visible. Identical designations as in FIGS. 7a and 7b have identical references in FIGS. 7c and 7d.

(83) FIG. 7c is analogous to FIG. 7a in a cutaway view. Electric motor 200, accommodated in the housing is clearly visible, drive shaft 210 of which functions on a transmission 220 in the form of a planetary transmission, such that a translated speed of 800 to 2000 rpm, preferably approximately 1600 rpm is provided at the transmission output 230 using the transmission output shaft, which transmits the force from the electric motor to joint brush 122 via the transmission by snapping on toothed shaft 240 of the drive for joint brush 122. In order to securely connect joint brush 122 to the output shaft of the transmission, sliders 250.1, 250.2 are provided as latching and unlatching devices for retaining, by means of which the processing device may be latched and unlatched. Guide wheel 162, arranged on the opposite side of joint brush 122, is also clearly visible.

(84) The identical component is shown in FIG. 7d as in FIG. 7b, which corresponds for both cleaning devices, in this case housing 113 with the shaft in a cutaway view, so that electric motor 200 and transmission 220 are visible. Identical components as in FIG. 7c are provided with identical references.

(85) Guide device 1000 and toothed belt device 180 are clearly visible in the cutaway in FIG. 7d. Toothed belt device 180 has a toothed belt 300 with a toothed shaft 310. The input shaft in toothed belt device 180, which directly contacts the transmission output shaft or transmission output shaft 160, is designated with 240 as in FIG. 7c. Toothed shaft 310 is provided with a shaft stub 305.1 designed as hexagonal, which drives the roller brush via a hexagonal socket 320. Opposite shaft stub 305.1 is another shaft stub 305.2 designed as hexagonal and arranged with a suitable hexagonal socket 330. Shaft stubs 305.1, 305.2 then guide the roller brush in a positive locking way.

(86) FIG. 7e shows a view of a cleaning and maintenance device with a broad roller brush 1140 as compared to other devices disclosed herein having, for example, a width of 250 mm instead of the 165 mm width of the example shown in FIGS. 7a to 7d. The example shown in FIG. 7e includes two transmission elements 1010.1, 1010.2. The same elements as in FIGS. 7a to 7d are denoted with the same reference numbers as used in those figures. In one example, the width of the roller brush 1140 is 250 mm, whereas the width of the roller brush 140 in FIG. 7b is only 165 mm. The example shown in FIG. 7e also includes a belt drive 180 and a guide device 1000. The electric motor housing is denoted with 113 and the shaft with 114. In order to drive the broader roller brush with the device shown in FIGS. 7a to 7d the device and maintenance devices comprises two transmission elements 1010.1 and 1010.2. The first transmission element 1010.1 is situated between the electric motor 113 and the belt drive 180. The second transmission element 1010.2 is situated between the housing of the motor 113 and the guide device or support arm 1000. FIG. 7f shows a sectional view of the example shown in FIG. 7e. Some elements as in FIG. 7f are denoted with the same reference signs. As can be clearly seen in FIG. 7f, the transmission element 1010.1 comprises a transmission shaft 1240 which is connected to the electric motor in the motor housing 113 and the belt drive 180. Via the transmission shaft 1240 the rotation of the electric motor can be transmitted to the belt drive 180 and via the belt drive 180 to the roller brush 1140. The transmission element 1010.2 only works as a guiding element between the guide device 1000 an the electric motor housing 113. No transmission shaft is situated in the second transmission element 1010.2.

(87) FIG. 8a shows a side view of a joint brush 122. Joint brush 122 comprises a core 500, which is preferably designed from metal or a plastic material. Shaft 240 from FIG. 7c engages with this core 500 and latches onto five or more teeth 510.1, 510.2, 510.3, 510.4, 510.5 in a positive locking way.

(88) Joint brush 122 comprises bristles 600 which are compressed with one another by two sheet metal disks 501, 502 held by a ring 503. Bristles 600 and their arrangement on inner-lying components 503, 501, 502 is shown in detail in FIG. 8b. The diameter of the joint brush is currently 110 mm, width B is 12 mm. The diameter of the joint brush may lie in the range from 50 mm to 150 mm, preferably at 110 mm. The bristles are selectively made from nylon with a diameter from 0.5-1.5 mm, or galvanized or brass-plated steel wire, or stainless steel wire or brass wire with a diameter from 0.2-0.8 mm, preferably 0.35 mm. During tests, it has been shown that nylon bristles have an increased wear when used on concrete blocks and natural stone surfaces, by which means the durability of the bristles are significantly limited over steel wire. Furthermore, tests have shown that brass-plated steel wire has a higher durability than stainless steel. Furthermore, thin bristles may easily bend in operation, by which means the bristle width is expanded and the joints may no longer be cleaned deeply enough. Thick bristles, however, lead to damage to the surface to be cleaned.

(89) FIG. 9 shows a top view of a roller brush 140 without bristles. The roller brush comprises holes 700, into which bundles of bristles with bristles of different thicknesses from 0.4 mm to 1 mm are stuffed, resulting in roller brushes with different roller surfaces. The width of the roller surface provided with bristles varies from 20 to 400 mm, preferably 120 to 180 mm. Roller brushes with a width of 300 mm are also conceivable. Naturally, it is also possible to incompletely populate holes 700 of roller brush 140. It is thus possible to obtain a nonsymmetrical roller surface. It is also possible that the bristle length of the individual bundles of bristles varies across the roller surface.

(90) With the invention, initially a cleaning and maintenance device is specified that enables both dry and also wet cleaning and the processing of the most varied floorings or flooring surfaces using one and the same cleaning and maintenance device through the simple exchange of floor processing devices. Furthermore, the most varied surfaces may be cleaned and maintained by exchanging the roller brushes.