Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FLOOR TREATMENT MACH~NE
The present invention relates to a floor treatment machine with an chassis, a floor
treatment unit, and an operating and/or control unit for the treatment unit provided at the rear
of the machine. The floor treatment unit mounted on the chassis has a container unit with at
5 least one container for liquid and/or solid materials as well as further units, such as, for
example, batteries, motors, pumps, fans, separators.
Flow tre~tn-~.nt m~ inP.s of this kind are known for diverse applications, for example
as floor cleaning machines, the conlailler of which serves the purpose of storing fresh and/or
used cleaning liquid, as suction machines, particularly for external surfaces, where the
10 colltainel functions as a dirt collecting container, as sanding machines, particularly for
parquetry floors, where the container serves the purpose of collecting the dust, or the like.
Although in the following description the invention will be described in relation to floor
cleaning machines, it is not limited to such use. The invention defined by the claims concerns
all generic floor treatment machines, to which it can be applied with the same advantages as
15 to the floor cleaning machines described below.
Depending on the purpose of application, generic floor cleaning machines can be
constructed particularly as scrubbing machines, suction-cleaning machines, carpet cleaning
machines or the like. They are known, for example, from US patent 3,277,511 or German
utility model 91 15 713. A disadvantage of the known floor cleaning machines is that they
20 cannot be used for cleaning floors under tables or the like. The tables need to be moved aside
before the carpet and/or floor can be cleaned below them. The reason for this is that the
overall height of the known floor cleaning machine does not permit its movement under
tables. Conversely, the overall height of the known floor cleaning machine is determined by
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the size of the container unit for the cleaning fluid, and the height cannot be reduced without
undesirably redllcing the possible duration of use of the floor cleaning machine.
The object of the present invention is to produce a generic floor treatment machine
enabling treatment of the floor without being hindered by objects such as tables, storage
5 shelves and the like, situated above the floor. In particular, in case of floor cleaning machines,
the cleaning of the floor should be possible even beneath tables. At the same time, the floor
cleaning machine should not have reduced capacities (cleaning capacity, duration of use)
compared to the known floor cleaning machines, but rather may be improved in comparison.
According to the present invention this object is achieved by providing that at least one
10 container of the container unit is suspended displaceably and/or is constructed so that it can
change its shape, so that the height of its top edge above the floor can be varied. At the same
time, no fixed unit or other component is provided in front of the co"lainel unit when viewed
in the working direction, so that the top edge of such component is at the same level or
higher than the maximum height of the top edge of the container which can change its
15 position and/or shape. The overall height of the machine, which is determined essentially by
the dimensions of the container unit, can be made to suit the particular conditions of use. In
this case, the conlainer unit is not surrounded by a fixed housing, a fixed cover, panels, or the
like, at least not in that region in which the height of the top edge of the container unit can be
varied. In this embodiment~ a covering is either not provided at all, or it can be readily
20 removed or lowered during the operation of the machine with the reduced height. In the
height range Iying below the minimum overall height, the conlail1er may be provided with
fixed covering panelling.
Further aspects of the floor treatment machine according to the invention are
illustrated and explained in the following description of a floor cleaning machine constructed
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according to the invention. However, the invention is not limited to floor cleaning machines
of this kind.
The ability to vary the height above the floor of the top edge of at least of one of the
con~ainel ~ above the floor can be achieved in various ways. In a prefel l ed embodiment of the
5 invention, the container unit comprises of a pluralit~ of containers, at least one of which is
displaceably mounted. This enables at least one displaceable container to be selectively
moved into a higher or lower position. Accordingly, in a particularly plerell~d embodiment,
the conLail-el unit comprises two containers, which are pivotably mounted about a horizontal
axis. If the floor or the carpeted floor needs to be cleaned benèath a table, both pivotable
10 containers can be pivoted outwards and downwards about their respective pivoting axes. At
the same time the container unit usefully comprises, in addition to its two displaceable
containers, a further fixed container, which is preferably provided directly below the pivotable
containers (when in their upwardly pivoted positions).
In a further plerelled embodiment of the floor cleaning machine according to the
15 invention, the container unit comprises two containers each having an associated inclined
guide. These inclined guides allow, if required, displacement of the associated containers
downwards and outwards, thereby resulting in a reduction of the overall height of the
container unit. The conlainer unit can comprise a further, fixed container, which
advantageously is arranged directly below the displaceable containers. This arrangement, in
20 contrast to the embodiment with the pivotable containers, has the advantage that the overall
height can be adjusted in an infinitely variable manner and can be adjusted to suit the lateral
COII~ lS
It is also possible to provide a single container which can pivot or can be displaced
along an inclined guide. However, in this case, particular care needs to be taken to ensure
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that the load on the individual wheels does change substantially when the container is moved
from its normal position into its lowered position .
In an embodiment of the floor cleaning machine described above, it is particularly
useful to provide displaceable supplementary cleaning elements if the reduction of the overall
5 height of the container is associated with an increase of the overall width of the floor cleaning
machine. These supplementary cleaning elements can clean the floor below the downwardly
and outwardly pivoted and/or displaced container. Supplementary displaceable cleaning
elements of this kind are described, for example1 in German patent 41 03 087. In case of
floor cleaning machines of this kind with displaceable supplementary cleaning elements, the
10 working width of the floor cleaning machine which changes with the variation of the overall
height can be adapted to suit the overall width of its construction in an optimum manner.
In a further plerelled embodiment of the floor cleaning machine according to the
invention, at least one of the containers has at least two housing parts which can be displaced
within each other, and a balloon or bellows the capacity of which can change is provided
15 therein to accommodate the cleaning fluid. In case of a floor cleaning machine of this kind
when the vertical extent, i.e. the overall height, of the container varies, its capacity will
simultaneously change. When the capacity of the contalner is reduced associated with the
collapsed top part of the container, cleaning of floors can be also carried out under tables and
the like. A further advantage of such a floor cleaning machine is that, by specifying a certain
20 maximum capacity of the container, the pressure exerted by the floor cleaning machine on the
floor can be preset. This is of significance especially for cleaning of floors where a maximum
permissible load must not be exceeded. This is the case, for example, for floors of sports
halls.
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In the floor cleaning machine according to the invention, preferably the height of the
top edge of any fixed unit associated with the treatment unit is considerably lower than the
maximum height of the conlaine~(s). In this manner, further units of the floor cleaning unit,
even in case of a lowered container(s), will not hinder movement under relatively low tables
5 and the like. This arrangement is ,ul~fel.~d to an embodiment of the machine in which the
fixed units are mounted behind the container unit up to the maximum height of the container
unit. In this latter embodiment, even when the containers are lowered, the floor cleaning
machine could be pushed under tables and the like only until the fixed units strike against the
edge of the table or the like.
In a plefelled embodiment of the floor cleaning machine according to the invention,
the operating and control unit is connected to the chassis in a displaceable manner. For
example, the operating and control unit can be hinged on the chassis so as to be pivotable
about a horizontal axis. In such a floor cleaning machine, the operating and control unit can
be displaced, particularly pivoted, downward, so that it will not hinder the cleaning of the
15 floors under tables or the like. A floor cleaning machine with a fixed operating and control
unit can be pushed only up to the point when the operating and control unit knocks against
the edge of the table even when the overall height of the container is reduced. However, in
case of a downward pivoting operating and control unit, the floor cleaning machine can be
pushed fully under the table.
When compaled with other technical solutions of displacing the opelalh~g and control
unit, for example by a linear downward movement, an operating and control unit which can
be pivoted downward provides a further advantage. In particular, that the distance between
the cleaning brushes and the operating and control until, when in its downward pivoted
position, will be increased. This is a particular advantage when working under large tables,
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because the floor cleaning machine can be operated even when it is pushed in deep beneath
the table without the necessity of the operator to crawl under the table.
A further important advantage of a floor cleaning machine constructed according to
the invention is that its transport from one place of application to another one is considerably
5 simpler than is the case for the known floor cleaning machines. Whereas the latter need a van
or a small truck for their transport, a floor cleaning machine according to the invention, with
its overall height reduced, can be accommodated in a station wagon. The storage of the floor
cleaning machine according to the invention is also considerably simpler than is the case for
the known floor cleaning machines due to its smaller space req~ menl with the fluid
10 containerlowered.
The invention is explained in detail below based on the drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of the floor ll eall..elll machine according to
the invention constructed as a scrubber-suction machine,
Fig. 2 is a front view of the scrubber-suction machine according to Fig. 1,
Fig. 3 is a side view of a further pl~re. I~d embodiment of the floor treatment machine
according to the invention constructed as a scrubber-suction machine,
Fig. 4 is a front view on the scrubber-suction machine according to Fig. 3,
Fig. 5 is a side view of a third embodiment of the floor treatment machine according to
the invention constructed as a scrubber-suction machine.
The general construction of the scrubber-suction machine illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5,
respectively, is known. The units of the cleaning unit, are mounted on a chassis 1, which is
resting on wheels 2 on the ground 3. These units are, in particular, the drive motor 4 for the
main scrubber brush 5 arranged at the front, the battery 6, the pump unit 7 for the cleaning
fluid as well as the suction and separation unit 8. The latter is connected via the suction hose
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9 with the suction strip 10, provided at the rear. For the operation of the scrubber-suction
machine an operating and control panel 11 is provided at the rear and which comprises two
handles 12 and an instrument panel 13.
In the scrubber-suction machine illustrated in Figs 1 and 2, the container unit for the
5 cleaning fluid comprises three container sections, namely a fixed container 14 and two
displaceable containers 15, 16. Each of the two displaceable containers of the container unit
is pivotably hinged to the upper edge 18 of the side wall 19 of the housing via hinges 17
having horizontal pivoting axes. To reduce the overall height of the container unit, each of
the displaceable containers 15 and 16 can be pivoted laterally outwards and downwards
10 according to arrows A (Fig. 2) (into the position shown in dotted line), until lateral wall 20
abuts against the lateral wall 19 of the housing. Both displaceable containers 15 and 16 are
coupled via hose connections (not illustrated) in every position with the stationary container
14.
The working width of the scrubber-suction machine according to Figs. 1 and 2 can be
15 made to accord to the total width of the scrubber-suction machine when increased by pivoting
down the displaceable containers 15 and 16. This is achieved by supplementary ~eeph-g
devices 21 which are pivoted outwards, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2 for the left
(viewed in the working direction) supplementary sweeping device.
The operating and control unit 11 is located at the upper end of a section of the
20 housing 22, and is connected to the chassis via a hinge 23 having a horizontal pivot axis
running at right angle to the direction of travel. To enable work under tables or the like, the
housing section 22 together with opel~ling and control unit 11 can be pivoted rearwards and
downwards as shown by arrow B (Fig. 1), so that when the displaceable containers 15 and
16 and the housing section 22 are pivoted downwards, the overall height of the
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scrubber-suction machine is not greater than the top edge 18 of the fixed housing. Each
handle 12 has in its upper region a section having a generally horizontal orientation, which
enables an operator to safely and comfortably guide the scrubber-suction machine even when
the housing section 22is folded down. The control 24 of the cleaning unit is provided in the
5 lower region of the housing section 22.
The scrubber-suction machine according to Figs. 3 and 4 differs from that according to
Figs. 1 and 2 by providing displaceable containers 15 and 16 which are mounted on linear
guides 25 which extend outwardly and downwardly. With this construction, both containers
15 and 16 can be displaced in the direction of arrows C (Fig. 4), i.e. outwards and
10 downwards. This reduces the overall height of the container unit as shown by dotted line in
Fig. 4 where the position of both containers 15 and 16 are lowered to the maximum.. To
displace the heavy containers 15 and 16 along the linear guides 25 in completely filled
conditions, electric spindle drives (not illustrated) are provided.
The scrubber-suction machine illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 has supplementary
15 non-displaceable sweeping devices which are di~elelll than those according to Figs. 1 and 2.
However, displaceable sweeping devices can be provided readily by a construction of the
lowerable containers 15 and 16 in such a manner that sufficient space remains below them for
the supplementary sweeping device even in their lowered condition.
Similarly to the scrubber-suction machine according to Figs. 1 and 2, the housing
20 section 22 carrying the operating and control unit 11 is connected to the chassis 1 by means
of the hinge 23, so that it can be pivoted downwards to the rear as shown by arrow B (Fig.
3). In the scrubber-suction machine according to Figs. 3 and 4, the corresponding units are
mounted on the chassis as in the case of the scrubber-suction machine according to Figs. 1
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and 2, namely the drive motor 4 for the main brush 5, the battery 6, the pump unit 7 for the
cleaning fluid as well as the suction and sepal ~Ih~g unit 8.
In the scrubber-suction machine illustrated in Fig. S the container for the cleaning fluid
comprises a housing 26 and a balloon 31 to accommodate the cleaning fluid, the capacity of
5 balloon being variable. The maximum overall height of the container can be varied by
constructing the housing of the container from two components 26a and 26b which can be
displaced within each other. The bottom section 26a of the housing comprises a cylindrical
wall 27 as well as a bottom 28. The top section 26b of the housing also comprises a
cylindrical wall 29 and a cover plate 30. The top section of the housing can be displaced
10 vertically inside the bottom section of the housing. If some of the cleaning fluid has been used
up, or the container is initially filled only partially to carry out work under tables or the like,
the cleaning fluid requires only a corresponding proportion of the maximum volume of the
container. The top section 26b of the housing can be therefore displaced into the bottom
section 26a of the housing in the direction of arrow D to adjust the container's capacity.
15 Otherwise the construction of the scrubber-suction machine according to Fig. 5 corresponds
to that of the scrubber-suction machine according to Figs. I and 2, so that for underst~n(ling
reference can be made to the relevant description above.
