Riding floor cleaning machines having intelligent systems, associated sub-assemblies incorporating intelligent systems, and associated methods of use

• US 10,016,113 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2016
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Cleaning Equipment Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: International Cleaning Equipment Holdings Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Chen, Nai Pong Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie
• Application Number:
  US15/152,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20160249782A1
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/283 the tools being disc brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4008 Arrangements of switches, indicators or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4011 Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4013 Contaminants collecting devices, i.e. hoppers, tanks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4044 Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4055 for lifting the tools to a non-working position
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4061 Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4083 Liquid supply reservoirs; Preparation of the agents, e.g. mixing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/823 where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A riding floor cleaning machine having an intelligent system including a main frame sub-assembly, a steering and drive wheel sub-assembly, a solution tank sub-assembly, a recovery tank sub-assembly, a recovery tank cover sub-assembly, a control panel sub-assembly, a main controller sub-assembly, a seat and detergent system sub-assembly, a battery sub-assembly, a scrub head sub-assembly, a scrub head lift sub-assembly, a squeegee sub-assembly, a solution and detergent sub-assembly, and an intelligent system associated with at least one of the above-identified sub-assemblies, wherein the intelligent system selectively gathers, obtains, monitors, stores, records, and/or analyzes data associated with components of the riding floor cleaning machine, and controllably communicates and/or disseminates such data with another system and/or user.

Claims

1. A method for using an intelligent system with a riding floor cleaning machine, comprising the steps of:

providing a riding floor cleaning machine having a main frame sub-assembly, a steering and drive wheel sub-assembly, a solution tank sub-assembly, a recovery tank sub-assembly, a recovery tank cover sub-assembly, a control panel sub-assembly, a main controller sub-assembly, a seat and detergent system sub-assembly, a battery sub-assembly comprising a secondary electrochemical cell, wherein the secondary electrochemical cell is positioned below a seat of the seat and detergent system sub-assembly and wherein the secondary electrochemical cell is positioned adjacent to a detergent bottle of the seat and detergent system sub-assembly, a scrub head sub-assembly, a scrub head lift sub-assembly, a squeegee sub-assembly, a solution and detergent sub-assembly, and an intelligent system comprising the secondary electrochemical cell in electrical communication with a controller;

selectively gathering, obtaining, monitoring, storing, recording, and/or analyzing data associated with at least one of the main frame sub-assembly, the steering and drive wheel sub-assembly, the solution tank sub-assembly, the recovery tank sub-assembly, the recovery tank cover sub-assembly, the control panel sub-assembly, the main controller sub-assembly, the seat and detergent system sub-assembly, the battery sub-assembly comprising the secondary electrochemical cell, the scrub head sub-assembly, the scrub head lift sub-assembly, the squeegee sub-assembly, the solution and detergent sub-assembly of the floor cleaning machine; and

controllably communicating and/or disseminating data with at least one of another system and user.

2. A method for using an intelligent system with a riding floor cleaning machine, comprising the steps of:

obtaining operational data for a riding floor cleaning machine having a main frame sub-assembly, a steering and drive wheel sub-assembly, a solution tank sub-assembly, a recovery tank sub-assembly, a recovery tank cover sub-assembly, a control panel sub-assembly, a main controller sub-assembly, a seat and detergent system sub-assembly, a battery sub-assembly comprising a secondary electrochemical cell, wherein the secondary electrochemical cell is positioned below a seat of the seat and detergent system sub-assembly and wherein the secondary electrochemical cell is positioned adjacent to a detergent bottle of the seat and detergent system sub-assembly, a scrub head sub-assembly, a scrub head lift sub-assembly, a squeegee sub-assembly, a solution and detergent sub-assembly, and an intelligent system comprising the secondary electrochemical cell in electrical communication with a controller, the operational data being generated for any of the secondary electrochemical cell, a vacuum motor, a transaxle, and a brush motor of the riding floor cleaning machine;

communicatively coupling the riding floor cleaning machine with a management server;

querying the riding floor cleaning machine for operational data for any of the secondary electrochemical cell, the vacuum motor, the transaxle, and the brush motor;

performing at least one operational data analysis process on the obtained operational data; and

transmitting an alert message to an owner of the riding floor cleaning machine assembly if the operational analysis indicates that a threshold violating event has occurred.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the at least one operational data analysis process comprises comparing an actual operational time to an operational time threshold, wherein the threshold violating event includes the actual operational time not meeting the operational time threshold.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the actual operational time relates to any of the secondary electrochemical cell, the vacuum motor, the transaxle, the brush motor, and the riding floor cleaning machine.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the at least one operational data analysis process comprises comparing an actual charging time to a charging time threshold, wherein the threshold violating event includes the actual charging time not meeting the charging time threshold.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the at least one operational data analysis process comprises comparing actual square footage covered by the riding floor cleaning machine assembly to an expected square footage.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein the actual square footage is calculated by counting transaxle revolutions of the transaxle of the riding floor cleaning machine assembly.

8. A method for using an intelligent system with a riding floor cleaning machine, comprising the steps of:

detecting a failure of a component of a riding floor cleaning machine assembly having a main frame sub-assembly, a steering and drive wheel sub-assembly, a solution tank sub-assembly, a recovery tank sub-assembly, a recovery tank cover sub-assembly, a control panel sub-assembly, a main controller sub-assembly, a seat and detergent system sub-assembly, a battery sub-assembly comprising a secondary electrochemical cell, wherein the secondary electrochemical cell is positioned below a seat of the seat and detergent system sub-assembly and wherein the secondary electrochemical cell is positioned adjacent to a detergent bottle of the seat and detergent system sub-assembly, a scrub head sub-assembly, a scrub head lift sub-assembly, a squeegee sub-assembly, a solution and detergent sub-assembly, and an intelligent system comprising the secondary electrochemical cell in electrical communication with a controller during operation or startup of the riding floor cleaning machine assembly;

establishing communication with a management server; and

transmitting a fault message to the management server, the fault message comprising an indication as to the component that failed, wherein the component includes any of the secondary electrochemical cell, a vacuum motor, a transaxle, and a brush motor.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising receiving an emergency shut down signal from the management server;

and performing an emergency shut down upon receiving the emergency shut down signal from the management server.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising automatically ordering a replacement part for an identified failed component upon detection of the failure.

11. The method according to claim 8, further comprising pushing an update to the riding floor cleaning machine assembly upon establishing communication with the management server.