Surface cleaning machine having a wetting device

• US 10,130,230 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2017
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alfred Kärcher SE & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Moser, Fabian, Schulze, Manuel, Rufenach, Christoph, Buchmann, Johanna, Mueller, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): REDDING, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US15/484,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20170215676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 15320
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/202 having separate drive for the cleaning brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/302 having rotary tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4008 Arrangements of switches, indicators or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4016 specially adapted for collecting fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4027 Filtering or separating contaminants or debris
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4044 Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4069 Driving or transmission means for the cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/408 Means for supplying cleaning or surface treating agents
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4083 Liquid supply reservoirs; Preparation of the agents, e.g. mixing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4088 Supply pumps; Spraying devices; Supply conduits
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/30 with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0477 Rolls

Abstract

A surface cleaning machine including at least one cleaning roller, a drive device for rotary driving of the at least one cleaning roller, a wetting device for applying cleaning liquid to the at least one cleaning roller, and a suction unit arrangement for generating a suction stream is provided. The suction unit arrangement is fluidically connected to at least one suction duct and at least one suction nozzle that is associated with the at least one cleaning roller. The wetting device includes at least one pressure-controlled switch that opens a fluid path for cleaning liquid to the at least one cleaning roller and shuts off the fluid path, and the at least one pressure-controlled switch is coupled to the at least one suction duct, wherein a suction stream in the at least one suction duct moves the pressure-controlled switch into the open position and/or maintains the open position.

Claims

1. A surface cleaning machine, comprising:

at least one cleaning roller;

a drive device for rotary driving of the at least one cleaning roller,

a distributor for distributing cleaning liquid to the at least one cleaning roller,

a wetting device for applying the cleaning liquid to the at least one cleaning roller, and

a suction unit arrangement for generating a suction stream, which is fluidically connected to at least one suction duct and at least one suction nozzle that is associated with the at least one cleaning roller,

wherein the wetting device includes at least one pressure-controlled switch that, in an open position, opens a fluid path for cleaning liquid to the at least one cleaning roller and, in a closed position, shuts off the fluid path,

wherein the at least one pressure-controlled switch is coupled to the at least one suction duct in a manner activated by pressure, wherein, in the event of the application of a negative pressure brought about by a suction stream in the at least one suction duct, the at least one pressure-controlled switch at least one of (i) moves into the open position and (ii) maintains the open position, and

wherein the distributor is arranged downstream of the at least one pressure-controlled switch and is fluidically connected to the fluid path, and wherein the distributor has an outlet opening device that is arranged and formed such that, depending on an angular position of the distributor in relation to the direction of gravity, cleaning liquid flows or does not flow out of the distributor to the at least one cleaning roller.

2. The surface cleaning machine according to claim 1, comprising at least one collecting space for cleaning liquid, wherein the fluid path that is controllable, in terms of opening and closing, by the at least one pressure-controlled switch lies between the at least one collecting space and the at least one cleaning roller.

3. The surface cleaning machine according to claim 1, comprising a reservoir device for cleaning liquid that is fluidically connected to the fluid path and is in particular fluidically connected to at least one collecting space for cleaning liquid.

4. The surface cleaning machine according to claim 3, wherein, in a normal operating mode of the surface cleaning machine, the reservoir device is located above the at least one cleaning roller in relation to the direction of gravity.

5. The surface cleaning machine according to claim 1, wherein the at least one pressure-controlled switch has a first surface, which is connected to the at least one suction duct in a manner activated by pressure, and a second surface, which is connected to the outside in a manner activated by pressure, and wherein a pressure difference between the first surface and the second surface determines the position of the at least one pressure-controlled switch.

6. The surface cleaning machine according to claim 5, wherein the application of a negative pressure on the at least one suction duct brings about a pressure difference between the first surface and the second surface that at least one of (i) moves the at least one pressure-controlled switch into the open position and (ii) keeps it in the open position.

7. The surface cleaning machine according to claim 6, wherein the at least one pressure-controlled switch has a reset device which, if a minimum threshold of the pressure difference is not reached, at least one of (i) performs a reset to the closed position and (ii) maintains the closed position.

8. The surface cleaning machine according to claim 7, wherein the reset device is formed by an inherent resilience of the at least one pressure-controlled switch.

9. The surface cleaning machine according to claim 1, wherein the at least one pressure-controlled switch has a movable membrane.

10. The surface cleaning machine according to claim 1, wherein the at least one pressure-controlled switch has at least one movable shut-off element for the fluid path, arranged in particular at a movable membrane.

11. The surface cleaning machine according to claim 1, wherein the distributor includes at least one channel or is formed by at least one channel.

12. The surface cleaning machine according to claim 11, wherein the at least one channel at least one of (i) extends at least approximately parallel to a longitudinal axis of the at least one cleaning roller and (ii) extends at least approximately parallel to an axis of rotation of the at least one cleaning roller.

13. The surface cleaning machine according to claim 11, wherein the at least one channel extends, by means of an outlet opening device, over at least 80% of a length of the at least one cleaning roller and in particular over an entire length of the at least one cleaning roller.

14. The surface cleaning machine according to claim 11, wherein the at least one channel has a half-shell shape.

15. The surface cleaning machine according to claim 1, wherein the angular position of the distributor in relation to the direction of gravity is determined by an angular position of a longitudinal axis of the surface cleaning machine in relation to a surface to be cleaned.

16. The surface cleaning machine according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cleaning roller is wetted by way of the distributor in a gravity-controlled manner.

17. The surface cleaning machine according to claim 1, wherein, in regard to wetting the at least one cleaning roller with the wetting device, the surface cleaning machine takes a form without pumps.

18. The surface cleaning machine according to claim 1, wherein the fluid path has at least one slot channel that in particular takes a form such that a capillary effect occurs for the flow of cleaning liquid.

19. The surface cleaning machine according to claim 18, wherein a jacket of the at least one cleaning roller abuts, or almost abuts, against an outlet opening device of the at least one slot channel.

20. The surface cleaning machine according to claim 18, wherein a distributor for cleaning liquid is upstream of the at least one slot channel, in relation to a direction of flow for cleaning liquid.

21. The surface cleaning machine according to claim 1, wherein in a cleaning mode the surface cleaning machine is supported on the surface to be cleaned only by way of a cleaning roller that is driven in rotation.

22. A surface cleaning machine, comprising:

at least one cleaning roller;

a drive device for rotary driving of the at least one cleaning roller,

a distributor for distributing cleaning liquid to the at least one cleaning roller,

a wetting device for applying the cleaning liquid to the at least one cleaning roller, and

a suction unit arrangement for generating a suction stream, which is fluidically connected to at least one suction duct and at least one suction nozzle that is associated with the at least one cleaning roller,

wherein the wetting device includes at least one pressure-controlled switch that, in an open position, opens a fluid path for cleaning liquid to the at least one cleaning roller and, in a closed position, shuts off the fluid path,

wherein the at least one pressure-controlled switch is coupled to the at least one suction duct in a manner activated by pressure, wherein, in the event of the application of a negative pressure brought about by a suction stream in the at least one suction duct, the at least one pressure-controlled switch at least one of (i) moves into the open position and (ii) maintains the open position, and

wherein the distributor is arranged downstream of the at least one pressure-controlled switch and is fluidically connected to the fluid path, wherein the distributor includes at least one channel or is formed by at least one channel, the at least one channel having a half-shell shape.