Device for cleaning a surface, comprising at least one rotatable brush
First Claim
1. A cleaning device for movement across a surface to sweep dirt particles and liquid from said surface, said cleaning device comprising:
- a. a brush arranged in the device for rotation about an axis and including a multiplicity of radially extending flexible brush elements that comprise microfiber brush elements packed in tufts, wherein the brush has a maximum diameter relating to a fully outstretched condition of the brush elements, the brush elements further having respective tip portions for contacting the surface, wherein a majority of a total number of said tip portions of the brush elements have a linear mass density of 0.8 g per 10 km, wherein the brush elements further have a bending stiffness based on the linear mass density being 0.8 g per 10 km (i) that renders the brush elements incapable of remaining in an original outstretched shape when the brush is not rotating and (ii) that only stretch out to the fully outstretched condition when the brush is rotating; and
b. a drive apparatus coupled to the brush for rotating said brush about said axis such that the tip portions repeatedly make momentary contact with the surface and are thereby deformed to wipe across said surface and pick up said dirt particles and liquid, said drive apparatus being powered during operation to suddenly accelerate said tip portions from a first lower rate, when deformed, to a second higher rate of at least 3,000 m/sec2 as said tip portions break free from contact with the surface and tend to straighten out, said accelerated tip portions flinging the dirt particles and liquid into a channel of the cleaning device for collection.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device for cleaning a surface (11) comprises at least one rotatable brush (3,4) which is provided with flexible brush elements (18) for contacting the surface (11) and picking up dirt particles (10) and liquid which are present on the surface (11) during a dirt pick-up period of each revolution of the brush (3, 4), and means for driving the brush (3, 4). A linear mass density of the flexible brush elements (18) is chosen such as to be lower than 50 g per 10 km, at least at tip portions, and an acceleration at tips of the brush elements (18) is set such as to be at least 3,000 m/sec2, at least at some time during another period of each revolution of the brush (3, 4) than the dirt pick-up period, namely a period in which the brush elements (18) are free from contact to the surface (11).
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A cleaning device for movement across a surface to sweep dirt particles and liquid from said surface, said cleaning device comprising:
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a. a brush arranged in the device for rotation about an axis and including a multiplicity of radially extending flexible brush elements that comprise microfiber brush elements packed in tufts, wherein the brush has a maximum diameter relating to a fully outstretched condition of the brush elements, the brush elements further having respective tip portions for contacting the surface, wherein a majority of a total number of said tip portions of the brush elements have a linear mass density of 0.8 g per 10 km, wherein the brush elements further have a bending stiffness based on the linear mass density being 0.8 g per 10 km (i) that renders the brush elements incapable of remaining in an original outstretched shape when the brush is not rotating and (ii) that only stretch out to the fully outstretched condition when the brush is rotating; and b. a drive apparatus coupled to the brush for rotating said brush about said axis such that the tip portions repeatedly make momentary contact with the surface and are thereby deformed to wipe across said surface and pick up said dirt particles and liquid, said drive apparatus being powered during operation to suddenly accelerate said tip portions from a first lower rate, when deformed, to a second higher rate of at least 3,000 m/sec2 as said tip portions break free from contact with the surface and tend to straighten out, said accelerated tip portions flinging the dirt particles and liquid into a channel of the cleaning device for collection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification