Floor cleaning apparatus with control circuitry

• US 20050028316A1
• Filed: 09/03/2004
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Diversey Incorporated (Sealed Air)
• Original Assignee: Benjamin L. Wirz, Colin Angle, Gideon Coltof, Jayant Sharma, John P O'Brien, Joseph L. Jones, Lee F. Sword, Mark Chiappetta, Paul E. Sandin, Phillip R. Mass, Robert A. Connors, Robert K. Kay, Rosario Robert, Selma Slipichevich, Victor W. Thomas Sr
• Inventors: Connors, Robert A., Sword, Lee F., Sandin, Paul E., O'Brien, John P., Jones, Joseph L., Chiappetta, Mark, Slipichevich, Selma, Robert, Rosario, Coltof, Gideon, Angle, Colin, Sharma, Jayant, Wirz, Benjamin L., Thomas, Victor W. Sr., Kay, Robert K., Mass, Phillip R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,013,527 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/320
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/14 with rotating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/24 Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/282 having rotary tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/30 by suction
• 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 11/4036 Parts or details of the surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4038 Disk shaped surface treating tools
• 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 11/4052 Movement of the tools or the like perpendicular to the cleaning surface
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4069 Driving or transmission means for the cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4088 Supply pumps; Spraying devices; Supply conduits

Abstract

A floor cleaner is provided for cleaning a floor, where the floor cleaner has a front and a rear and includes: a sweeper for sweeping the floor; a scrubber, connected to the sweeper and located in the rear of the sweeper, for wetting and cleaning the floor; and a burnisher, connected to the scrubber and located in the rear of the scrubber, for burnishing the floor.

Claims

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22. A cleaner for cleaning a floor comprising a first assembly of components for performing a first cleaning operation on the floor,

a second assembly of components for performing a second cleaning operation on the floor,

control circuitry connected to the first and second assemblies, executing in parallel a first program module operating the first assembly and a second program module operating the second assembly, wherein the first program module supplies data to the second program module, and the second program module modifies the operation of the second assembly based on said data.

23. A cleaner for cleaning a floor comprising a first assembly of components for performing a first cleaning operation on the floor,

a second assembly of components for performing a second cleaning operation on the floor,

control circuitry, connected to the first and second assemblies, executing in parallel a first program module operating the first assembly and a second program module operating the second assembly, wherein the control circuitry comprises at least two processors, one processor executing the first program module and a second processor executing the second program module.

24. A cleaner for cleaning a floor comprising a first assembly of components for performing a first cleaning operation on the floor,

a second assembly of components for performing a second cleaning operation on the floor

control circuitry, connected to the first and second assemblies, executing in parallel a first program module operating the first assembly and a second program module operating the second assembly, wherein the first assembly includes a scrubber and the second assembly includes a burnisher.

25. The cleaner of claim 24 further comprising:

a third assembly of components for sweeping the floor, wherein the control circuitry is further connected to the third assembly and executes, in parallel with the first and second program modules, a third program module operating the third assembly.

26. A cleaner for cleaning a floor comprising

a first assembly of components for performing a first cleaning operation on the floor,

a second assembly of components for performing a second cleaning operation on the floor,

control circuitry, connected to the first and second assemblies, executing in parallel a first and second program modules,

the first program module comprising a first plurality of instructions for controlling the operations of the first and second assemblies and coordinating among the operations of the first and second assemblies,

the second program module comprising a second plurality of instructions for controlling the operations of the first and second assemblies,

wherein the first plurality of instructions includes an instruction for

supplying a command from the first program module to the second program module, the command requiring performance of a sequence of actions by at least one of the first and second assemblies, wherein the first program module, after executing the instruction for supplying the command, executes other instructions independent of performance of said sequence of actions,

the second plurality of instructions including a sequence of instructions for causing said at least one of the first and second assemblies to perform said sequence of actions, the second program module executing the sequence of instructions independent of the first program module.

27. The cleaner of claim 26 wherein the control circuitry comprises at least two processors, one processor executing the first program module and a second processor executing the second program module.

28. The cleaner of claim 26 wherein the first assembly includes a scrubber and the second assembly includes a burnisher.

29. The cleaner of claim 28 further comprising:

a third assembly of components for sweeping the floor, wherein the control circuitry is further connected to the third assembly,

wherein the first program module further comprises a third plurality of instructions for operating the third assembly and coordinating among the operations of the third assembly, and the first and second assemblies,

wherein the second program module further comprises a fourth plurality of instructions for operating the third assembly,

wherein the second plurality of instructions includes an instruction for supplying a second command from the first program module to the second program module, the command requiring performance of a second sequence of actions by the third assembly,

wherein the first program module, after executing the instruction for supplying the second command, executes other instructions independent of performance of said second sequence of actions,

the second plurality of instructions including a second sequence of instructions for causing the third assembly to perform said second sequence of actions, the second program module executing the second sequence of instructions independent of the first program module.

30. A cleaner comprising

a first assembly of components for performing a first cleaning operation,

a second assembly of components for performing a second cleaning operation,

control circuitry, connected to the first and second assemblies,

coordinating an operation of the first assembly relative to an operation of the second assembly based on a distance traveled by said cleaner.

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