ORBITAL SCRUBBER
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
This orbital motion scrubber uses less cleaning solution than many conventional rotary motion scrubbers of comparable scrub width and tank size, which results in longer solution run time. The present invention drives the cleaning element in a high speed orbital motion which results in more revolutions per spot than many conventional rotary motion scrubbers. A flexible pad driver produces better cleaning of uneven hard surface floors than some prior art designs with rigid pad drivers. The brush motor that drives the pad driver and the cleaning element of the present invention uses less electrical energy than the brush motor in many rotary motion scrubbers which results in longer battery run time.
64 Citations
76 Claims
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1-43. -43. (canceled)
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44. A method of cleaning a hard floor surface with a floor scrubber, the method comprising the steps of:
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applying liquid cleaning solution to the hard floor surface in the proximity of a forward edge of a flexible cleaning element;
scrubbing the wet hard floor surface by movement of a flexible pad driver and a flexible cleaning element in an orbital path to loosen soil from the hard floor surface leaving behind a soiled solution;
applying an adjustable load on the flexible pad driver and flexible cleaning pad depending on how dirty the hard floor surface may be; and
removing at least a portion of the soiled solution from the hard floor surface through a fluid recovery device.
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45-47. -47. (canceled)
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48. A method of cleaning a hard floor surface with a floor scrubber free of splash skirts, the method comprising the steps of:
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placing a cleaning solution of water and concentrated floor soap in a solution tank of the floor scrubber;
contacting the hard floor surface with the cleaning solution;
scrubbing the wetted hard floor surface by movement of a flexible pad driver and the flexible cleaning element in an orbital path to loosen soil from the hard floor surface leaving behind a soiled solution;
placing an adjustable load on the flexible pad driver and the cleaning element to allow for accommodation of heavily soiled floor surfaces and those that are lightly soiled; and
removing at least a portion of the soiled solution from the hard floor surface through a vacuum squeegee.
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49-51. -51. (canceled)
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52. A floor scrubber having at least one rechargeable battery, a solution tank to hold a cleaning solution, a squeegee to pick up a dirty fluid which is held in a recovery tank, the floor scrubber to clean hard floor surfaces characterized by:
a cleaning head assembly having;
i) a flexible pad driver;
ii) a removable cleaning element; and
iii) a motor and eccentric cam to impart orbital movement to the flexible pad driver and the removable cleaning element. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A method of cleaning a hard floor surface with a floor scrubber, the method comprising the steps of:
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contacting the hard floor surface with a cleaning solution; and
scrubbing the wetted hard floor surface with a removable cleaning element driven by a flexible pad driver in an orbital motion by a motor and eccentric cam. - View Dependent Claims (61)
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62. A cleaning head assembly for use with a floor scrubber to clean hard floor surfaces, comprising:
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a flexible pad driver;
a removable cleaning element;
means for attaching the removable cleaning element to the flexible pad driver; and
means for imparting orbital movement to the flexible pad driver and the removable cleaning element.
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63. A cleaning head assembly for use with a floor scrubber to clean hard floor surfaces, comprising:
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a flexible pad driver;
a removable cleaning element;
a plurality of connecting elements to attach the removable cleaning element to the flexible pad driver; and
a brush motor and eccentric cam to impart orbital movement to the flexible pad driver.
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64. A cleaning head assembly for use with a floor scrubber to clean hard floor surfaces, comprising:
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a motor mounted on a motor mounting plate, the brush motor drawing greater than about 8 amps. and less than about 18 amps.;
a flexible pad driver;
a removable cleaning element operatively connected to the flexible pad driver; and
means for driving the cleaning element in an orbital motion in contact with the floor surface.
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65. A cleaning head assembly for use with a floor scrubber to clean hard floor surfaces, comprising:
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a flexible pad driver;
a removable cleaning element operatively connected to the flexible pad driver;
a motor and eccentric cam to impart orbital movement to the flexible pad driver and the removable cleaning element; and
the motor drawing greater than about 8 amps. and less than about 18 amps.
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66. A floor scrubber to clean hard floor surfaces, the scrubber having a cleaning head assembly comprising:
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a flexible pad driver;
a removable cleaning element;
means for attaching the removable cleaning element to the flexible pad driver; and
means for imparting orbital movement to the flexible pad driver and the removable cleaning element.
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67. A floor scrubber to clean hard floor surfaces, the scrubber having a cleaning head assembly comprising:
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a flexible pad driver;
a removable cleaning element;
a plurality of connecting elements to attach the removable cleaning element to the flexible pad driver; and
a brush motor and eccentric cam to impart orbital movement to the flexible pad driver. - View Dependent Claims (68)
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69. A floor scrubber to clean hard floor surfaces, the scrubber having a cleaning head assembly comprising:
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a motor mounted on a motor mounting plate, the brush motor drawing greater than about 8 amps. and less than about 18 amps.;
a flexible pad driver;
a removable cleaning element operatively connected to the flexible pad driver;
means for driving the cleaning element in an orbital motion in contact with the floor surface.
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70. A floor scrubber to clean hard floor surfaces, the scrubber having a cleaning head assembly comprising:
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a flexible pad driver;
a removable cleaning element operatively connected to the flexible pad driver;
a motor and eccentric cam to impart orbital movement to the flexible pad driver and the removable cleaning element; and
the motor drawing greater than about 8 amps. and less than about 18 amps.
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71. A floor scrubber to clean hard floor surfaces, the floor scrubber having at least one rechargeable battery, a solution tank to hold a cleaning solution, a squeegee to pick up a dirty fluid which is held in a recovery tank, the floor scrubber comprising:
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a cleaning head assembly having;
i) a flexible pad driver;
ii) a removable cleaning element; and
iii) a motor and eccentric cam to impart orbital movement to the flexible pad driver and the removable cleaning element; and
an adjustable actuator to impart a variable amount of load on the flexible pad driver and the removable cleaning element.
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72. A floor scrubber to clean hard floor surfaces, comprising:
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a cleaning head assembly comprising;
a flexible pad driver;
a removable cleaning element;
means for attaching the removable cleaning element to the flexible pad driver; and
means for imparting orbital movement to the flexible pad driver and the removable cleaning element; and
means for imparting a variable amount of load on the flexible pad driver and the removable cleaning element. - View Dependent Claims (73)
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74. A floor scrubber to clean hard floor surfaces, comprising:
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a cleaning head assembly comprising;
a flexible pad driver;
a removable cleaning element;
a plurality of connecting elements to attach the removable cleaning element to the flexible pad driver; and
a brush motor and eccentric cam to impart orbital movement to the flexible pad driver; and
an adjustable actuator to impart a variable amount of load on the flexible pad driver and the removable cleaning element.
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75. A floor scrubber to clean hard floor surfaces, comprising:
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a cleaning head assembly comprising;
a motor mounted on a motor mounting plate, the brush motor drawing greater than about 8 amps. and less than about 18 amps.;
a flexible pad driver;
a removable cleaning element operatively connected to the flexible pad driver; and
means for driving the cleaning element in an orbital motion in contact with the floor surface; and
an adjustable actuator to impart a variable amount of load on the flexible pad driver and the removable cleaning element.
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76. A floor scrubber to clean hard floor surfaces, comprising:
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a cleaning head assembly comprising;
a flexible pad driver;
a removable cleaning element -operatively connected to the flexible pad driver;
a motor and eccentric cam to impart orbital movement to the flexible pad driver and the removable cleaning element; and
the motor drawing greater than about 8 amps. and less than about 18 amps.; and
an adjustable actuator to impart a variable amount of load on the flexible pad driver and the removable cleaning element.
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Specification