FLOOR MAINTENANCE MACHINE

• US 20070192973A1
• Filed: 02/17/2006
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nilfisk A/S (Nilfisk Holding A/S)
• Original Assignee: ALTO US Incorporated (ALTO U.S.)
• Inventors: Whitaker, Emert, Eklund, William
• Granted Patent: US 7,827,645 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/50.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/03 characterised by having provisions for supplying cleaning or polishing agents A47L11/065, A47L11/085, A47L11/125, A47L11/145, A47L11/161, A47L11/1625, A47L11/185, A47L11/201 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/305 the tools being disc brushes
• 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 11/4083 Liquid supply reservoirs; Preparation of the agents, e.g. mixing devices

Abstract

A floor maintenance machine is provided. The machine can be used to clean hard or soft floors. A cleaning fluid is dispensed by a dispensing system containing at least two reservoirs, one for a diluting bulk fluid and another for cleaner concentrate. The dispensing system effects both a controlled ratio of bulk fluid to cleaner concentrate and the rate of cleaning solution dispensed for cleaning.

Claims

1. A floor maintenance machine including:

a cleaning device for scrubbing contact with a floor;

a fluid feed conduit portion adapted to conduct fluid to a dispenser adjacent the cleaning device;

a first reservoir;

a first fluid conduit portion connecting the first reservoir in fluid flow communication with the fluid feed conduit portion;

a second reservoir;

a second conduit portion connecting the second reservoir in fluid flow communication with the fluid feed conduit portion;

a discharge flow control device connected in fluid flow communication with the fluid feed conduit portion and operable to control fluid flow to the dispenser;

a pump connected in fluid flow communication with the first conduit portion and operable to pump a first fluid from the first reservoir to the fluid feed conduit portion; and

a controller operably connected to the flow control device, pump and level sensor and operable to control operation of the pump in response to input signals from the level sensor and flow control device.

2. The floor maintenance machine of claim 1 including a level sensor operably associated with the second reservoir and operable to generate a signal indicative of level of second fluid in the second reservoir.

3. The floor maintenance machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein the controller includes a microprocessor.

4. The floor maintenance machine as set forth in claim 3 wherein the flow control device includes an on/off valve.

5. The floor maintenance machine as set forth in claim 4 wherein the pump includes a positive displacement pump.

6. The floor maintenance machine as set forth in claim 5 wherein the controller is operable to control the number of times the pump is activated for pumping in a period of time and the time period the pump is on for each pump on cycle.

7. The floor maintenance machine as set forth in claim 6 wherein the controller is operable to accumulate valve open time over a plurality of valve open cycles to effect controlled flow rates of fluids from the first and second reservoirs and activating a pump on cycle only if the valve is on.

8. The floor maintenance machine as set forth in claim 7 including a valve controller operably connected to the valve and operable to open the valve on a predetermined on/off cycle.

9. The floor maintenance machine as set forth in claim 8 wherein the valve controller is operable to provide different predetermined on/off cycles.

10. The floor machine as set forth in claim 3 wherein the flow control device includes a pump.

11. A method of maintaining floor by applying fluid thereto, said method including:

discharging a diluting fluid from a first reservoir to a mixing apparatus;

discharging a cleaner concentrate from a second reservoir to the mixing apparatus with a selectively on pump;

mixing the discharged diluting fluid and cleaner concentrate to form a cleaning solution;

providing a first signal indicative of level of diluting fluid in the first reservoir;

passing the cleaner concentrate and diluting fluid through a flow control device for discharge therefrom;

controlling operation of the flow control device to regulate discharge of the cleaner concentrate and diluting fluid therefrom;

providing a second signal indicative of flow control device operation;

processing the first and second signals to provide an output signal and controlling operation of the pump in response to the output signal; and

discharging the cleaner concentrate and diluting fluid onto a floor.

12. The method of claim 11 including combining the cleaner concentrate and diluting fluid prior to discharging onto a floor.