Selectively Adjustable Steering Mechanism for Use on a Floor Cleaning Machine

• US 20110023248A1
• Filed: 07/29/2009
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karcher North America Incorporated (Alfred Kärcher SE & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Karcher North America Incorporated (Alfred Kärcher SE & Co. KG)
• Inventors: Venard, Daniel C., Tucker, Steven W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,302,240 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/4
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/30 by suction
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4061 Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated

Abstract

A floor cleaning machine is provided that includes a chassis that supports at least one cleaning element. The chassis is supported by a plurality of wheels, one which is steerable via a steering wheel that is interconnected to a housing also associated with the chassis. The chassis provided includes a plurality of movable housing members, one of which is associated with the steering wheel. To access the internal components of the floor cleaning machine, the front housing is rotated or moved away from the other housings wherein the steering wheel does not require disconnection to allow this movement.

Claims

1. A floor cleaning machine, comprising:

a primary housing;

a front housing rotatably interconnected to the primary housing by way of a first hinge such that the front housing is capable of moving relative to the primary housing;

a rear housing rotatably interconnected to the primary housing by way of a second hinge such that the rear housing is capable of hingedly moving relative to the primary housing;

a steering mechanism associated with the front housing;

a steering shaft interconnected between the steering wheel and a chassis, wherein when the front housing is rotated from the primary housing, the steering shaft flexes and moves coincident with the movement of the front housing such that the steering wheel remains associated with the chassis.

2. The floor cleaning machine of claim 1, wherein the steering shaft has a rigid portion interconnected to the steering wheel on one end and to a slip fitting on a second end, with a flexible portion therebetween, wherein the slip fitting is slidingly interconnected to a shaft that is associated with a steering mechanism of the floor cleaning device.

3. The floor cleaning machine of claim 2, wherein the shaft of the steering mechanism has a hexagonal outer surface that interacts with a hexagonal hole in the slip fitting.

5. The floor cleaning machine of claim 1, further comprising a floor cleaning apparatus associated with the chassis.

4. (canceled)

6. A floor cleaning machine, comprising:

a primary housing;

a front housing rotatably interconnected to the primary housing by way of a first hinge such that the front housing is capable of moving relative to the primary housing;

a rear housing rotatably interconnected to the primary housing by way of a first hinge such that the rear housing is capable of moving moves relative to the chassis;

a means for steering associated with the front housing; and

an interconnecting member associating the means for steering with a chassis wherein when the front housing is rotated from the primary housing, the interconnecting member flexes and moves coincident with the movement of the front housing such that the means for steering remains associated with the chassis.

7. The floor cleaning device of claim 6, wherein the interconnecting member includes a steering shaft having a rigid portion interconnected to the steering wheel on one end and to a slip fitting on a second end, with a flexible portion therebetween, wherein the slip fitting is slidingly interconnected to a shaft that is associated with a steering mechanism of the floor cleaning device.

8. The floor cleaning machine of claim 7, wherein the shaft of the steering mechanism interacts with a hexagonal hole in the slip fitting.

9. The floor cleaning machine of claim 6, wherein the front housing is rotatably interconnected to the primary housing.

10. The floor cleaning machine of claim 6, further comprising a floor cleaning apparatus associated with the chassis.

11. A floor cleaning machine comprising a chassis supported by a front steering wheel and two rear wheels wherein the front wheel is selectively rotatable by a steering mechanism that is associated with a steering wheel, the machine also including a primary housing interconnected to the chassis, a front housing hingedly and rotatably interconnected to the primary housing, and a rear housing hingedly and rotatably interconnected to the chassis, the improvement comprising:

a steering shaft interconnected between the steering wheel and the steering mechanism, the steering shaft having a rigid portion interconnected to the steering wheel and to a slip fitting, with a flexible portion therebetween, wherein the slip fitting is slidingly interconnected to a shaft that is associated with the steering mechanism of the floor cleaning device such that when the front housing is rotated from the chassis, the steering shaft flexes and moves so that the steering wheel remains associated with the chassis.

12-13. -13. (canceled)

14. A floor cleaning machine, comprising:

a chassis;

a primary housing interconnected to the chassis;

a front housing rotatably associated with one of the primary housing and the chassis;

a steering wheel associated with the front housing;

a steering shaft interconnected between the steering wheel and the chassis, the steering shaft having a rigid portion, a slip fitting and a flexible portion, wherein the slip fitting slidingly communicates with one of the rigid portion and flexible portion and is associated with a steering mechanism of the floor cleaning device, wherein when the front housing is rotated from the primary housing, the steering shaft flexes and moves coincident with the movement of the front housing such that the steering shaft remains associated with the chassis.

15. The floor cleaning machine of claim 14, wherein the shaft of the steering mechanism has a hexagonal outer surface that interacts with a hexagonal hole in the slip fitting.

16. The flooring cleaning machine of claim 14, a rear housing is rotatably associated with one of the primary housing and the chassis.

17. The floor cleaning machine of claim 14, wherein the slip fitting is attached to the steering mechanism.

18. The floor cleaning machine of claim 14, wherein the slip fitting is attached to the steering wheel.

19. The floor cleaning machine of claim 14, further comprising a floor cleaning apparatus associated with the chassis.

20. The floor cleaning machine of claim 19, wherein the floor cleaning apparatus is at least one of a brush, a squeegee, a spray nozzle and a burnisher.