FLOOR CLEANING DEVICE HAVING DISPOSABLE FLOOR SHEETS AND ROTATABLE BEATER BAR AND METHOD OF CLEANING A FLOOR THEREWITH

• US 20160278594A1
• Filed: 06/03/2016
• Published: 09/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: BRADBURY, Glenn Allen
• Granted Patent: US 9,661,968 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/22 Floor-sweeping machines, hand-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/33 having means for storing dirt
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4013 Contaminants collecting devices, i.e. hoppers, tanks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4069 Driving or transmission means for the cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4072 Arrangement of castors or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/12 Implements with several different treating devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/16 Cloths; Pads; Sponges metal scraping sponges A47L13/07
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/20 Mops
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/44 Securing scouring-cloths to the brush or like body of the implement
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/52 Dust pans; Crumb trays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0422 driven by the rotation of the supporting wheels on which the nozzle travels over the floor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0483 Reciprocating or oscillating tools, e.g. vibrators, agitators, beaters
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0686 Nozzles with cleaning cloths, e.g. using disposal fabrics for covering the nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1409 Rigid filtering receptacles dust collecting receptacles for cyclones A47L9/1683

Abstract

A cleaning system. The system has a floor cleaning device, disposable floor sheet removably attachable to the device pad, and a rotatable beater bar. The device has a single wheel, and moves on the target surface by rolling action of the wheel and gliding of the floor sheet. This arrangement, not having multiple wheels, provides enhanced maneuverability, and improves cleaning performance. The cleaning system may be used to clean hard surfaces, such as a floor.

Claims

1. A foot for a floor cleaning device and being able to receive a handle pivotally attached thereto, said foot being movable on a floor and comprising:

a housing having a front side, a rear side longitudinally opposed thereto, a top and a bottom opposed thereto and two opposed sides connecting said front side and said rear side,

a sole plate juxtaposed with the bottom of the housing and being able to removably receive a disposable floor sheet thereon,

at least one wheel disposed in said foot and rotating in response to movement of said foot on a floor, an axially rotatable beater bar with at least one blade extending radially outwardly therefrom, said beater bar rotating in response to rotation of said at least one wheel; and

a dirt bin disposed in said housing and in communication with said beater bar to receive debris therefrom and being removable through the top of said housing, said dirt bin having an inclined ramp fixedly mounted thereto and juxtaposed with said beater bar.

4. A foot according to claim 1 further comprising a castor and/or roller ball juxtaposed with the bottom of said foot, said castor and/or roller ball rotatably contacting a floor when said foot is placed thereon.

5. A foot according to claim 1 wherein said beater bar and said at least one wheel are coaxial.

6. A foot according to claim 5 having a longitudinal centerline, said axis of said at least one wheel being perpendicular to said longitudinal centerline.

7. A foot according to claim 1 having a longitudinal centerline, said at least one wheel being disposed on said longitudinal centerline.

2. A device for cleaning a floor, said device comprising:

an elongate handle,

a foot, said foot being pivotally connected to said handle, said foot being movable on a floor, said foot having a front, a rear longitudinally opposed thereto, and two opposed sides connecting said front and said rear, said foot comprising

a sole plate for removably having a disposable floor sheet removably attachd thereto

an axially rotatable beater bar disposed in front of said sole plate, said beater bar rotating in response to movement of said foot on said floor,

said foot further comprising a plurality of wheels, at least one of said wheels being operably connected to said beater bar to cause rotation thereof when at least one of said wheel rolls on a floor, said plurality of wheels having a width of less than 10 mm between centerlines of said wheels.

8. A device according to claim 2 wherein said at least one wheel being operably connected to said beater bar has a diameter ranging from 18 to 63 mm.

9. A device according to claim 8 wherein said beater bar is gear driven, so that said beater bar is driven faster than said at least one said wheel.

10. A device according to claim 9 wherein said foot has a housing with said beater bar therein, wherein said beater bar is gear driven to be rotationally driven faster than said at least one said wheel.

11. A device according to claim 8 wherein said at least one wheel is stepped.

13. A device according to claim 11 wherein said at least one wheel is rotatably disposed on an axle and said axle is removable from said device independent of said beater bar.

3. A device for cleaning a floor, said device comprising

a foot, said foot being movable on a floor, said foot having a front side, a rear side longitudinally opposed thereto, and two opposed sides connecting said front side and said rear side,

a sole plate for removably receiving a disposable floor sheet thereon,

at least one wheel disposed in said foot and rotating in response to movement of said foot on a floor,

two axially rotatable beater bars juxtaposed with the front side of said device and operably connected to said wheel, one said beater bar being disposed on each side of said wheel, whereby said beater bars rotate in response to rotation of said wheel on a floor, each said beater bar being removable from said foot independently of said other beater bar,

at least one castor and/or roller ball mounted on said sole plate for contact with a floor and

an elongate handle pivotally connected to said foot.

12. A device according to claim 3 having a housing to contain said beater bar and said at least one wheel therein, wherein said beater bar rotates about an elongate axle, said axle being removable from said housing in a direction parallel to said axle.

14. A device according to claim 3 wherein said at least one wheel is disposed symmetrically intermediate said beater bars.

15. A device according to claim 3 having a longitudinal centerline, wherein each said beater bar is sleeved over a respective axle and being removable therefrom in a direction parallel to said axle and outwardly from said longitudinal centerline.

16. A device according to claim 15 wherein said at least one wheel is mounted intermediate two trunnions, each said trunnion supporting one said axle.

17. A device according to claim 3 wherein said at least one wheel and said beater bars are juxtaposed with the front side of said device.

18. A device according to claim 17 wherein each of said at least one wheels has a width of less than 10 mm.

19. A device according to claim 3 wherein said foot further comprises a dirt bin accessible from the top of said device.

20. A device according to claim 19 further comprising a vacuum for depositing debris into said dirt bin.