Surface treating device

• US 4,875,246 A
• Filed: 07/22/1988
• Issued: 10/24/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: QUAD Research Incorporated 147 Simsbury Road AVON CT
• Original Assignee: Quad Research, Inc.
• Inventors: MacGregor, Francis W.
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBERTS JR, EDWARD
• Application Number:
  US07/223,221
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 15/24, 15/23, 15/49 C, 15/50 C, 15/52, 15/97 R, 15/98, 15/377, 15/383, 15/389, 310/67 R
• US Class Current: 15/98
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/185 with supply of cleaning agents
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/29 Floor-scrubbing machines characterised by means for taking-up dirty liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4002 Installations of electric equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4005 Arrangements of batteries or cells; Electric power supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4008 Arrangements of switches, indicators or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4036 Parts or details of the surface treating tools
• 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 11/4075 Handles; levers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4083 Liquid supply reservoirs; Preparation of the agents, e.g. mixing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/144 having squeezing rollers

Abstract

A portable power operated surface cleaning device comprising a handle assembly, a hollow generally cylindrical roller supported for rotation on and relative to the handle assembly, and an absorbent generally cylindrical applicator sleeve coaxially supported on said roller for rotation therewith. The roller is driven by an electrical motor contained within it and powered by a rechargeable battery also supported within the roller. Operation of the motor is controlled by a rotary electrical switch which includes a pair of magnetically responsive electrical switch contacts contained within the roller and a magnetic switch actuator mounted on the handle assembly. A reservoir assembly releasably secured to the handle assembly contains a supply of cleaning solution which is released from the reservoir assembly for gravity flow through passageways in the handle assembly and onto the applicator sleeve along a substantial portion of the axial length of the applicator sleeve in response to operation of a manually controlled valve associated with the reservoir assembly. A manually operated wringer supported on the handle assembly is movable into squeezing engagement with the applicator sleeve to expell waste liquid from the applicator sleeve which is collected and stored within a waste liquid container associated with the handle assembly.

Claims

1. A power operated surface treating device comprising a handle assembly, a generally cylindrical roller, means supporting said roller on said handle assembly for rotation about its axis and relative to said handle assembly, drive means for rotating said roller about said axis and relative to said handle assembly and including a motor supported within said roller and having a fixed part and a rotatable part, one of said parts comprising said fixed part and said rotatable part being connected to said handle assembly and the other of said parts being connected to said roller, a power supply source wholly contained within said roller, and switching means on said surface treating device for connecting said power supply source to said motor to energize said motor.

2. A power operated surface treating device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said frame assembly includes a top wall and a pair of end walls depending from opposite ends of said top wall and said means for supporting said roller comprises said end walls.

3. A power operated surface treating device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said means for supporting said roller includes an axle and said one part, said axle coaxially projecting from one end of said roller and journalled in one of said end walls, said one part coaxially projecting from the opposite end of said roller and including an end portion having a non-circular cross-section received within a complementary non-circular opening in the other of said end walls.

4. A power operated surface treating device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said roller assembly includes a generally cylindrical applicator sleeve coaxially received on said roller for rotation therewith and said device includes a reservoir assembly having a liquid storage container for holding a quantity of surface treating liquid and means for defining a liquid flow path from said container to said applicator sleeve.

5. A power operated surface treating device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said handle assembly includes a frame comprising said means for supporting said roller and said flow path defining means comprises a passageway in said frame communicating with said liquid storage container and terminating at a manifold for discharging surface treating liquid onto said applicator sleeve along a substantial portion of the axial length of said sleeve.

6. A power operated surface treating device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said handle assembly includes a handle connected to said frame and said liquid storage container is releasably supported on said handle.

7. A power operated surface treating device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said device includes means for controlling the discharge of liquid from said liquid container into said passageway.

8. A power operated surface treating device as set forth in claim 7 wherein said controlling means comprises a manually operable valve normally biased to closed position and movable to open position to release fluid from said container for gravity flow into said passageway and to and through said manifold to said applicator sleeve.

9. A power operated surface treating device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said applicator sleeve is further characterized as a resilient absorbent sleeve and said device includes means for applying squeezing pressure to said sleeve along a substantial portion of the axial length thereof.

10. A power operated surface treating device as set forth in claim 9 wherein said means for applying squeezing pressure comprises a wringer assembly supported on said frame.

11. A power operated surface treating device as set forth in claim 10 wherein said device includes a liquid waste container for receiving and storing liquid removed from said resilient absorbent sleeve by operation of said wringer.

12. A power operated surface treating device as set forth in claim 11 wherein said liquid waste container comprises an upwardly open trough defined by said frame and extending along substantial portion of the axial length of said sleeve and having an upper edge generally tangentially disposed relative to said sleeve.

13. A portable power operated surface treating device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for supporting said roller comprises means for releasably connecting said roller to said handle assembly.

14. A portable power operated surface treating device as set forth in claim 13 wherein said means for supporting said roller comprises an axle at one end of said roller journalled in one end of said handle assembly and a drive member comprising said one part and releasably secured in fixed position to the end of said handle assembly opposite said one end.

15. A portable power operated surface treating device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for supporting said roller comprises a cylindrical cantilever support member comprising said frame assembly and said roller is received and coaxially supported on said support member.

16. A portable power operated surface treating device as set forth in claim 15 wherein said drive motor and said power source are contained within said cylindrical cantilever support member.

17. A power operated surface treating device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said power supply source comprises a rechargeable battery, and said device includes a recharging circuit connected to said battery and contained within said roller, a recharging socket assembly associated with said roller and electrically connected to said recharging circuit and including means defining a socket having an end opening for receiving therein a mating connector of an associated battery charger, said socket assembly including a closure member supported within said socket for movement from a closed position wherein said closure member provides a substantial closure for said end opening to and an open position in response to insertion of a mating connector into said socket, and means normally biasing said closure member to its closed position.

18. A power operated surface treating device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said switching means includes a pair of electrical contacts mounted in axial spaced apart relation to each other within said roller for coaxial rotation in unison with said roller, said switch contacts having coaxially arranged annular portions defining opposing contact surfaces, at least one of said annular portions being flexible, means supporting said one annular portion for flexure generally toward and away from the other of said annular portions, a magnetic actuator mounted on said handle assembly for movement between a first and second position, and magnetic means associated with said one annular portion for cooperating with said magnetic actuator in said second position to move successive contiguous portions of the contact surface of said one annular portion into electrically contacting engagement with the opposing contact surface on the other of said contact portions as said roller rotates relative to said frame whereby to maintain portions of said contact surfaces in the region of said switch actuator in electrically contacting engagement with each other as said roller rotates relative to said handle assembly with said switch actuator in said second position.

19. A portable power operated surface treating device comprising a roller assembly including a hollow generally cylindrical roller sealed at its opposite ends, an electrically operated motor contained within said roller, an electrical power supply source contained within said roller for operating said motor, a coaxial output member exposed at one end of said roller and drivingly connected to said motor for rotation relative to said roller in response to operation of said motor, a pair of electrical switch contacts wholly contained within said roller and electrically connected to said motor and said power supply source for controlling the operation of said motor, an applicator sleeve received on and coaxially surrounding said roller, a handle assembly, means for releasably retaining said roller assembly in connected relation to said handle assembly with said output member in fixed position relative to said handle assembly, said roller being rotatable relative to said handle in response to the operation of said motor, and switch actuating means mounted on said handle assembly for operating said electrical contacts to control the operation of said motor.

20. A portable power operated surface treating device as set forth in claim 19 wherein said electrical switch contacts are further characterized as magnetically responsive contacts and said switch actuating means comprises a magnet mounted on said handle assembly for movement relative thereto.

21. A power operated surface treating device comprising a handle assembly including a frame and a handle projecting from said frame, a roller assembly including a hollow generally cylindrical roller and a generally cylindrical absorbent applicator sleeve coaxially received on said roller, means for supporting said roller assembly on said frame for coaxial rotation relative to said frame, a drive motor contained within said roller, a power supply source contained within said roller for operating said drive motor to rotate said roller about its axis and relative to said frame, fluid passageway means defined by said frame for discharging liquid above and onto said absorbent sleeve along a substantial portion of the axial length of said sleeve, a fluid reservoir assembly releasably secured to said handle assembly in fluid communication with said fluid passageway means for containing a quantity of treating liquid, and manually operable valve means for releasing treating liquid from said reservoir assembly into said fluid passageway means.