Cleaning device having at least one rotating cylindrical sponge

• US 5,287,581 A
• Filed: 11/02/1992
• Issued: 02/22/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kam C. Lo
• Original Assignee: Kam C. Lo
• Inventors: Lo, Kam C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Roberts, Edward L.
• Application Number:
  US07/970,183
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 15/52, 15/98, 15/320, 15/322, 15/340.2, 15/230, 15/230.14, 15/230.16, 15/340.3, 15/340.4
• US Class Current: 15/52
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/292 having rotary tools A47L11/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4044 Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4069 Driving or transmission means for the cleaning tools

Abstract

A cleaning device for floors or walls, in which water or similar cleaning fluid is continuously applied to the work surface as the device moves along that surface. A power-driven rotary brush is located to exert a scrubbing action on the applied water film so as to assimilate dirt particles into the water film. The dirt-laden water is removed from the work surface by two power-driven rotary sponges located directly behind the rotary brush. A sponge compression structure is engaged with an upper surface of each sponge to continuously water absorbed by the sponges.

Claims

1. A device for cleaning a work surface, comprising a housing having a front end and a rear end;

wheels carried by said housing for rollably supporting said housing said housing in spaced relation to the work surface;

said housing having a movement axis parallel to the wheel movement planes;

means for applying a film of cleaning fluid to the work surface as the housing moves therealong;

an axially elongated rotary cylindrical brush carried by the housing for rotational motion around an axis transverse to the housing movement axis;

said rotary brush being located behind the fluid applying means, whereby said brush exerts a scrubbing action on the fluid and work surface during movement of the housing;

at least one rotary cylindrical sponge supported for rotational movement around an axis transverse to the housing movement axis;

each said rotary sponge being located behind the rotary brush, whereby each said sponge removes cleaning fluid and loosened dirt from the work surface incident to movement of the housing along the work surface;

sponge compression means engageable with an upper surface area of each said sponge to remove dirt-laden fluid from the sponge while the sponge is rotating;

said sponge compression means comprising a perforated plate extending along the axial length of each said sponge, whereby the plate exerts a compressing action on the sponge, such that dirt-laden fluid is forced out of the sponge through the plate perforations;

each said sponge comprising a rigid cylinder concentric with the sponge rotational axis, a plurality of segmental sponge elements radiating outwardly from said cylinder, and a plurality of flexible partitions extending outwardly from said cylinder between adjacent ones of said sponge elements, whereby fluid absorbed by any given sponge element is prevented from migrating into adjacent sponge elements.

2. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein there are at least eight segmental sponge elements in each rotating sponge.

3. The cleaning device of claim 1, and further comprising means for rotatably powering each said cylindrical sponge around its rotational axis, whereby the surface speed of said sponge is greater than the housing movement speed.

4. The cleaning device of claim 3, wherein said sponge powering means comprises an electric motor, and a belt drive means from the motor to the sponge.

5. A device for cleaning a work surface, comprising a housing having a front end and a rear end;

wheels carried by said housing for rollably supporting said housing in spaced relation to the work surface;

said housing having a movement axis parallel to the wheel movement planes;

means for applying a film cleaning fluid to the work surface as the housing moves therealong;

an axially elongated rotary cylindrical brush carried by the housing for rotational motion around an axis transverse to the housing movement axis;

said rotary brush being located behind the fluid applying means, whereby said brush exerts a scrubbing action on the fluid and work surface during movement of the housing;

two rotary cylindrical sponges supported for rotational movement around spaced parallel axes extending transverse to the housing movement axis;

said rotary sponges being located behind the rotary brush, whereby said sponges remove cleaning fluid and loosened dirt from the work surface incident to movement of the housing along the work surface;

a sponge compression means engageable with an upper surface area of each said sponge to remove dirt-laden fluid from the sponge while the sponge is rotating;

said sponge compression means comprising two perforated plates extending along the facing surfaces of the rotary sponges in the space therebetween, and a wall structure interconnecting said perforated plates to form a fluid collection chamber between the two rotary sponges;

said plates being spaced from the respective sponge rotational axes by lesser distances than the individual sponge radii, such that each plate exerts a compressing action on the associated sponge to force dirt-laden fluid through the plate perforation into the fluid collection chamber; and

a suction means for drawing the dirt-laden fluid out of said collection chamber while the housing is moving along the work surface.

6. The cleaning device of claim 5, wherein said perforated plates are arranged in a V-shaped orientation between the two sponges.

7. The cleaning device of claim 5, wherein each cylindrical sponge comprises a rigid cylinder concentric with the sponge rotational axis, a plurality of segmental sponge elements radiating outwardly from said cylinder, and a plurality of flexible partitions extending outwardly from said cylinder between adjacent ones of said segmental sponge elements, whereby fluid absrobed by any given sponge element is prevented from migrating into adjacent sponge elements.

8. The cleaning device of claim 7, and further comprising means for rotatably powering said cylindrical sponges so that said sponges rotate in opposite directions while the housing is moving along the work surface.

9. The cleaning device of claim 8, wherein said sponge powering means comprises an electric motor, a first belt drive means from the motor to one of the sponges, and a second belt drive means from the motor to the other sponge.

10. The cleaning device of claim 8, and further comprising sub-frame adjustable mounted in said housing for adjusting movements in a vertical direction;

said cylindrical sponges and said sponge powering means being mounted on said sub-frame so that the sponges can be raised or lowered relative to the work surface by vertical adjusting movements of the sub-frame.