Floor cleaning apparatus
First Claim
1. A apparatus for cleaning a surface comprising:
- a frame;
means, operatively attached to said frame, for cleaning a surface;
four wheels for use in moving said frame and said means for cleaning over a surface, wherein each of said four wheels is operatively connected to said frame and said four wheels includes a first pair of non-steerable wheels and a second pair of steerable wheels; and
means for steering said second pair of wheels that, when used to turn said second pair of wheels, can cause at least one of said second pair of wheels to turn more than about 45°
so that tight turns can be made by the apparatus;
wherein said means for steering includes the following;
a first wheel arm that is operatively connected to one of said second pair of wheels and rotatable about a first wheel pivot point;
a second wheel arm that is operatively connected to the other of said second pair of wheels and is rotatable about a second wheel pivot point that is different than said first wheel pivot point;
a first steering arm that is rotatable about a first steering pivot point;
a second steering arm that is rotatable about a second steering pivot point that is different than said first steering pivot point;
a first link pivotally connected to said first wheel arm and said first steering arm;
a second link pivotally connected to said second wheel arm and said second steering arm; and
a third link pivotally connected to said first steering arm and said second steering arm.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides an apparatus for cleaning floors. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes four wheels, two of which are steerable wheels, and a steering mechanism that permits the two steerable wheels to turn to a degree that allows very tight turns to be made by the sweeper. In another embodiment, the apparatus is a sweeper with a cylindrical side broom. Yet a further embodiment of the sweeper includes flaps or seals that form a skirt about the broom and a mounting mechanism for slidably receiving the flap or seal. In a further embodiment, the apparatus is a sweeper that employs flaps with wear indicators that tell an operator when to adjust or replace the flap. In another embodiment, the apparatus is a sweeper that utilizes a pre-filter to remove debris that remains in the vacuum airstream after having passed through the hopper and that is of a size that can require frequent cleaning of a subsequent filtering device. In yet a further embodiment, the apparatus is a scrubber with two counter rotating disk brushes, a primary squeegee, and a second or pre-squeegee for relieving the primary squeegee from processing the heavier concentration of wastewater produced in the area between the brushes. In yet another embodiment, the apparatus is a scrubber that includes a squeegee mounting systems that is relatively easy to use and permits the squeegee rubber to extend beyond the end of the mounting structure.
55 Citations
50 Claims
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1. A apparatus for cleaning a surface comprising:
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a frame; means, operatively attached to said frame, for cleaning a surface; four wheels for use in moving said frame and said means for cleaning over a surface, wherein each of said four wheels is operatively connected to said frame and said four wheels includes a first pair of non-steerable wheels and a second pair of steerable wheels; and means for steering said second pair of wheels that, when used to turn said second pair of wheels, can cause at least one of said second pair of wheels to turn more than about 45°
so that tight turns can be made by the apparatus;wherein said means for steering includes the following; a first wheel arm that is operatively connected to one of said second pair of wheels and rotatable about a first wheel pivot point; a second wheel arm that is operatively connected to the other of said second pair of wheels and is rotatable about a second wheel pivot point that is different than said first wheel pivot point; a first steering arm that is rotatable about a first steering pivot point; a second steering arm that is rotatable about a second steering pivot point that is different than said first steering pivot point; a first link pivotally connected to said first wheel arm and said first steering arm; a second link pivotally connected to said second wheel arm and said second steering arm; and a third link pivotally connected to said first steering arm and said second steering arm. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 50)
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20. An apparatus for cleaning a surface comprising:
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a frame; means, operatively attached to said frame, for cleaning a surface; four wheels for use in moving said frame and said means for cleaning over a surface, wherein each of said four wheels is operatively connected to said frame and said four wheels includes a first pair of non-steerable wheels and a second pair of steerable wheels; and means for steering said second pair of wheels that, when used to turn said second pair of wheels, can cause at least one of said second pair of wheels to turn more than about 45°
so that tight turns can be made by the apparatus;wherein said means for cleaning includes a flap; and means for mounting said flap to said frame; wherein said flap includes an upper edge having a first thickness and a lower edge having a second thickness that is less than said first thickness; wherein said means for mounting includes a first longitudinal extending slot for holding said flap, said slot having an upper portion with a first width that can accommodate said first thickness of said upper edge of said flap and a lower portion with a second width that can accommodate said second thickness of said lower edge but cannot accommodate said first thickness of said upper edge of said flap so that when said flap is mounted in said first longitudinally extending slot, said flap is prevented from moving in a direction from said upper portion towards said lower portion of said first longitudinally extending slot; wherein said flap can be slidably inserted into and slidably removed from said slot. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. An apparatus for cleaning a surface comprising:
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a frame; means, operatively attached to said frame, for cleaning a surface; four wheels for use in moving said frame and said means for cleaning over a surface, wherein each of said four wheels is operatively connected to said frame and said four wheels includes a first pair of non-steerable wheels and a second pair of steerable wheels; and means for steering said second pair of wheels that, when used to turn said second pair of wheels, can cause at least one of said second pair of wheels to turn more than about 45°
so that tight turns can be made by the apparatus;wherein said means for cleaning includes a flexible, substantially planar member that includes a first terminal edge and a second terminal edge, wherein when said flexible, substantially planar member is in use, said first terminal edge contacts said surface and said second terminal edge is operatively connected to said frame and separated from said surface; wherein said flexible, substantially planar member includes a wear indicator located between said first and second terminal edges and, prior to any wear of said first terminal edge, separated from said first terminal edge. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. An apparatus for cleaning a surface comprising:
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a frame; means, operatively attached to said frame, for cleaning a surface; four wheels for use in moving said frame and said means for cleaning over a surface, wherein each of said four wheels is operatively connected to said frame and said four wheels includes a first pair of non-steerable wheels and a second pair of steerable wheels; and means for steering said second pair of wheels that, when used to turn said second pair of wheels, can cause at least one of said second pair of wheels to turn more than about 45°
so that tight turns can be made by the apparatus;wherein said means for cleaning includes a hopper for receiving a debris laden airstream, precipitating first heavier debris from said debris laden airstream, collecting said first heavier debris, and providing a first exit airstream that may contain lighter debris; a pre-filter for receiving said first exit airstream, precipitating out second heavier debris that is generally lighter than said first heavier debris from said first exit airstream, collecting said second heavier debris, and providing a second exit airstream that may contain lighter debris; and a filter for receiving said second exit airstream, precipitating out third heavier debris that is generally lighter than said first and second heavier debris from said airstream, collecting third heavier debris and providing a third exit airstream that is substantially free of debris; wherein said pre-filter includes vanes for creating a vortex. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An apparatus for cleaning a surface comprising:
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a frame; means, operatively attached to said frame, for cleaning a surface; four wheels for use in moving said frame and said means for cleaning over a surface, wherein each of said four wheels is operatively connected to said frame and said four wheels includes a first pair of non-steerable wheels and a second pair of steerable wheels; and means for steering said second pair of wheels that, when used to turn said second pair of wheels, can cause at least one of said second pair of wheels to turn more than about 45°
so that tight turns can be made by the apparatus;wherein said means for cleaning includes a first disk brush for scrubbing a floor and that rotates in a clockwise direction about a first vertical axis; a second disk brush, located adjacent to said first disk brush, for scrubbing said floor and that rotates in a counter-clockwise direction about a second vertical axis; wherein, during operation of said first and second disk brushes, a stream of wastewater is produced behind said first and second disk brushes, said stream of wastewater is heavier in an area between said first and second vertical axes and lighter elsewhere; a first squeegee located behind said first and second disk brushes to collect said wastewater; and a second squeegee located between said first and second disk brushes and said first squeegee, and located to collect at least a portion of the heavier stream of wastewater so that more wastewater is collected. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. An apparatus for cleaning a surface comprising:
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a frame; means, operatively attached to said frame, for cleaning a surface; four wheels for use in moving said frame and said means for cleaning over a surface, wherein each of said four wheels is operatively connected to said frame and said four wheels includes a first pair of non-steerable wheels and a second pair of steerable wheels; and means for steering said second pair of wheels that, when used to turn said second pair of wheels, can cause at least one of said second pair of wheels to turn more than about 45°
so that tight turns can be made by the apparatus;wherein said means for cleaning includes a squeegee mount that has a first squeegee mount end, a second squeegee mount end, a squeegee mount top edge, a squeegee mount bottom edge, a squeegee mount side surface that extends from said first squeegee mount end to said second squeegee mount end and from said squeegee mount top edge to said squeegee mount bottom edge; a squeegee rubber that includes a first squeegee rubber end, a second squeegee rubber end, a squeegee rubber top edge, a squeegee rubber bottom edge, a first squeegee rubber side surface that extends from said first squeegee rubber end to said second squeegee rubber end and from said squeegee rubber top edge to said squeegee rubber bottom edge, and a second squeegee rubber side surface that extends from said first squeegee rubber end to said second squeegee rubber end and from said squeegee rubber top edge to said squeegee rubber bottom edge; wherein one of said squeegee mount side surface and said first squeegee rubber side surface includes a crown and the other of said squeegee mount side surface and said first squeegee rubber side surface includes a first longitudinally extending slot dimensioned to fit over said crown and thereby prevent vertical displacement between said squeegee mount and said squeegee rubber. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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Specification