Floor cleaning apparatus with squeegee mounting system
First Claim
1. An apparatus for cleaning a surface comprising:
- a frame;
means, operatively attached to said frame, for cleaning a surface;
at least three wheels for moving said frame and said means for cleaning over a surface; and
means for steering at least one of said at least three wheels;
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 rubberwherein said first longitudinally extending slot is capable of being entirely placed into contact with said squeegee mount at the same time.
6 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.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An apparatus for cleaning a surface comprising:
- a frame;
means, operatively attached to said frame, for cleaning a surface; at least three wheels for moving said frame and said means for cleaning over a surface; and means for steering at least one of said at least three wheels; 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 wherein said first longitudinally extending slot is capable of being entirely placed into contact with said squeegee mount at the same time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 16, 17, 18)
- a frame;
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8. An apparatus for cleaning a surface comprising:
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a frame; means, operatively attached to said frame, for cleaning a surface; at least three wheels for moving said frame and said means for cleaning over a surface; and means for steering at least one of said at least three wheels; 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 said squeegee mount includes a first buttonhead located on said squeegee mount side surface and adjacent to said first squeegee mount end and a second buttonhead located on said first squeegee mount side surface and adjacent to said second squeegee mount end; said squeegee rubber includes a first squeegee rubber slot for engaging said first buttonhead and a second squeegee rubber slot for engaging said second buttonhead; a fastening device for holding said squeegee rubber against said squeegee mount, said squeegee fastening device includes a first squeegee strap with a first squeegee strap slot for engaging first buttonhead, a second squeegee strap with a second squeegee strap slot for engaging said second buttonhead, and means for clamping said first squeegee strap to said second squeegee strap to hold said squeegee rubber between said first and second squeegee straps and said squeegee mount. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. An apparatus for cleaning a surface comprising:
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a frame; means, operatively attached to said frame, for cleaning a surface; at least three wheels for moving said frame and said means for cleaning over a surface; and means for steering at least one of said at least three wheels; 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; and wherein said squeegee mount includes a first buttonhead located on said squeegee mount side surface and adjacent to said first squeegee mount end and a second buttonhead located on said first squeegee mount side surface and adjacent to said second squeegee mount end; said squeegee rubber includes a first squeegee rubber slot for engaging said first buttonhead and a second squeegee rubber slot for engaging said second buttonhead.
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11. A squeegee for use with a squeegee mount, the squeegee comprising:
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a vertical member having a first lateral side, a second lateral side, a lower end with a first corner edge and a second corner edge; and means for engaging the squeegee mount; wherein said means for engaging includes a first engaging portion that laterally extends from said first lateral side and is capable of being entirely placed into contact with the squeegee mount at the same time; wherein said first engaging portion includes a first arm extending from said first lateral side of said vertical member to a first arm terminal end and a second arm extending from said first lateral side of said vertical member to a second arm terminal end; wherein said first arm terminal end and said second arm terminal and define a first opening for a first recess that is capable of receiving the squeegee mount; wherein said first opening has a vertical dimension that is at least substantially equal to the maximum vertical dimension of the squeegee mount; wherein, when said first recess is disposed over squeegee mount, said first corner edge is operatively positioned for squeegeeing a surface. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A squeegee for use with a squeegee mount that includes a crowned surface for receiving the squeegee, the crowned surface having a maximum vertical dimension, the squeegee comprising:
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a vertical member having a first lateral side, a second lateral side, a lower end with a first corner edge and a second corner edge, and an upper end with a third corner edge and a fourth corner edge; a first arm extending from said first lateral side of said vertical member to a first arm terminal end; a second arm extending from said first lateral side of said vertical member to a second arm terminal end; a third arm extending from said second lateral side of said vertical member to a third arm terminal end; a fourth arm extending from said second lateral side of said vertical member to a fourth arm terminal end; wherein said first arm terminal end and said second arm terminal end define a first opening for receiving the crowned surface of the squeegee mount; wherein said first opening has a vertical dimension which is at least substantially equal to the maximum vertical dimension of the crowned surface; wherein said third arm terminal end and said fourth arm terminal end define a second opening for receiving the crowned surface of the squeegee mount; wherein said second opening has a vertical dimension which is at least substantially equal to the maximum vertical dimension of the crowned surface; wherein said squeegee can be mounted on said crowned surface so that each of said first corner edge, said second corner edge, said third corner edge, and said fourth corner edge can be operatively positioned for squeegeeing a surface.
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19. A squeegee for use with a squeegee mount, the squeegee comprising:
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a vertical member having a first lateral side, a second lateral side, and a lower end with a first corner edge; and means for engaging the squeegee mount; and wherein said means for engaging includes a first engaging portion that laterally extends from said first lateral side; wherein said first engaging portion includes a first arm extending from said first lateral side of said vertical member to a first arm terminal end and a second arm extending from said first lateral side of said vertical member to a second arm terminal end; wherein said first arm terminal end and said second arm terminal end define a first opening for a first recess that is capable of receiving the squeegee mount; wherein said first opening has a vertical dimension that is at least substantially equal to the maximum vertical dimension of the squeegee mount; wherein, said first recess can be disposed over the squeegee mount to operatively position said first corner edge for squeegeeing a surface. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification