Apparatus spreading fluid on floor while moving

• US 5,735,959 A
• Filed: 01/24/1996
• Issued: 04/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Moneual Incorporated (Hong-Seok Park, MBA)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Nishikado, Masashi, Kubo, Naoki, Oyokota, Shigeru, Kawagoe, Nobukazu
• Primary Examiner(s): EDWARDS, LAURA ESTELLE
• Application Number:
  US08/590,896
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 118/663, 118/683, 118/684, 118/696, 118/708, 118/712, 118/244, 118/258, 118/259, 118/264-266, 15/98, 15/50.1, 15/50.3, 15/52, 222/192, 222/613, 239/155, 239/156, 239/100
• US Class Current: 118/663
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/03 characterised by having provisions for supplying cleaning or polishing agents A47L11/065, A47L11/085, A47L11/125, A47L11/145, A47L11/161, A47L11/1625, A47L11/185, A47L11/201 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4008 Arrangements of switches, indicators or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4011 Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4088 Supply pumps; Spraying devices; Supply conduits
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/06 Control of the cleaning action for autonomous devices; Automatic detection of the surface condition before, during or after cleaning

Abstract

An apparatus of spreading a fluid on the floor includes four rectangular application rotating bodies partially overlapping each other, and four nozzles supplying the fluid provided in rotation areas of the respective application rotating bodies. The rotation position of the application rotating body is detected by a light shielding plate and a photosensor. A control portion controls each component so that the fluid is applied onto the floor from a tank through the nozzle by a pump when the application rotating body is not directly under the nozzle. As a result, the apparatus of spreading a fluid on the floor capable of optimally controlling the quantity of the fluid to be applied according to the application condition can be provided.

Claims

1. A spreading apparatus which is moveable and which spreads a fluid on a surface, comprising:

a working unit having a working member which spreads fluid on the surface;

a supplier having an outlet in fluid communication with the working unit through which the fluid is applied onto the surface;

a speed detector connected to the working unit detecting a moving speed of said working unit, and

a controller connected to the supplier for controlling said supplier so as to apply the fluid to the surface through the outlet with the quantity of applied fluid controlled based on a detected moving speed;

wherein the controller further comprises a pulse generator generating a pulse, the pulse being used by said controller for controlling the quantity of applied fluid based on a width of the pulse so that fluid is supplied when the pulse is high and fluid is not supplied when the pulse is low,

wherein said controller changes the width of the pulse based on the detected moving speed.

2. The spreading apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the fluid includes wax.

3. A spreading apparatus which spreads a fluid on a surface, comprising:

a working unit having a working member which spreads fluid on the surface;

a supplier having an outlet in fluid communication with the working unit through which the fluid is applied onto the surface;

a speed detector connected to the working unit detecting a moving speed of said working unit; and

a controller connected to the supplier for controlling said supplier so as to apply the fluid to the surface through the outlet with the quantity of applied fluid controlled based on a detected moving speed;

wherein the controller further comprises a pulse generator generating a pulse, the pulse being used by said controller for controlling the quantity of applied fluid based on an interval of the pulse so that fluid is supplied when the pulse is high and fluid is not supplied when the pulse is low,

wherein said controller changes the interval of the pulse based on the detected moving speed.

4. A spreading apparatus which is moveable and which spreads a fluid on a surface, comprising:

a working unit having a working member which spreads fluid on the surface;

a supplier having an outlet in fluid communication with the working unit through which the fluid is applied onto the surface;

a speed detector connected to the working unit detecting a moving speed of said working unit; and

a controller connected to the supplier for controlling said supplier so as to apply the fluid to the surface through the outlet with the quantity of applied fluid controlled based on a detected moving speed;

wherein said controller includes means for increasing the quantity of applied fluid as said detected moving speed increases.

5. The spreading apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein

the working member is rotatable around an axis perpendicular to the surface so as to move along a circular path.

6. The spreading apparatus as claimed in claim 4, further comprising:

an under surface; and

a caster wheel positioned on the under surface;

wherein said speed detector detects a rotation speed of said caster wheel.

7. The spreading apparatus as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a working member controller connected to the working member which controls a moving condition of the working member based on the detected moving speed.

8. The spreading apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said working member controller includes means for controlling the moving condition so as to increase a moving speed of the working member as said detected moving speed increases.

9. The spreading apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said working member controller includes means for controlling the moving condition so as to decease a moving speed of the working member as said detecting moving speed it decreases.

10. A spreading apparatus which is moveable and which spreads a fluid on a surface, comprising:

a working unit having a working member which spreads fluid on the surface;

a supplier having an outlet in fluid communication with the working unit through which the fluid is applied onto the surface;

a speed detector connected to the working unit detecting a moving speed of said working unit; and

a controller connected to the supplier for controlling said supplier so as to apply the fluid to the surface through the outlet with the quantity of applied fluid controlled based on a detected moving speed;

wherein said controller includes means for decreasing the quantity of applied fluid as said detected moving speed decreases.

11. The spreading apparatus as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a working member controller connected to the working member which controls a moving condition of the working member based on the detected moving speed.

12. The spreading apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the working member is rotatable around an axis perpendicular to the surface so as to move along a circular path.

13. The spreading apparatus as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

an under surface; and

a caster wheel positioned on the under surface;

wherein the speed detector detects a rotation speed of the caster wheel.