Device for applying a sheet material on a surface such as a floor

• US 6,223,378 B1
• Filed: 07/22/1999
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Beuvry Nov, SARL
• Original Assignee: Beuvry Nov, SARL
• Inventors: Watellier, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Till, Terrence R.
• Application Number:
  US09/297,184
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 13/98, 13/99, 13/103.5, 13/231, 13/228
• US Class Current: 15/103.5
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/29 having movable or detachable polishing or shining cloths

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for applying to a floor (2) a sheet material drawn from a reel (5) of a strip (6), which device comprises a frame (7) and two rollers (8, 9) guided in rotation on the frame around parallel axes, on which a strip (6) of material (4) is disposed so that a generator of each roller is selectively placed in contact with the floor (2) by an application means during the utilization of the device (1) in a back-and-forth movement; a handle (3) articulated to the frame (7) around an axis (3A) parallel to the axes of the rollers; a means for controlling the feeding of the strip (6) so as to ensure the replenishment of the material placed in contact with the floor (2) and the winding of the soiled strip (6) onto a receiving mandrel (12).

Claims

1. A device (1) for applying a sheet material to a surface (2), particularly for cleaning purposes, this device being the type which is moved by a person, in front of himself, by means of a control handle (3) and which places in contact with the floor (2) a sheet material (4) drawn from a reel (5) of a strip (6) of cleaning material in strip form (6),

which device comprises a frame (7) and:

two cylindrical rollers (8, 9) called the nose (8) and heel (9) rollers, guided in rotation on the frame around approximately parallel axes (8A, 9A) and on which the strip (6) of cleaning material (4) is disposed and held taut so that at least one contact surface (8B, 9B) of each roller (8, 9) carrying this sheet (4) can be selectively placed in contact with the floor (2) by an application means (10) during the utilization of the device (1) in a back-and-forth movement oriented in a direction approximately perpendicular to said rollers,

the control handle being (3) articulated to the frame (7) around an axis (3A) approximately parallel to the axes (8A, 9A) of the rollers (8, 9),

a means (11) for controlling the feeding of the strip (6) so as to ensure the replenishment of the material placed in contact with the floor (2) and the winding of the soiled strip (6) onto a receiving mandrel (12),

this device being characterized in that;

the axis (3A) of articulation of the handle (3) on the frame (7) is disposed behind the heel roller (9), and

the application means (10) comprises;

support means (15) for support on the floor (2), movable relative to the frame (7) between two positions (15B, 15C), including a first position (15B) in which the support means removes the heel roller (9) from contact with the floor (2), while inducing the application of the nose roller (8) to the floor (2), and a second position (15C) in which, conversely, the support means removes the nose roller (8) from contact with the floor (2) while inducing the application of the heel roller (8) to the floor (2), and

an elastic means (16) at least indirectly disposed between the means (15) for support on the floor (2) and the frame (7) so as to stress support means (15) for support on the floor (2) toward its so-called first position (15B),

the means (11) for controlling the feeding of the strip (6) comprises means (17) disposed so as to receive an alternating movement from a moving means (18) at least indirectly associated with the support means (15) for support on the floor (2) and so as to drive, at least indirectly in rotation and by a fraction of a turn, via driving means (19A through 19E), at least the mandrel (12) for receiving the soiled strip, in a direction such that said strip (6) is moved, by a fraction of the distance that separates the nose (8) and heel (9) rollers, from

said nose roller (8) toward said heel roller (9).

2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that in the means (11) for controlling the feeding of the strip, the means (17) for receiving an alternating movement from moving means (18) cooperates at least indirectly with driving means (19F), for driving the heel roller (9) in rotation.

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in the means (11) for controlling the feeding of the strip, the means (17) for receiving an alternating movement from moving means (18) cooperates at least indirectly with driving means (19H), disposed so as to cooperate with at least one of two means, the nose roller (8) and the strip reel (5), and to alternately cause their rotational immobilization and release, in sync with the control of the fractional forward movement of the strip (6).

4. A device according to claim 1, and of the type comprising a means (20) for irrigating a fraction of the strip (6) disposed between the heel (9) and nose (8) rollers, said means (20) itself comprises a reservoir (20A) of liquid equipped with at least one outlet (20B) for evacuating liquid toward said fraction of the strip (6), each outlet (20B) being disposed approximately directly above the strip (6) and being provided with means (20C) for controlling the flow of liquid, characterized in that said means (20C) for controlling the flow comprises:

a means (21) for alternately controlling the means (20C) for controlling the flow of liquid issued from the reservoir (20A), between a closed position and an open position, said means (21) for alternately controlling comprises at least one means (21A) for receiving at least indirectly a control movement from the control handle (3) of the device (1),

a means (22) for adjusting the value of the opening of the means (20C) for controlling the flow of liquid.

5. A device according to claim 1 wherein the frame (7) of the device (1) comprises means (23 through 27) for rotationally guiding:

the nose (8) and heel (9) rollers, around approximately parallel (8A, 9A) axes,

the mandrel (12) for winding the soiled strip,

the reel (5) of the strip (6) of cleaning material in strip form, characterized in that;

the frame (7) comprises two distinct parts (7A, 7B) which cooperate via a detachable joining means (28), which parts (7A, 7B) are a first part (7A), to which the handle (3) is articulated, and which carries an irrigating means (20) as well as the means (11) for controlling the feeding of the strip (6), a second part (7B) which at least indirectly carries the means (23 through 26) for rotationally guiding the rotating means that are (8, 9), the nose (8) and heel (9) rollers, the mandrel (12) for winding the soiled strip and the reel (5) of the strip (6) of cleaning material,

the means (11) for controlling the feeding of the strip (6) and the various rotating means comprise detachable complementary coupling means (23A, 23B, 24A, 24B, 25A, 25B).

6. A device according to claim 5, characterized in that:

the second part (7B) of the frame (7) comprises two flanges (7C) between which extend the heel (9) and nose (8) rollers and which, being held in approximately parallel planes by a crosspiece (7D), carry means (23 through 26) for rotationally guiding the ends of said rollers (8, 9), the ends of the mandrel (12) for winding the soiled strip (6), and the reel (5) of the strip (6) of cleaning material in strip form (6),

the first part (7A) of the frame (7) has two cheeks (7E), each intended to cooperate with one of the flanges (7C) of said second part (7B), which carry means and components of the means (11) for controlling the feeding of the strip (6), including detachable means (23A, 24A, 25A) for coupling with complementary means (23B, 24B, 25B) carried by at least certain ends of the rollers (8, 9), of the mandrel (12) for winding the soiled strip, and of the reel (5) of the strip (6) of cleaning material in strip form.

7. A device according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises at least:

an elongated part called a slider moving means (18), guided in translation on the frame (7) in a direction approximately perpendicular to the floor, which carries the support means (15) for support on the floor (2) at one of the ends of said means (18) and which receives,

at the other end of said means (18), the action of the elastic means (16) for stressing said support means (15) for support on the floor (2) toward its so-called first position (15B),

wheels (19E, 19F) with ratchets (19C, 19D), each at least indirectly linked to the mandrel (12) for receiving the soiled strip and to the heel roller (9) so as to drive, during their own rotation, these rollers (8, 9),

a means (17), called a control lever, which is articulated to the frame (7) and disposed so as to receive an alternating movement from the slider moving means (18), and via a lever (19A) articulated to the frame (7), to move a pusher (19B) guided in translation on said frame (7) and carrying the ratchets (19C, 19D) for cooperating with the wheels (19E, 19F) for this purpose,

a wheel (19H) at least indirectly linked in rotation to the nose roller (8) for rotationally immobilizing, during its own rotational immobilization, said nose roller (8),

a driving means (19G) articulated to the frame so as to cooperate at least indirectly with the control lever means (17) and the wheel associated with the nose roller, so as to alternately, and in sync with the control of the fractional forward movement of the strip (6), rotationally immobilize the nose roller (8) and release this roller (8).

8. A device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that in order to constitute the means (28) for detachably joining the first (7A) and second (713) part of the frame (7):

at least one of the cheeks (7E) of the first part (7A) of the frame (7) is at least locally flexible in a plane approximately parallel to a plane (P1, P2) containing the axes of the rotating means (5, 8, 9, 12) carried by the second part (713) of the frame, and

both the flanges (7C) of the second part (7B) and the cheeks (7E) of the first part are equipped with complementary projections and depressions, which are disposed so as to cooperate during the return to position of each cheek elastically deformed for the mounting of the second part of the frame.