Chemical foaming system for floor cleaning machine

• US 6,276,613 B1
• Filed: 02/22/2000
• Issued: 08/21/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nilfisk-Advance Incorporated (Nilfisk Holding A/S)
• Original Assignee: ALTO US Incorporated (ALTO U.S.)
• Inventors: Kramer, Michael G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scherbel, David A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dinh Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/511,176
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: 239/304, 239/407, 239/413, 239/416.2, 134/102.2, 134/21, 134/34, 153/20, 15/501
• US Class Current: 239/304
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/34 Machines for treating carpets in position by liquid, foam, or vapour, e.g. by steam
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4088 Supply pumps; Spraying devices; Supply conduits
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/291 for obtaining foams or aerosols
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/3111 Devices specially adapted for generating foam, e.g. air foam
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/45241 through a bed of balls
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 2111/12 Soft surfaces, e.g. textile
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/0031 Carpet, upholstery, fur or leather cleansers
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/0094 High foaming compositions

Abstract

A chemical foaming system for use in a floor cleaning machine has a foam generator and a delivery system upstream of the foam generator in communication with a source of pressurized fluid and a source of liquid cleaning solution. The delivery system delivers pressurized fluid and liquid cleaning solution to the foam generator. A dispensing system is disposed downstream of the foam generator for dispensing foam generated by the foam generator onto the floor being cleaned. The foam generator has a pair of independent foaming chambers in generally parallel flow relationship intermediate the delivery system and the dispensing system whereby a portion of pressurized fluid and liquid cleaning solution delivered to the foam generator by the delivery system flows into one of the foaming chambers. The remaining portion of the pressurized fluid and liquid cleaning solution delivered to the foam generator flows into the other foaming chamber. Each foaming chamber is adapted for generating a foam therein for dispensing onto the floor by the dispensing system.

Claims

1. A chemical foaming system for use in a floor cleaning machine, the foaming system comprising:

a foam generator,

a delivery system upstream of the foam generator in communication with a source of pressurized fluid and a source of liquid cleaning solution, the delivery system delivering pressurized fluid and liquid cleaning solution to the foam generator; and

a dispensing system downstream of the foam generator for dispensing foam generated by the foam generator onto the floor being cleaned;

the foam generator comprising a pair of independent foaming chambers in generally parallel flow relationship intermediate the delivery system and the dispensing system whereby a portion of pressurized fluid and liquid cleaning solution delivered to the foam generator by the delivery system flows into one of the foaming chambers and the remaining portion of the pressurized fluid and liquid cleaning solution delivered to the foam generator flows into the other foaming chamber, each foaming chamber being adapted for generating a foam therein for dispensing onto the floor by the dispensing system, each foaming chamber having an upstream end in fluid communication with the delivery system for receiving a respective portion of the pressurized fluid and a downstream end in fluid communication with the dispensing system for exhausting foam generated within the chamber, the upstream ends of the foaming chambers being in fluid communication with each other substantially downstream of the source of pressurized fluid whereby an increase of fluid pressure in one of said foaming chambers causes a decreased portion of the pressurized fluid to flow to the one foaming chamber and an increased portion of pressurized fluid to flow to the other foaming chamber without substantially increasing the fluid pressure of pressurized fluid in the delivery system.

2. A chemical foaming system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the foaming chambers are each defined by a tube, the tube being filled with a foaming media for facilitating formation of the foam by at least one of shear action and entrainment as the pressurized fluid and chemical cleaning liquid flow through the tube.

3. A chemical foaming system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the foaming media is glass beads.

4. A chemical foaming system as set forth in claim 3 wherein the beads are sized in cross-section to be at least about 4 mm.

5. A chemical foaming system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the delivery system comprises a fluid line for carrying pressurized fluid and liquid cleaning solution, a pair of inlet lines in fluid communication with the fluid line, each inlet line being in fluid communication with a respective upstream end of one of the foaming chambers for directing a portion of the pressurized fluid and liquid cleaning solution in the fluid line to the respective foaming chamber, the inlet lines being in fluid communication with each other downstream of the fluid line to provide fluid communication between the upstream ends of the foaming chambers.

6. A chemical foaming system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the dispensing system comprises a dispensing line and a pair of outlet lines, each outlet line being in fluid communication with a respective downstream end of one of the foaming chambers for receiving foam exhausted from the foaming chambers and further being in fluid communication with the dispensing line whereby foam exhausted from the foaming chambers combines in the dispensing line for dispensing onto the floor being cleaned.

7. A chemical foaming system for use in a floor cleaning machine, the foaming system comprising:

a source of pressurized fluid;

a solution tank containing a liquid cleaning solution;

a foam generator in fluid communication with the source of pressurized fluid and with the solution tank for receiving pressurized fluid from the source of pressurized fluid and liquid cleaning solution from the solution tank and generating a foam therefrom to be dispensed onto a floor being cleaned;

a first fluid line providing fluid communication between the source of pressurized fluid and the foam generator for conveying pressurized fluid to the foam generator;

a second fluid line in fluid communication with the source of pressurized fluid and the solution tank for directing a portion of pressurized fluid from the source of pressurized fluid to the solution tank to pressurize the solution tank, thereby forcing liquid cleaning solution from the tank, the remaining portion of pressurized fluid from the source of pressurized fluid being directed to flow through the first fluid line; and

a restriction in the first fluid line upstream of the foam generator, the restriction having an orifice sized to restrict the flow of pressurized fluid through the first fluid line, thereby increasing the flow velocity of pressurized fluid downstream of the restriction for delivery to the foam generator, the first and second fluid lines being in fluid communication with each other upstream of the restriction such that the restriction in the first fluid line effects an increase in fluid pressure of the portion of pressurized fluid directed to the solution tank to pressurize the solution tank.

8. A chemical foaming system as set forth in claim 7 further comprising a solution delivery line leading from the solution tank for carrying cleaning solution forced from the tank, the solution delivery line being in fluid communication with the foam generator to provide fluid communication between the solution tank and the foam generator.

9. A chemical foaming system as set forth in claim 8 wherein the first fluid line and the solution delivery line are connected together substantially upstream of the foam generator such that pressurized fluid flowing through the first fluid line and cleaning solution flowing through the solution delivery line combine at the connection for flow to the foam generator.

10. A chemical foaming system as set forth in claim 8 further comprising a restriction in the solution delivery line upstream of the foam generator, the restriction having an orifice for metering the volume of chemical solution flowing to the foam generator.

11. A chemical foaming system for use in a floor cleaning machine, the foaming system comprising:

a foam generator,

a delivery system upstream of the foam generator in communication with a source of pressurized fluid and a source of liquid cleaning solution, the delivery system delivering pressurized fluid and liquid cleaning solution to the foam generator; and

a dispensing system downstream of the foam generator for dispensing foam generated by the foam generator onto the floor being cleaned;

the foam generator comprising a pair of independent foaming chambers in generally parallel flow relationship intermediate the delivery system and the dispensing system whereby a portion of pressurized fluid and liquid cleaning solution delivered to the foam generator by the delivery system flows into one of the foaming chambers and the remaining portion of the pressurized fluid and liquid cleaning solution delivered to the foam generator flows into the other foaming chamber, each foaming chamber being adapted for generating a foam therein for dispensing onto the floor by the dispensing system;

the delivery system comprising a fluid line for carrying substantially all of the pressurized fluid and liquid cleaning solution to be delivered to the foaming chambers, a pair of inlet lines in fluid communication with the fluid line, each inlet line being in fluid communication with a respective upstream end of one of the foaming chambers for directing a portion of the pressurized fluid and liquid cleaning solution in the fluid line to the respective foaming chamber.

12. A chemical foaming system as set forth in claim 11 wherein the inlet lines are in fluid communication with each other downstream of the fluid line to provide fluid communication between the upstream ends of the foaming chambers.