Multi-function, battery-powered, rider cleaning machine

• US 6,357,070 B1
• Filed: 02/16/2000
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Karcher North America Incorporated (Alfred Kärcher SE & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Windsor Industries Incorporated (Alfred Kärcher SE & Co. KG)
• Inventors: Venard, Daniel C., Knowlton, Christopher M., OʼHara, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Till, Terrence R.
• Application Number:
  US09/505,484
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 15/501, 15/503, 15/521, 15/78, 15/82--87, 153/20, 153/401, 153/403, 153/404, 180/65.1, 180/65.3, 180/68.5
• US Class Current: 15/50.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/28 Floor-scrubbing machines, motor-driven A47L11/29 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4005 Arrangements of batteries or cells; Electric power supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/60 Industrial applications, e.g. pipe inspection vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/244 Secondary casings; Racks; Suspension devices; Carrying devices; Holders characterised by their mounting method
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/249 specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A cleaning machine that can simultaneously perform the cleaning operations of sweeping, scrubbing and burnishing is provided. The cleaning machine is battery-operated and is driven by a riding operator. A pivotal door is located at the rear of the cleaning machine. The burnishing assembly is pivotal with the door. Upon opening the door, access to a battery pack and a cart that supports the battery pack is available. The battery pack can be removed from the cleaning machine at its rear using the cart. A charged battery pack with cart is then positioned in the battery storage assembly of the cleaning machine to replace the removed battery pack and cart. A pair of ramp members facilitate desired placement of the cart and battery pack within the cleaning machine.

Claims

1. A cleaning machine, comprising:

a housing having a front end and a rear end with battery storage therebetween;

a sweeping assembly located closer to said front end than to said rear end;

a scrubbing assembly located closer to said sweeping assembly than to said front end;

a squeegee assembly;

a burnishing assembly, said burnishing assembly being located on one side of said squeegee assembly and said scrubbing assembly being located on an opposite side of said squeegee assembly;

a battery pack; and

a battery support that supports said battery pack;

wherein said battery pack and said battery support are movable to be repositioned within said battery storage and to be removed therefrom and in which each of said sweeping assembly, said scrubbing assembly and said burnishing assembly is being activated by power from said battery pack at the same time.

2. A cleaning machine, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

at least substantial portions of said burnishing assembly are movable relative to said housing.

3. A cleaning machine, as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said burnishing assembly is pivotal relative to said housing.

4. A cleaning machine, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said battery support includes a battery support assembly having wheels and said battery storage includes a battery storage assembly having ramp members that are engaged by said wheels when said battery support assembly and said battery pack are moved in said battery storage assembly.

5. A cleaning machine, comprising:

a housing assembly including a battery storage assembly;

at least one cleaning assembly;

a battery pack;

a battery support assembly that supports said battery pack; and

a squeegee assembly disposed adjacent said at least one cleaning assembly, with said squeegee assembly being removed when said battery storage assembly and said battery pack are moved from said battery storage assembly;

wherein said battery pack and said battery support assembly are movable to be repositioned within said battery storage assembly and to be removed therefrom.

6. A cleaning machine, comprising:

a housing assembly including a battery storage assembly;

at least a sweeping assembly, a scrubbing assembly and a burnishing assembly that can operate at the same time in cleaning a floor over which the cleaning machine moves, said burnishing assembly including a panel located more adjacent to a rear of said housing assembly than to a front of said housing assembly for closing off said battery storage assembly; and

a battery assembly held in said battery storage assembly that supplies electrical power to each of said sweeping, scrubbing and burnishing assemblies at the same time.

7. A cleaning machine, as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

said burnishing assembly is pivotal relative to said housing assembly.

8. A cleaning machine, as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

said battery assembly includes a battery pack and a battery support assembly that supports said battery pack and in which said battery support assembly and said battery pack are movable to be contained within said battery storage assembly and removed therefrom.

9. A cleaning machine, as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

said battery assembly includes a battery pack that provides at least 140 amperes of electrical current during steady state cleaning operations when powering the cleaning machine including all of said sweeping, scrubbing and burnishing assemblies.

10. A cleaning machine, as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

said burnishing assembly is located on one side of said panel and said scrubbing assembly is located on an opposite side of said panel.

11. A cleaning machine, as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

said housing assembly has a first end and a second end and with a length of said housing assembly defined therebetween, at least substantial portions of said burnishing assembly being located outwardly of said length of said housing assembly.

12. A cleaning machine, as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

said panel is moveable.

13. A method for providing power to a cleaning machine supported on a floor surface having a number of cleaning assemblies, comprising:

performing a number of cleaning operations simultaneously using a number of cleaning assemblies that are powered by a first battery pack, which is supported using a first battery support assembly, held in a battery storage assembly of a housing of said cleaning machine;

replacing said first battery pack and said first battery support assembly with a second battery pack and a second battery support assembly having a front end and a rear end, said second battery support assembly including at least a first front wheel located more adjacent to said front end than to said rear end and at least a first rear wheel located more adjacent to said rear end than said front end and in which said replacing step includes entering said housing by said second battery support assembly while at least said first rear wheel contacts and moves along the floor surface that supports said cleaning machine; and

conducting a number of cleaning operations using said number of cleaning assemblies all being powered by said second battery pack.

14. A method, as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

said number of cleaning assemblies include a sweeping assembly, a scrubbing assembly and a burnishing assembly.

15. A method, as claimed in claim 14, wherein:

said conducting step, includes drawing at least 140 amperes of electrical current during steady state cleaning operations when powering said cleaning machine including all of said number of cleaning assemblies.

16. A method, as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

said replacing step includes moving one of said cleaning assemblies.

17. A method, as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

said replacing step includes using wheels of said first battery support assembly to move said first battery support assembly and said first battery pack away from said battery storage assembly.

18. A method, as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

said step of using includes engaging said wheels with ramp members of said battery storage assembly.

19. A method, as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

said housing has at least a first end and said replacing step includes entering said housing first end by said second battery support assembly.

20. A method for providing power to a cleaning machine having a number of cleaning assemblies, comprising:

providing a number of cleaning operations simultaneously using a number of cleaning assemblies that are powered by a first battery pack, which is supported using a first battery support assembly held in a battery storage assembly of a housing of said cleaning machine;

replacing said first battery pack and said first battery support assembly with a second battery back and a second battery support assembly, one of said cleaning assemblies includes a burnishing assembly and said replacing step includes pivoting said burnishing assembly relative to said housing; and

conducting a number of cleaning operations using said number of cleaning assemblies all being powered by said second battery pack.

21. A method for providing power to a cleaning machine having a number of cleaning assemblies, comprising:

performing a number of cleaning operations simultaneously using a number of cleaning assemblies that are powered by a first battery pack, which is supported using a first battery support assembly, held in a battery storage assembly of a housing of said cleaning machine;

replacing said first battery pack and said first battery support assembly with a second battery pack and a second battery support assembly, said replacing step including removing a squeegee assembly that is located adjacent to a rear of said housing; and

conducting a number of cleaning operations using said number of cleaning assemblies all being powered by said second battery pack.

22. A cleaning machine, comprising:

a housing having a front end and a rear end;

a sweeping assembly located closer to said front end than to said rear end;

a scrubbing assembly located closer to said sweeping assembly than to said front end;

a squeegee assembly; and

a burnishing assembly that is located on one side of said squeegee assembly and with said scrubbing assembly being located on an opposite side of said squeegee assembly;

wherein each of said sweeping assembly, said scrubbing assembly and said burnishing assembly is being powered at the same time.

23. A cleaning machine, as claimed in claim 22, wherein:

at least one of said sweeping assembly, said scrubbing assembly, and said burnishing assembly is powered using battery power.

24. A cleaning machine, as claimed in claim 22, wherein:

at least a first wheel is located closer to said front end than to said rear end and said sweeping assembly is the only sweeping assembly and all portions thereof are located on one side of said first wheel.

25. A cleaning machine, as claimed in claim 24, wherein:

said front end is located closer to said first wheel than to said sweeping assembly.

26. A cleaning machine, as claimed in claim 22, wherein:

at least substantial portions of said burnishing assembly are located outwardly of said housing.