Drip cover for floor polishing machine

• US 6,982,509 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2004
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ALTO US Incorporated (ALTO U.S.)
• Original Assignee: ALTO US Incorporated (ALTO U.S.)
• Inventors: Deiterman, Lenard K.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TRAN N
• Application Number:
  US10/709,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20040227419A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 310/85, 310/89, 310/71, 310/58, 310/60.R, 310/62, 310/63
• US Class Current: 310/89
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/40 Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4097 Means for exhaust-air diffusion; Exhaust-air treatment, e.g. air purification; Means for sound or vibration damping
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/10 with arrangements for protection from ingress, e.g. water or fingers
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/207 with openings in the casing specially adapted for ambient air
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/06 with fans or impellers driven by the machine shaft

Abstract

Floor polishing machines include a motor housing, mounted vertically above the base of the machine that contains and protects the motor of the machine. A drip cover that may have a convex shape is mounted on the top of the motor housing and offset from the housing to provide a space between the housing and the cover through which air can flow to cool the motor during operation of the polishing machine. The drip cover has a cylindrical skirt that extends axially from the drip cover to surround the upper portion of the motor housing. Formed concentrically with the skirt, on the inner surface of the drip cover is a cup sized to accept, hold and protect the upper bearing of the motor. The drip cover further includes a downwardly facing electrical inlet or plug attached to the inner surface of the cover within the cylindrical skirt.

Claims

1. A drip cover for a vertically mounted motor having an upper portion, an upper bearing and a base comprising:

a cover having an inner surface and a circumference;

a cylindrical skirt extending axially from the circumference of the cover to surround the upper portion of the motor;

a cup formed on the inner surface of the cover concentrically with the skirt and sized to hold and protect the upper bearing of the motor; and

a downwardly facing electrical connector attached to the inner surface of the cover within the cylindrical skirt and outside the motor, the cover being mounted on and spaced from the upper portion of the motor by a plurality of bosses mounted on the inner surface of the cover and formed concentrically within the skirt on a circle having the same diameter as the motor.

2. The drip cover of claim 1 wherein the cover has a convex shape.

3. The drip cover of claim 1 wherein the cover has a diameter greater than the diameter of the motor.

4. The drip cover of claim 3 wherein the plurality of bosses have ends opposite the inside surface of the cover, the ends being cut to form a rabbet surface that cooperates with the upper portion of the motor to support the cover spaced from the upper portion of the motor.

5. The drip cover of claim 4 wherein the cover is mounted on and spaced from the upper portion of the motor by a plurality of bosses and fasteners having sufficient length to attach the cover and motor to the base.

6. The drip cover of claim 5 wherein the fasteners are selected from the group consisting of bolts and screws.

7. The drip cover of claim 1 wherein the cover is removably mounted on and spaced from the upper portion of the motor.

10. The drip cover of claim 1 wherein the cover is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, aluminum and iron.

11. The drip cover of claim 10 wherein the cover is formed from plastic.

12. The drip cover of claim 1 wherein the circumference of the cover has a shape selected from the group consisting of shapes that are generally round, shapes that are generally round with lobes or expansion areas extending radially outwardly from the generally round portion of the shape and shapes that are non-symmetrical in the shape of the letter D and similar letters.

8. A drip cover for a vertically mounted motor having an upper portion, an upper bearing and a base comprising:

a cover having an inner surface and a circumference;

a cylindrical skirt extending axially from the circumference of the cover to surround the upper portion of the motor;

a cup formed on the inner surface of the cover concentrically with the skirt and sized to hold and protect the upper bearing of the motor; and

a downwardly facing electrical connector attached to the inner surface of the cover within the cylindrical skirt and outside the motor, the cover being mounted on and spaced from the upper portion of the motor by a plurality of bosses mounted on the inner surface of the cover and formed concentrically within the skirt on a circle having the same diameter as the motor and fasteners having sufficient length to attach the cover and motor to the base.

9. The drip cover of claim 8 wherein the plurality of bosses have ends opposite the inside surface of the cover, the ends being cut to form a rabbet surface that cooperates with the upper portion of the motor to support the cover spaced from the upper portion of the motor.

13. A drip cover for a vertically mounted motor having an upper portion and an upper bearing mounted on a base, the drip cover comprising a cover having a convex shape having an inner surface, a circumference and a diameter greater than the diameter of the motor, a cylindrical skirt extending axially from the circumference of the cover to surround the upper portion of the motor, a cup formed on the inner surface of the cover concentrically with the skirt and sized to hold and protect the upper bearing of the motor, and a downwardly facing electrical connector attached to the inner surface of the cover within the cylindrical skirt and outside the motor, the cover being mounted on and spaced from the upper portion of the motor by a plurality of bosses mounted on the inner surface of the cover and formed concentrically within the skirt on a circle having the same diameter as the motor.

14. The drip cover of claim 13 wherein the plurality of bosses have ends opposite the inside surface of the cover, the ends being cut to form a rabbet surface that cooperates with the upper portion of the motor to support the cover spaced from the upper portion of the motor.

15. The drip cover of claim 13 wherein the cover is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, aluminum and iron.

16. The drip cover of claim 15 wherein the cover is formed from plastic.

17. The drip cover of claim 13 wherein the circumference of the cover has a shape selected from the group consisting of shapes that are generally round, shapes that are generally round with lobes or expansion areas extending radially outwardly from the generally round portion of the shape and shapes that are non-symmetrical in the shape of the letter D and similar letters.

18. The drip cover of claim 13 wherein the cover is mounted on and spaced from the upper portion of the motor by a plurality of bosses and fasteners having sufficient length to attach the cover and motor to the base.

19. The drip cover of claim 18 wherein the fasteners are selected from the group consisting of bolts and screws.

20. The drip cover of claim 13 wherein the cover is removably mounted on and spaced from the upper portion of the motor.

21. A drip cover for a floor polisher having an vertically mounted upper portion, an upper bearing and a base comprising:

a cover having an inner surface and a circumference;

a cylindrical skirt extending axially from the circumference of the cover to surround the upper portion of the motor;

a cup formed on the inner surface of the cover concentrically with skirt and sized to hold and protect the upper bearing of the motor; and

a downwardly facing electrical connector attached to the inner surface of the cover within the cylindrical skirt and outside the motor, the cover being mounted on and spaced from the upper portion of the motor by a plurality of bosses mounted on the inner surface of the cover and formed concentrically within the skirt on a circle having the same diameter as the motor, the plurality of bosses having ends opposite the inside surface of the cover, the ends being cut to form a rabbet surface that cooperates with the upper portion of the motor to support the cover spaced from the upper portion of the motor and fasteners having sufficient length to attach the cover and motor to the base.

22. The drip cover of claim 21 wherein the cover has a convex shape.

23. The drip cover of claim 21 wherein the cover has a diameter greater than the diameter of the motor.

24. The drip cover of claim 21 wherein the fasteners are selected from the group consisting of bolts and screws.

25. The drip cover of claim 21 wherein the cover is removably mounted on and spaced from the upper portion of the motor.

26. The drip cover of claim 25 wherein the cover is removably mounted on and spaced from the upper portion of the motor by a plurality of bosses mounted on the inner surface of the cover and formed concentrically within the skirt on a circle having the same diameter as the motor and fasteners having sufficient length to attach the cover and motor to the motor base.

27. The drip cover of claim 26 wherein the fasteners are selected from the group consisting of bolts and screws.

28. The drip cover of claim 21 wherein the cover is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, aluminum and iron.

29. The drip cover of claim 28 wherein the cover is formed from plastic.

30. The drip cover of claim 29 wherein the circumference of the cover has a shape selected from the group consisting of shapes that are generally round, shapes that are generally round with lobes or expansion areas extending radially outwardly from the generally round portion of the shape and shapes that are non-symmetrical in the shape of the letter D and similar letters.

31. A drip cover drip cover for a floor polisher having an upper portion and an upper bearing mounted on a base, the drip cover comprising a cover having a convex shape having an inner surface, a circumference and a diameter greater than the diameter of the motor, a cylindrical skirt extending axially from the circumference of the cover to surround the upper portion of the motor, a cup formed on the inner surface of the cover concentrically with the skirt and sized to hold and protect the upper bearing of the motor, and a downwardly facing electrical connector attached to the inner surface of the cover within the cylindrical skirt and outside the motor, the cover being mounted on and spaced from the upper portion of the motor by a plurality of bosses mounted on the inner surface of the cover and formed concentrically within the skirt on a circle having the same diameter as the motor.

32. The drip cover of claim 31 wherein the plurality of bosses have ends opposite the inside surface of the cover, the ends being cut to form a rabbet surface that cooperates with the upper portion of the motor to support the cover spaced from the upper portion of the motor.

33. The drip cover of claim 31 wherein the cover is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, aluminum and iron.

34. The drip cover of claim 31 wherein the cover is formed from plastic.

35. The drip cover of claim 31 wherein the circumference of the cover has a shape selected from the group consisting of shapes that are generally round, shapes that are generally round with lobes or expansion areas extending radially outwardly from the generally round portion of the shape and shapes that are non-symmetrical in the shape of the letter D and similar letters.