Floor cleaning device with motorized vibratory head

• US 7,210,185 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2003
• Issued: 05/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Inventors: Paas, Edward L.
• Primary Examiner(s): REDDING, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US10/726,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20040107522A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 15/49.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/125 with supply of cleaning agents
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4069 Driving or transmission means for the cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4075 Handles; levers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/20 Mops
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/22 with liquid-feeding devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/312 supplied with liquid wax or oil

Abstract

A vibratory cleaning/polishing head secured to manually operated handle includes a detachable cleaning/polishing pad secured to the head, and a rechargeable battery and vibratory unit including a motor. In one embodiment, the vibratory unit and battery are substantially contained within the head housing. In another embodiment the vibratory unit and battery are situated atop of the housing.

The motor contains a driveshaft to which an eccentric element is secured. The driveshaft extends substantially parallel to the horizontal upper surface of the head, wherein vibration of the head in a vertical plane is induced for enhancing efficacy of cleaning/polishing.

In one embodiment, the device has two vibratory units secured to the head, each spaced from the other on laterally opposed sides of attachment yoke. The units operate in the 2,500 to 8,000 RPM range.

Claims

1. A cleaning device comprising:

a) a cleaning head including a housing;

b) a manually operated handle, said handle flexibly coupled to said cleaning head and adapted to oscillate with respect thereto;

c) at least one powered vibratory unit mounted in or on said housing;

d) a rechargeable battery disposed within the housing for powering the at least one powered vibratory unit;

e) a power switch electrically coupled between the battery and the motor;

f) a yoke coupling the handle at the housing; and

g) two separate motors, one on each side of said head, said yoke interposed between each motor,

wherein said at least one vibratory unit imparts a substantially vertically oriented vibration to said cleaning head to enhance efficacy of cleaning.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one motor is an electric motor.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said motor comprises a drive shaft, and said vibratory unit comprises a driven shaft coupled to said drive shaft;

said driven shaft comprising an eccentric weight affixed thereto, said shafts mounted horizontally so as to be substantially parallel to an upper laterally extending portion of said housing so as to produce said vibration having a substantially vertical component relative to a hard floor surface to be cleaned.

4. The device of claim 3, further comprising a control for producing differing relative motor speeds to create a beat frequency, and wherein a lateral rocking motion of the head is induced about said yoke.

5. The device of claim 3, further including a foam layer interposed between said cleaning head and said handle to so as to reduce transmission of vibration from said cleaning head to said handle.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the unit is adapted to reciprocate between about 2,500 and 8,500 cycles per minute.

19. The device of claim 1, further comprising a trigger portion coupled to the handle to spray a cleaning solution.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein certain components of the device are encapsulated in a transparent covering.

7. A device for cleaning a hard floor surface, comprising:

a) a head configured to clean the hard floor surface, the head including a housing;

b) a manually operated handle, said handle coupled by a yoke to said housing;

c) first and second powered vibratory units mounted in or on said housing;

d) a first motor located on a first lateral side of said head, and a second motor located on a second lateral side of said head opposite the first lateral side, the yoke interposed between the first and second lateral sides;

d) a rechargeable battery disposed within the housing for powering each first and second motor; and

e) a power switch electrically coupled between the first and second batteries and the first and second motors, wherein both first and second vibratory units impart a substantially vertically oriented vibration to the respective first and second lateral sides of said head when cleaning the floor surface.

8. The device of claim 7, further comprising a control mechanism that produces a distinctive difference in relative speeds of said first and second motors creating a beat frequency, and wherein a lateral rocking motion of the head is induced about said yoke for enhanced efficacy of cleaning.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the head includes a cleaning pad configured to engage the hard surface floor.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein each of said first and second motors comprise a drive shaft, and wherein each of said first and second vibratory units comprise a driven shaft respectively coupled to said drive shaft of said first and second motors;

said driven shaft comprising an eccentric weight affixed thereto, said shafts mounted horizontally so as to be substantially parallel to an upper laterally extending portion of said housing so as to produce said vibration having a substantially vertical component.

11. The device of claim 7, further including a foam layer interposed between said head and said handle to reduce the transmission of vibration from said head to said handle.

12. The device of claim 7, further comprising a second switch, wherein the second switch in a first position causes a distinctive difference in relative speeds of said first and second motors creating a beat frequency so as to induce a lateral rocking motion of the head, and wherein the second switch in a second position causes the first and second motors to operate at generally equal speeds.

13. A device for cleaning a hard floor surface, comprising:

a) a head configured to clean the floor surface;

b) a manually operated handle coupled by a yoke to said head;

c) a first powered vibratory unit mounted at a first lateral side of the head, and a second powered unit mounted at a second lateral side of the head opposite the first lateral side, the yoke located between the first and second powered vibratory units;

d) a first motor connected to power the first vibratory unit, and a second motor connected to power the second vibratory unit, and the yoke interposed between each motor;

e) a battery disposed at the head for powering each first and second motor, wherein each of the first and second vibratory units impart a substantially vertically oriented vibration to said head when cleaning the floor surface, and wherein a difference in relative speeds of said first and second motors creates a beat frequency so as to create a lateral rocking motion of the head about said yoke.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the head includes a cleaning pad configured to engage the hard surface floor.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein each of said first and second motors comprise a drive shaft, and wherein each of said first and second first and second vibratory units comprise a driven shaft coupled to said drive shaft of each of said first and second motors, respectively, said driven shaft comprising an eccentric weight affixed thereto, both said drive and driven shafts mounted horizontally so as to be substantially parallel to an upper laterally extending portion of said housing so as to produce said vibration having a substantially vertical component.

16. The device of claim 13, further comprising a second switch, wherein the second switch in a first position causes a distinctive difference in relative speeds of said first and second motors creating a beat frequency so as to induce a lateral rocking motion of the head, and wherein the second switch in a second position causes the first and second motors to operate at generally equal speeds.

17. The device of claim 13, further including a power switch electrically coupled between both first and second batteries and both of said first and second motors.

18. The device of claim 17, further comprising a trigger mechanism configured to actuate an aerosol canister so as to spray cleaning solution from the canister to the hard surface floor.