Cleaning machine

• US 7,987,546 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2010
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alfred Kã¤Rcher GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Alfred Kã¤Rcher GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Poch, Alfred, Oesterle, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin; Randall
• Application Number:
  US12/799,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20100275395A1
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 151/79, 15/491
• US Class Current: 15/49.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/24 Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/282 having rotary tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4069 Driving or transmission means for the cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 1/068 involving gluing, welding or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2001/102 the torque is transmitted via polygon shaped connections

Abstract

The invention relates to a cleaning machine with at least one cleaning tool which is adapted to be driven in rotation by way of a drive shaft that is rotatably mounted on a carrier, the drive shaft carrying a torque-transmission member which engages, by way of protrusions, in drive recesses of the cleaning tool. In order for it to be possible for the cleaning machine to be manufactured more cost-effectively, it is proposed according to the invention that the drive shaft is made from metal, and that the torque-transmission member is formed, as a plastics-material molding, onto the drive shaft.

Claims

1. Cleaning machine, comprising:

a carrier,

a metal drive shaft rotatably mounted on the carrier,

at least one cleaning tool with drive recesses, the at least one cleaning tool adapted to be driven in rotation by the drive shaft

a torque-transmission member carried by the drive shaft, the torque-transmission member having protrusions adapted to engage in the drive recesses of the at least one cleaning tool,

wherein the torque-transmission member is made from a plastics material which is molded onto and encapsulates a longitudinal portion of the drive shaft, the longitudinal portion of the drive shaft carrying the torque-transmission member penetrates into the drive recesses of the at least one cleaning tool.

2. Cleaning machine according to claim 1, wherein the torque-transmission member has a Shore hardness of 60 to 80.

3. Cleaning machine according to claim 1, wherein the torque-transmission member is produced from a polyurethane material.

4. Cleaning machine according to claim 1, wherein the torque-transmission member has a star-shaped cross-sectional profile with rounded tips.

5. Cleaning machine according to claim 1, wherein at least one axially projecting tolerance-compensating member is disposed on the torque-transmission member.

6. Cleaning machine according to claim 5, wherein the at least one tolerance-compensating member is elastically deformable.

7. Cleaning machine according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of tolerance-compensating members are spaced apart from one another.

8. Cleaning machine according to claim 5, wherein the at least one tolerance-compensating member is produced from a plastics material.

9. Cleaning machine according to claim 5, wherein the at least one tolerance-compensating member and the torque-transmission member are connected integrally to one another and form a single-piece plastics-material molding.

10. Cleaning machine according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cleaning tool is configured as a brush roller.