Floor treatment apparatus
DCFirst Claim
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1. A floor treatment apparatus comprising:
- a chassis having a front and a back and with a lower surface, a front surface adjacent the front, an upper surface, a rear surface adjacent the back, a left surface, and a right surface;
a first wheel operably interconnected to the lower surface adjacent to the left surface and located closer to the rear surface than the front surface;
a second wheel operably interconnected to the lower surface adjacent the right surface and located closer to the rear surface than the front surface;
a platform located substantially between at least a portion of the right surface and at least a portion of the left surface, and closer to the lower surface than the upper surface, wherein the platform extends rearwardly from a portion of the rear surface, wherein a portion of the platform is positioned between the first wheel and the second wheel such that a portion of the platform penetrates a three-dimensional cylindrical volume that is defined by the outer surface of the first wheel and the second wheel, and wherein the platform includes a throttle and an operator presence device, which is operatively connected to and which selectively interrupts operation of the throttle;
a power source positioned substantially within the chassis;
an electric monowheel drive motor associated with the power source;
a third wheel associated with the electric monowheel drive motor and operably connected adjacent the lower surface of the chassis;
a steering mechanism associated with the third wheel;
a floor treating device connected adjacent to the lower surface of the chassis; and
wherein the chassis includes a rear cowling that is capable of selective rotation about an axis parallel to the axis extending between the center of the first wheel and the center of the second wheel.
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Abstract
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for cleaning or otherwise treating a floored surface that includes a platform adapted to support the weight of an operator. In addition, one embodiment of the present invention is capable of generally performing 360° turns to facilitate the treatment of difficult to access portions of the floored surface.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A floor treatment apparatus comprising:
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a chassis having a front and a back and with a lower surface, a front surface adjacent the front, an upper surface, a rear surface adjacent the back, a left surface, and a right surface; a first wheel operably interconnected to the lower surface adjacent to the left surface and located closer to the rear surface than the front surface; a second wheel operably interconnected to the lower surface adjacent the right surface and located closer to the rear surface than the front surface; a platform located substantially between at least a portion of the right surface and at least a portion of the left surface, and closer to the lower surface than the upper surface, wherein the platform extends rearwardly from a portion of the rear surface, wherein a portion of the platform is positioned between the first wheel and the second wheel such that a portion of the platform penetrates a three-dimensional cylindrical volume that is defined by the outer surface of the first wheel and the second wheel, and wherein the platform includes a throttle and an operator presence device, which is operatively connected to and which selectively interrupts operation of the throttle; a power source positioned substantially within the chassis; an electric monowheel drive motor associated with the power source; a third wheel associated with the electric monowheel drive motor and operably connected adjacent the lower surface of the chassis; a steering mechanism associated with the third wheel; a floor treating device connected adjacent to the lower surface of the chassis; and wherein the chassis includes a rear cowling that is capable of selective rotation about an axis parallel to the axis extending between the center of the first wheel and the center of the second wheel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A floor treatment apparatus comprising:
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an enclosure for enveloping at least a waste receptacle, the enclosure having a front and a back and a lower surface, a front surface adjacent the front, an upper surface, a rear surface adjacent the back, a left surface, and a right surface; a first wheel operably interconnected to the lower surface adjacent to the left surface and located closer to the rear surface than the front surface; a second wheel operably interconnected to the lower surface adjacent the right surface and located closer to the rear surface than the front surface; a platform located closer to the lower surface than the upper surface and substantially between at least a portion of the right surface and at least a portion of the left surface, and extending from a portion of the rear surface, wherein a portion of the platform is positioned substantially proximate to an axis extending between the first wheel and the second wheel; and a floor treatment assembly operably connected to the lower surface of the enclosure. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A floor treatment apparatus comprising:
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an enclosure for enveloping at least a waste receptacle, the enclosure having a front and a back and a lower surface, a front surface adjacent the front, an upper surface, a rear surface adjacent the back, a left surface, and a right surface; a first wheel operably interconnected to the lower surface adjacent to the left surface and located closer to the rear surface than the front surface; a second wheel operably interconnected to the lower surface adjacent the right surface and located closer to the rear surface than the front surface; a platform located closer to the lower surface than the upper surface and substantially between at least a portion of the right surface and at least a portion of the left surface, and extending from a portion of the rear surface, wherein a portion of the platform also positioned substantially adjacent to an axis extending between the first wheel and the second wheel; a floor treatment assembly operably connected to the lower surface of the enclosure; a power source positioned substantially within the enclosure; an electric monowheel drive motor associated with the power source; a third wheel associated with the electric monowheel drive motor and operably connected adjacent the lower surface of the enclosure; a steering mechanism associated with the third wheel; and wherein the enclosure includes a rear cowling that is capable of selective rotation about an axis parallel to the axis extending between the center of the first wheel and the center of the second wheel. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A floor treatment apparatus comprising:
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a chassis with a lower surface, a front surface, an upper surface, a rear surface, a left surface and a right surface; a platform is provided that extends substantially between at least a portion of the right surface, at least a portion of the left surface and at least a portion of the rear surface, the platform having a throttle and an operator presence device operatively connected to and which selectively interrupts operation of the throttle; a third wheel operably connected adjacent the lower surface of the chassis; a steering mechanism substantially housed within the chassis and having a portion adjacent to the upper surface; a floor treating device connected adjacent to the lower surface of the chassis; a debris collection device connected adjacent to the lower surface of the chassis; and wherein the chassis includes a rear portion that is capable of selective rotation about an axis parallel to the axis extending between the center of the first wheel and the center of the second wheel. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A floor treatment apparatus with a platform upon which the operator can stand during operation, comprising:
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a chassis having a front and a back and a lower surface, a front surface adjacent the front, a rear surface adjacent the back, a left side and right side and a platform; at least a first wheel, a second wheel and a third wheel, the first wheel and the second wheel located substantially toward the back of the apparatus; at least one of a debris collection device and a fluid collection device connected adjacent the lower surface; a power source interconnected to at least one of the wheels; a mechanism operably interconnected to at least one of the wheels to allow an operator to steer the floor treatment apparatus; wherein the platform has a portion that is positioned below the uppermost point of the first wheel and the second wheel, and wherein the platform includes a throttle actuator and an operator presence device, which is operatively connected to and which selectively interrupts operation of the throttle actuator. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification