Cleaning machine

• US 8,714,291 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2009
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tennant Company
• Original Assignee: Tennant Company
• Inventors: Riach, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hau
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEYER, JACOB B
• Application Number:
  US12/999,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20110155488A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,783 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1, 180/68.5
• US Class Current: 180/68.5
• 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: B60K 17/356 having fluid or electric motor, for driving one or more wheels disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel B60K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/04 Arrangement of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 1/0845 with mechanical loosening or feeding instruments for the dirt to be sucked- up, e.g. brushes, scrapers brushing installations per se E01H1/02; other loosening devices per se E01H1/105
• 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

Abstract

A cleaning machine having two front wheels and two rear wheels supporting a chassis, the chassis having a central spine, the cleaning machine including a first electrical cell for propelling the cleaning machine, said first electrical cell being positioned between one of the front wheels and one of the rear wheels and outboard of the central spine.

Claims

1. A cleaning machine having two front wheels and two rear wheels supporting a chassis, the chassis having a central spine, the cleaning machine including a first electrical cell for propelling the cleaning machine, said first electrical cell being positioned between one of the front wheels and one of the rear wheels and outboard of the central spine in which the rear wheels are connected by a beam axle and the beam axle being connected to the central spine, the connection of the beam axle to the central spine including a single, elongate trailing arm pivotally connected, at a forward part thereof, to the central spine at a pivot connection, said first electrical cell being positioned on a right hand side of the cleaning machine, the cleaning machine including a second electrical cell for propelling the cleaning machine, said second electrical cell being positioned between one of the front wheels and one of the rear wheels and outboard of the central spine on a left hand side of the cleaning machine, the first electrical cell and the second electrical cell defining a gap therebetween within which is positioned a part of the central spine, the forward part of the single trailing arm, and the pivot connection.

2. The cleaning machine of claim 1, wherein the single trailing arm is pivotally connected to the central spine by a ball joint.

3. The cleaning machine of claim 1, wherein a rear part of the trailing arm is connected to a central part of a transversely mounted frame with the right side end of the transversely mounted frame connected to a right side end of the beam axle and a left side end of the transversely mounted frame connected to a left side end of the beam axle.

4. The cleaning machine of claim 3, wherein said rear part of the trailing arm is generally in line with the front of the rear wheels.

5. The cleaning machine of claim 1, wherein said single trailing arm is positioned below the central spine.

6. The cleaning machine of claim 1, further comprising a Panhard rod connected at one end to the beam axle and connected at another end to the chassis.

7. The cleaning machine of claim 1, further comprising a Watt'"'"'s linkage having two generally horizontally disposed rods each being connected to the chassis at an outboard end, the two rods each being connected to a generally vertically orientated bar at an inboard end, the generally vertically orientated bar being connected to the beam axle.

8. The cleaning machine of claim 1, wherein the forward part of the trailing arm is narrower than the gap defined by first electrical cell and the second electrical cell.

9. A cleaning machine having two front wheels and two rear wheels supporting a chassis, the chassis having a central spine, the cleaning machine including a first electrical cell for propelling the cleaning machine, said first electrical cell being positioned between one of the front wheels and one of the rear wheels and outboard of the central spine, the cleaning machine including a second electrical cell for propelling the cleaning machine, the first electrical cell being orientated horizontally, the second cell sloping upwardly towards the rear of the cleaning machine.

10. The cleaning machine of claim 9, wherein the second electrical cell is mounted above the first electrical cell.

11. The cleaning machine of claim 9, wherein the first electrical cell and the second electrical cell are mounted in a frame, the frame being selectively mountable on and demountable from the cleaning machine in order to change the electrical cells.

12. The cleaning machine of claim 11, wherein the frame includes a first cell box for receiving one or more first electrical cells and a second cell box for receiving one or more second electrical cells.

13. The cleaning machine of claim 12, wherein the first cell box is orientated horizontally.

14. The cleaning machine of claim 12, wherein the first cell box includes a removable side.

15. The cleaning machine of claim 14, wherein the first cell box includes a tray for receiving one or more electrical cells, the tray being configured to slide out of the cell box and to slide into the cell box.

16. The cleaning machine of claim 12, wherein the second cell box is orientated so as to slope upwardly towards the rear of the machine.

17. The cleaning machine of claim 12, wherein the second cell box is capable of receiving more electrical cells than the first cell box.

18. The cleaning machine of claim 12, wherein the second cell box includes a front mounting bracket and a rear mounting bracket to mount the frame on the chassis.

19. The cleaning machine of claim 18, wherein the front mounting bracket is proximate the top of the second cell box and the rear mounting bracket is proximate the bottom of the second cell box.