Floor cleaning device having disposable floor sheets and rotatable beater bar and method of cleaning a floor therewith

• US 9,468,347 B2
• Filed: 11/11/2014
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Bradbury, Glenn Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): CHIN, RANDALL E
• Application Number:
  US14/537,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20150059121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/22 Floor-sweeping machines, hand-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/33 having means for storing dirt
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4013 Contaminants collecting devices, i.e. hoppers, tanks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4069 Driving or transmission means for the cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4072 Arrangement of castors or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/12 Implements with several different treating devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/16 Cloths; Pads; Sponges metal scraping sponges A47L13/07
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/20 Mops
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/44 Securing scouring-cloths to the brush or like body of the implement
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/52 Dust pans; Crumb trays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0422 driven by the rotation of the supporting wheels on which the nozzle travels over the floor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0483 Reciprocating or oscillating tools, e.g. vibrators, agitators, beaters
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0686 Nozzles with cleaning cloths, e.g. using disposal fabrics for covering the nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1409 Rigid filtering receptacles dust collecting receptacles for cyclones A47L9/1683

Abstract

A cleaning system. The system has a floor cleaning device, disposable floor sheet removably attachable to the device pad, and a rotatable beater bar. The device has a single wheel, and moves on the target surface by rolling action of the wheel and gliding of the floor sheet. This arrangement, not having multiple wheels, provides enhanced maneuverability, and improves cleaning performance. The cleaning system may be used to clean hard surfaces, such as a floor.

Claims

1. A device for cleaning a floor, said device comprising:

an elongate handle,

a foot, said foot being pivotally connected to said handle, said foot being movable on a floor, said foot having a front, a rear longitudinally opposed thereto, and two opposed sides connecting said front and said rear, said foot comprising

a sole plate for removably receiving a disposable floor sheet therein

an axially rotatable beater bar disposed in front of said sole plate, said beater bar rotating in response to movement of said foot on said floor,

said foot further comprising a plurality of wheels, at least one of said wheels being operably connected to said beater bar to cause rotation thereof when at least one of said wheel rolls on a floor, said plurality of wheels having a width of less than 10 mm between centerlines of said wheels.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said at least one wheel being operably connected to said beater bar has a diameter ranging from 18 to 63 mm.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein said beater bar is gear driven, so that said beater bar is driven at least as fast as said at least one said wheel.

4. A device according to claim 3 wherein said foot has a housing with said beater bar therein, wherein said beater bar is gear driven to be rotationally driven faster than said at least one said wheel.

5. A device according to claim 2 wherein said at least one wheel is stepped.

6. A device according to claim 5 wherein said at least one wheel is rotatably disposed on an axle and said axle is removable from said device independent of said beater bar.