Hard floor surface cleaner utilizing an aerated cleaning liquid

• US 20030070697A1
• Filed: 12/23/2002
• Published: 04/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tennant Company
• Original Assignee: Tennant Company
• Inventors: Blehert, Michael L., Field, Bruce F., Christensen, Bryan L.
• Granted Patent: US 6,705,332 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/102.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/03 characterised by having provisions for supplying cleaning or polishing agents A47L11/065, A47L11/085, A47L11/125, A47L11/145, A47L11/161, A47L11/1625, A47L11/185, A47L11/201 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/30 by suction
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4016 specially adapted for collecting fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4038 Disk shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4083 Liquid supply reservoirs; Preparation of the agents, e.g. mixing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/291 for obtaining foams or aerosols
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 13/0095 Preparation of aerosols

Abstract

A method of cleaning a hard floor surface with a surface maintenance vehicle including the steps of generating a foam-like aerated cleaning liquid, selectively conveying the foam-like aerated cleaning liquid to the hard floor surface and a scrubbing medium operatively coupled to the surface maintenance vehicle, scrubbing the hard floor surface with said rotating scrubbing medium and said foam-like aerated cleaning liquid so as to loosen soil from the hard floor surface leaving behind a soiled solution of cleaning liquid and soil, and removing at least a portion of the soiled solution from the hard floor surface through a fluid recovery device. Additional aspects of the present invention include devices for performing the cleaning method.

Claims

1. A method of cleaning a hard floor surface with a surface maintenance vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:

generating a foam-like aerated cleaning liquid;

selectively conveying said foam-like aerated cleaning liquid to the hard floor surface and a rotating scrubbing medium operatively coupled to the surface maintenance vehicle;

scrubbing the hard floor surface with said rotating scrubbing medium and said foam-like aerated cleaning liquid so as to loosen soil from the hard floor surface leaving behind a soiled solution of cleaning liquid and soil; and

removing at least a portion of the soiled solution from the hard floor surface through a fluid recovery device.

2. A method of claim 1 wherein the scrubbing medium is a disk-type scrub brush rotating about a generally vertical axis of rotation relative to said hard floor surface.

3. A method of claim 1 wherein the scrubbing medium is a cylindrical-type scrub brush rotating about a generally horizontal axis of rotation and generally transverse to an operating direction of movement of said surface maintenance vehicle.

4. A method of claim 1 wherein the step of generating the foam-like aerated cleaning liquid is selectively achieved by way of an air compression process, an agitation process, or both.

5. A method of claim 1 wherein the step of generating the foam-like aerated cleaning liquid is achieved by way of a process utilizing compressed air and pressurized cleaning liquid.

6. A method of claim 1 wherein the step of removing soiled solution from the hard floor surface is achieved via a non-vacuum process.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the non-vacuum process includes the steps of:

physically wiping the hard floor surface with a wiping medium;

lifting soiled solution away from the hard floor surface; and

depositing the soiled solution in a recovery tank.

8. A method of claim 1 wherein the step of selectively conveying the foam-like aerated cleaning liquid to the hard floor surface and the scrub brush includes the step of selectively applying the aerated cleaning liquid directly to the floor surface and directly to the scrubbing medium.

9. A method of claim 1 wherein the cleaning liquid is selected such that the foam-like aerated cleaning liquid substantially de-aerates on the hard floor surface prior to removal of the soiled solution.

10. A method of claim 1 wherein the cleaning liquid is provided through a step of mixing water with a surfactant within a solution tank.

11. A method of claim 1 wherein the cleaning liquid is provided through a step of mixing water with a surfactant dispensed from a chemical dispenser.

12. A method of claim 11 wherein the chemical dispenser includes a removable cartridge element containing said surfactant.

13. A method of claim 1 further comprising the step of defoaming soiled solution recovered by the fluid recovery device via a chemical or thermal device.

14. A method of cleaning a hard floor surface comprising the steps of:

generating a foam-like aerated cleaning liquid by mixing pressurized air with a cleaning liquid;

selectively conveying said foam-like aerated cleaning liquid to the hard floor surface and a scrubbing medium operatively coupled to the surface maintenance vehicle;

scrubbing the hard floor surface with said scrubbing medium and said foam-like aerated cleaning liquid so as to loosen soil from the hard floor surface leaving behind a soiled solution of cleaning liquid and soil; and

removing at least a portion of the soiled solution from the hard floor surface through a fluid recovery device.

15. A method of claim 14 wherein the step of scrubbing the hard floor surface is achieved by rotating or oscillating the scrubbing medium relative to the hard floor surface.

16. A method of claim 14 wherein the scrubbing medium is a disk-type scrub brush rotating about a generally vertical axis of rotation relative to said hard floor surface.

17. A method of claim 14 wherein the scrubbing medium is a cylindrical-type scrub brush rotating about a generally horizontal axis of rotation and generally transverse to an operating direction of movement of said surface maintenance vehicle.

18. A method of claim 14 wherein the step of removing soiled solution from the hard floor surface is achieved via a non-vacuum process.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the non-vacuum process includes the steps of:

physically wiping the hard floor surface with a wiping medium;

lifting soiled solution away from the hard floor surface; and

depositing the soiled solution in a recovery tank.

20. A method of claim 14 wherein the step of selectively conveying the foam-like aerated cleaning liquid to the hard floor surface and the scrubbing medium includes the step of selectively applying the aerated cleaning liquid directly to the floor surface and directly to the scrubbing medium.

21. A method of claim 14 wherein the cleaning liquid is selected such that the foam-like aerated cleaning liquid substantially de-aerates on the hard floor surface prior to removal of the soiled solution.

22. A method of claim 14 wherein the step of generating the foam-like aerated cleaning liquid includes the step of mixing pressurized air with pressurized cleaning liquid.

23. A method of claim 22 wherein the step of mixing pressurized air with pressurized cleaning liquid is achieved via one or more passive mixing elements.

24. A method of claim 14 wherein the cleaning liquid is provided through a step of mixing water with a surfactant within a solution tank.

25. A method of claim 14 wherein the cleaning liquid is provided through a step of mixing water with a surfactant dispensed from a chemical dispenser.

26. A method of claim 25 wherein the chemical dispenser includes a removable cartridge element containing said surfactant.

27. A method of claim 14 further comprising the step of defoaming soiled solution recovered by the fluid recovery device via a chemical or thermal device.

28. A method of cleaning a hard floor surface comprising the steps of:

generating a foam-like aerated cleaning liquid;

selectively conveying said foam-like aerated cleaning liquid to the hard floor surface and a scrubbing medium operatively coupled to the surface maintenance vehicle;

scrubbing the hard floor surface with said scrubbing medium and said foam-like aerated cleaning liquid so as to loosen soil from the hard floor surface leaving behind a soiled solution of cleaning liquid and soil; and

non-vacuumized transporting at least a portion of the soiled solution from the hard floor surface and into the recovery tank.

29. A method of claim 28 wherein the step of generating the foam-like aerated cleaning liquid is selectively achieved by way of an air compression process, an agitation process, or both.

30. A method of claim 28 wherein the step of generating the foam-like aerated cleaning liquid is achieved by way of a process utilizing compressed air and pressurized cleaning liquid.

31. A method of claim 28 wherein the step of scrubbing the hard floor surface is achieved by rotating or oscillating the scrubbing medium relative to the hard floor surface.

32. A method of claim 28 wherein the scrubbing medium is a disk-type scrub brush rotating about a generally vertical axis of rotation relative to said hard floor surface.

33. A method of claim 28 wherein the scrubbing medium is a cylindrical-type scrub brush rotating about a generally horizontal axis of rotation and generally transverse to an operating direction of movement of said surface maintenance vehicle.

34. The method of claim 28 wherein the step of non-vacuumized transporting the soiled solution includes the steps of:

physically wiping the hard floor surface with a wiping medium;

lifting soiled solution away from the hard floor surface; and

depositing the soiled solution in a recovery tank.

35. A method of claim 28 wherein the cleaning liquid is selected such that the foam-like aerated cleaning liquid substantially de-aerates on the hard floor surface prior to removal.

36. A method of claim 28 wherein the cleaning liquid is provided through a step of mixing water with a surfactant within a solution tank.

37. A method of claim 28 wherein the cleaning liquid is provided through a step of mixing water with a surfactant dispensed from a chemical dispenser.

38. A method of claim 37 wherein the chemical dispenser includes a removable cartridge element containing said surfactant.

39. A method of claim 28 further comprising the step of defoaming soiled solution recovered by the fluid recovery device via a chemical or thermal device.

40. A movable device for a hard floor surface cleaning process comprising:

an aerator in fluid communication with a cleaning liquid, said aerator generating a foam-like aerated cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid;

a fluid conveyor coupled to the aerator, said fluid conveyor transferring the foam-like aerated cleaning liquid into contact with the hard floor surface;

a rotating scrub medium engaging the hard floor surface and the foam-like aerated cleaning liquid to loosen soil from the hard floor surface to leave behind a soiled solution of cleaning liquid and soil; and

a fluid recovery device removing at least a portion of the soiled solution from the hard floor surface.

41. A device of claim 40 wherein the cleaning liquid includes water and a surfactant.

42. A device of claim 40 wherein the aerator includes a mixing element receiving pressurized cleaning liquid, pressurized air, or both.

43. A device of claim 40 wherein the scrub medium is a disk-type scrub brush rotating about a generally vertical axis of rotation relative to the hard floor surface.

44. A device of claim 40 wherein the scrub medium is a cylindrical-type scrub brush rotated about a generally horizontal axis of rotation relative to the hard floor surface.

45. A device of claim 40 wherein the cleaning liquid is selected such that the foam-like aerated cleaning liquid substantially de-aerates on the hard floor surface prior to removal of the soiled solution.

46. A device of claim 40 wherein the fluid recovery device is a vacuum device for conveying soiled solution from the hard floor surface.

47. A device of claim 40 wherein the cleaning liquid is water mixed with a chemical via a chemical dispenser.

48. A device of claim 47 wherein the chemical dispenser includes a removable chemical cartridge.

49. A device of claim 40 wherein the fluid conveyer directs the aerated cleaning liquid through a conduit having a discharge outlet proximate to the center of the disk scrub brush.

50. A device of claim 40 further comprising:

a defoaming device for de-aerating foam recovered by the device.

51. A device of claim 50 wherein the defoaming device includes a device for dispensing a chemical defoamer.

52. A device of claim 50 wherein the defoaming device is a radiant heating element provided in operative relation to recovered foam.

53. A surface maintenance vehicle for a hard floor surface cleaning process comprising:

a tank holding water;

a chemical dispenser, said dispenser delivering a chemical into water to form a cleaning liquid;

an aerator generating an aerated cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid;

a fluid conveyor in fluid communication with the aerator, said fluid conveyor directing the aerated cleaning liquid into contact with the hard floor surface;

a scrub brush engaging the hard floor surface and the aerated cleaning liquid to loosen soil from the hard floor surface to leave behind a soiled solution of cleaning liquid and soil; and

a fluid recovery device removing at least a portion of the soiled solution from the hard floor surface.

54. A surface maintenance vehiclee of claim 53 wherein the chemical dispenser includes a removable cartridge containing a surfactant.

55. A surface maintenance vehicle of claim 53 wherein the chemical dispenser dispenses the chemical into the tank.

56. A surface maintenance vehicle of claim 53 wherein the chemical dispenser dispenses the chemical into a conduit for mixing water within the conduit with the chemical.

57. A surface maintenance vehicle of claim 53 further comprising a de-foaming device for reducing the volume of recovered foam within a recovered solution tank, said defoaming device selected from a group including:

a device for dispensing a chemical defoamant and a radiant heating element.