Brush roll arrangement for a floor cleaning tool

• US 20060064828A1
• Filed: 09/23/2005
• Published: 03/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stein & Co GmbH
• Original Assignee: Stein & Co GmbH
• Inventors: Stein, Thomas, Liffers, Achim
• Granted Patent: US 7,805,795 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/41.100
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0455 Bearing means therefor

Abstract

A brush roll is rotatably supported by bearings in a housing of a cleaning brush tool. One of the bearings is incorporated in a removable bearing arrangement that can be rotationally fastened and removed as needed on a cylindrical end of the housing. Preferably collar elements protruding cylindrically from the removable bearing arrangement form bayonet-type catch hooks that selectively engage with bayonet-type catch elements protruding radially outwardly from the cylindrical end sleeve of the housing. A detent on the housing engages a securing element on the removable bearing arrangement to secure the engaged bayonet-type fastening arrangement against rotational release thereof.

Claims

1. A cleaning brush tool comprising:

a brush housing;

a brush roll rotatably arranged in said brush housing and extending longitudinally along an axial direction;

a first bearing that rotatably supports a first end of said brush roll relative to said brush housing; and

a removable bearing arrangement that includes a second bearing and a bearing mount which carries said second bearing;

wherein;

said second bearing rotatably supports a second end of said brush roll;

said bearing mount is removably connected to a circular or cylindrical end portion of said brush housing proximate to said second end of said brush roll;

said bearing mount includes a first rotational fastening structure and a first securing element;

said end portion of said brush housing includes a second rotational fastening structure and a second securing element;

said bearing mount can be selectively removed from and connected to said end portion of said brush housing by being moved in said axial direction relative to said housing;

when said bearing mount is arranged in or on said end portion of said brush housing, said first and second rotational fastening structures selectively cooperate and engage with one another to fasten said removable bearing arrangement to said end portion of said brush housing by rotation of said bearing mount about said axial direction relative to said housing;

when said removable bearing arrangement is fastened to said end portion of said brush housing by engagement of said rotational fastening structures, said first and second securing elements engage with one another to secure said bearing mount against rotation relative to said brush housing in a rotation direction that would disengage said rotational fastening structures from one another.

2. The cleaning brush tool according to claim 1, wherein said first and second rotational fastening structures comprise a bayonet coupling including a bayonet catch and a bayonet hook that selectively hooks onto said bayonet catch.

3. The cleaning brush tool according to claim 2, wherein said first rotational fastening structure comprises said bayonet hook provided on said bearing mount, and said second rotational fastening structure comprises said bayonet catch provided on said end portion of said brush housing.

4. The cleaning brush tool according to claim 1, wherein said bearing mount comprises a bearing mount cup including an end cap and collar elements protruding cylindrically from said end cap, and said collar elements fit coaxially outside onto said cylindrical end portion of said brush housing.

5. The cleaning brush according to claim 1, wherein said brush roll can be removed out of said brush housing without use of any tool by manually pulling said brush roll in said axial direction out of said end portion of said brush housing after manually removing said removable bearing arrangement.

6. A cleaning brush tool comprising:

a brush housing;

a brush roll rotatably arranged in said brush housing and extending longitudinally along an axial direction;

a first bearing that rotatably supports a first end of said brush roll relative to said brush housing; and

a removable bearing arrangement that includes a second bearing and a bearing mount which carries said second bearing;

wherein;

said second bearing rotatably supports a second end of said brush roll;

said bearing mount is removably connected to a circular or cylindrical end portion of said brush housing proximate to said second end of said brush roll;

said bearing mount includes at least one collar element that fits onto or into said end portion of said brush housing;

said at least one collar element or said end portion has at least two bayonet coupling catch grooves therein;

said end portion or said at least one collar element has thereon at least two bayonet coupling catch elements that are selectively engageable into said catch grooves by relative rotation between said bearing mount and said end portion of said brush housing; and

said bearing mount and said brush housing further have respective latch elements that engage one another and prevent rotation of said bearing mount relative to said brush housing in at least a rotation direction that would disengage said catch elements from said catch grooves.

7. The cleaning brush tool according to claim 6, wherein said at least one collar element fits externally onto said end portion of said brush housing.

8. The cleaning brush tool according to claim 6, wherein said catch elements are provided on said end portion of said brush housing and said catch grooves are provided on said at least one collar element of said removable bearing arrangement.

9. The cleaning brush tool according to claim 6, wherein said at least one collar element or said end portion further has at least two sloping guide surfaces that slope respectively into said catch grooves, and said catch elements respectively have sloping guide walls that are arranged and configured to face, contact and slide along said sloping guide surfaces.

10. The cleaning brush tool according to claim 6, wherein said latch elements include a securing element provided on said bearing mount and a deflectable detent that is provided on said brush housing and that selectively engages said securing element.

11. The cleaning brush tool according to claim 10, wherein said securing element comprises an undercut or protruding rim or a ratchet groove, and said deflectable detent comprises a pawl that selectively engages under, behind or into said rim or ratchet groove.

12. The cleaning brush tool according to claim 10, wherein said deflectable detent is pivotably connected to said brush housing so as to be manually pivotally deflectable out of engagement with said securing element.

13. The cleaning brush tool according to claim 10, wherein said deflectable detent is flexible so as to be manually flexibly deflectable out of engagement with said securing element.

14. The cleaning brush tool according to claim 10, wherein said deflectable detent includes a manual press button that can be manually pressed to deflect said detent out of engagement with said securing element.

15. The cleaning brush tool according to claim 6, wherein said removable bearing arrangement can be selectively mounted on and removed from said end portion of said brush housing entirely manually without use of any tool.

16. The cleaning brush tool according to claim 15, wherein said brush roll can be removed out of said brush housing without use of any tool by manually pulling said brush roll in said axial direction out of said end portion of said brush housing after manually removing said removable bearing arrangement.

17. A cleaning brush tool comprising:

a brush housing;

a brush roll rotatably arranged in said brush housing and extending longitudinally along an axial direction;

a first bearing that rotatably supports a first end of said brush roll relative to said brush housing; and

a removable bearing arrangement that includes a second bearing and a bearing mount which carries said second bearing;

wherein;

said second bearing rotatably supports a second end of said brush roll;

said bearing mount is mounted and rotationally removably fastened in or on a circular or cylindrical end portion of said brush housing proximate to said second end of said brush roll, whereby said bearing mount covers an opening of said end portion in said axial direction; and

said bearing mount is externally manually removable from said end portion in said axial direction so as to uncover said opening, and then said brush roll is manually removable out of said brush housing in said axial direction through said opening.