ORBITAL SCRUBBER

• US 20080271757A1
• Filed: 07/17/2008
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ALTO US Incorporated (ALTO U.S.)
• Original Assignee: ALTO US Incorporated (ALTO U.S.)
• Inventors: Mitchell, Kevin Blaine
• Application Number:
  US12/174,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20080271757A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/21
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/305 the tools being disc brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4036 Parts or details of the surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4044 Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4069 Driving or transmission means for the cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/408 Means for supplying cleaning or surface treating agents

Abstract

This orbital motion scrubber uses less cleaning solution than many conventional rotary motion scrubbers of comparable scrub width and tank size, which results in longer solution run time. The present invention drives the cleaning element in a high speed orbital motion which results in more revolutions per spot than many conventional rotary motion scrubbers. A flexible pad driver produces better cleaning of uneven hard surface floors than some prior art designs with rigid pad drivers. The brush motor that drives the pad driver and the cleaning element of the present invention uses less electrical energy than the brush motor in many rotary motion scrubbers which results in longer battery run time.

Claims

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

applying liquid cleaning solution to the hard floor surface in the proximity of a forward edge of a flexible cleaning element;

scrubbing the wet hard floor surface by movement of a flexible pad driver and a flexible cleaning element in an orbital path to loosen soil from the hard floor surface leaving behind a soiled solution;

applying an adjustable load on the flexible pad driver and flexible cleaning pad depending on how dirty the hard floor surface may be; and

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

2. A method of cleaning a hard floor surface with a floor scrubber free of splash skirts, the method comprising the steps of:

placing a cleaning solution of water and concentrated floor soap in a solution tank of the floor scrubber;

contacting the hard floor surface with the cleaning solution;

scrubbing the wetted hard floor surface by movement of a flexible pad driver and the flexible cleaning element in an orbital path to loosen soil from the hard floor surface leaving behind a soiled solution;

placing an adjustable load on the flexible pad driver and the cleaning element to allow for accommodation of heavily soiled floor surfaces and those that are lightly soiled; and

removing at least a portion of the soiled solution from the hard floor surface through a vacuum squeegee.