Filter Shaker Assembly for Sweeping Machine

• US 20090217479A1
• Filed: 03/02/2009
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tennant Company
• Original Assignee: Tennant Company
• Inventors: Basham, Michael Thomas, Wellens, Richard W., Ardito, Michael Shawn, Wilmo, Michael Stewart
• Granted Patent: US 8,256,061 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/340.100
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/00 Brushes with driven brush bodies or carrierspower-driven toothbrushes A61C17/16
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/302 Broom
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4033 Means for cleaning filters
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 1/0854 Apparatus in which the mechanically dislodged dirt is partially sucked-off, e.g. dislodging- sweeping apparatus with dirt collector in brush housing or dirt container mechanical dislodging machines with independent suction nozzles E01H1/0827; combined with blowing and suction E01H1/0872

Abstract

A filter shaking assembly for a floor surface maintenance machine including a filter assembly in fluid communication with the debris hopper and having a cylindrical filter held against a shaker plate. The shaker plate is vibrated by a shaker motor at least partially positioned within an interior of the filter and eccentric mass to remove an accumulation of debris from the surface of the filter. The eccentric mass may include two eccentric masses positioned on a common shaft of the shaker motor.

Claims

1. A floor surface maintenance machine comprising:

a mobile chassis having a sweeping brush;

a hopper assembly receiving debris thrown by the sweeping brush; and

a filter assembly in fluid communication with the hopper assembly, said filter assembly including a cylindrical filter and a filter shaking mechanism, said filter shaking mechanism including a motor positioned within an interior of the filter and an eccentric mass coupled to a shaft of the motor, said eccentric mass being rotated to remove debris from a surface of the cylindrical filter.

2. The floor surface maintenance machine of claim 1 wherein said eccentric mass includes a pair of eccentric masses coupled along said motor shaft.

3. The floor surface maintenance machine of claim 2 wherein at least one of the pair of eccentric masses is positioned within the interior of the cylindrical filter.

4. The floor surface maintenance machine of claim 1 wherein the filter shaking mechanism includes a shaker plate to which said motor is attached.

5. The floor surface maintenance machine of claim 4 wherein the shaker plate includes a filter support to limit a degree of compression applied to a gasket positioned between the cylindrical filter and the shaker plate.

6. The floor surface maintenance machine of claim 4 wherein the shaker plate is supported upon a shaker frame attached within said hopper assembly.

7. The floor surface maintenance machine of claim 6 wherein a bearing is positioned between the shaker frame and the shaker plate, said bearing allowing the shaker plate to move relative to the shaker frame.

8. The floor surface maintenance machine of claim 7 wherein at least one pin is attached to the shaker plate or the shaker frame or both, with said at least one pin engaging at least one aperture to limit the degree of movement between the shaker plate and the shaker frame.

9. A floor surface maintenance machine comprising:

a mobile chassis having a vacuum fan;

a debris hopper receiving debris from a floor surface; and

a filter assembly in fluid communication with the debris hopper and including a cylindrical filter held against a shaker plate, said vacuum fan drawing air through a surface of the filter, and said shaker plate being vibrated by a motor positioned within an interior of the filter and eccentric mass to remove an accumulation of debris from the surface of the filter.

10. The floor surface maintenance machine of claim 9 wherein the shaker plate is slidably supported on a shaker frame attached within said debris hopper.

11. The floor surface maintenance machine of claim 10 wherein a bearing is provided between the shaker plate and the shaker frame, said bearing allowing the shaker plate to move relative to the shaker frame during a filter cleaning operation.

12. The floor surface maintenance machine of claim 9 further comprising a gasket between the shaker plate and the cylindrical filter, and wherein the shaker plate includes a filter support to control a degree of compression of said gasket.

13. The floor surface maintenance machine of claim 10 wherein the shaker frame includes a base plate having a circular aperture and a ring attached to the shaker plate is received into said circular aperture, together said ring and circular aperture defining a range of motion for the shaker plate relative to the shaker frame.

14. A floor surface maintenance machine comprising:

a vacuum fan;

a cylindrical filter in fluid communication with the vacuum fan;

an electric motor; and

an eccentric mass attached to the electric motor, with said electric motor and eccentric mass being coupled at one end of the cylindrical filter, and with activation of the electric motor causing the eccentric mass to rotate and vibrate the cylindrical filter to dislodge an accumulation of debris from a surface of the cylindrical filter.

15. The floor surface maintenance machine of claim 14 wherein the electric motor is at least partially received into the cylindrical filter.

16. The floor surface maintenance machine of claim 15 wherein the eccentric mass is positioned within the cylindrical filter.

17. The floor surface maintenance machine of claim 14 wherein the electric motor and eccentric mass are connected to a shaker plate, with said shaker plate engaging one end of the cylindrical filter.

18. The floor surface maintenance machine of claim 17 wherein the shaker plate is slidably supported upon a frame, said frame allowing the shaker plate to move relative to the frame during a filter shaking procedure.

19. The floor surface maintenance machine of claim 18 wherein the shaker plate includes a filter support for controlling the position of the cylindrical filter relative to the shaker plate.

20. The floor surface maintenance machine of claim 19 further comprising a gasket between the shaker plate and the cylindrical filter, with said filter support limiting a degree of compression of said gasket.