FLOOR NOZZLE FOR VACUUM CLEANER

• US 20140215749A1
• Filed: 09/27/2012
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Versuni Holding BV
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Van Der Kooi, Johannes Tseard, Van De Veen, Egbert
• Granted Patent: US 11,253,121 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/322
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0477 Rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0488 Combinations or arrangements of several tools, e.g. edge cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/066 with adjustably mounted brushes, combs, lips or pads; Height adjustment of nozzle or dust loosening tools for suction cleaners with handles and nozzles fixed on the casing A47L5/34
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0666 with tilting, floating or similarly arranged brushes, combs, lips or pads

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cleaning device for cleaning a surface, with a nozzle arrangement (10) comprising: —a brush (12) rotatable about a brush axis (14), said brush (12) being provided with brush elements (16) having tip portions (18) for contacting the surface to be cleaned (20) and picking up dirt particles (22) and/or liquid (24) from the surface (20) during the rotation of the brush (12), —a drive means for driving the brush (12) in rotation, —a bouncing element (32) comprising a bouncing surface (33) that is configured to let the dirt particles (22) and/or liquid (24), that are released from the brush (12) during rotation, rebound to the brush (12), said bouncing surface (33) being spaced apart from the brush (12) and extending substantially parallel to the brush axis (14), and —an adjustment means (35) for adjusting the position of the bouncing element (32) relative to the surface (20) depending on a direction of movement (40) of the device, wherein the adjustment means (35) is adapted to arrange the bouncing element (32) in a first position in which the bouncing element (32) has a first distance d1 to the surface (20), when the cleaning device is moved in a forward direction, in which the bouncing element (32) is, seen in the direction of movement of the device (40), located behind the brush (12), and to arrange the bouncing element (32) in a second position in which the bouncing element (32) has a second distance d2 to the surface, when the cleaning device is moved in an opposite backward direction, wherein d2 is greater than d1 and equal to d3*tan(α), d3 being the distance between the bouncing surface (33) and the position of the brush (12) where the tip portions (18) lose contact from the surface to be cleaned (20) during the rotation of the brush (12), and α being an angle that is equal to or smaller than 20°.

Claims

1. Cleaning device for cleaning a surface, with a nozzle arrangement comprising:

a brush rotatable about a brush axis, said brush being provided with brush elements having tip portions for contacting the surface to be cleaned and picking up dirt particles and/or liquid from the surface during the rotation of the brush,

a drive means for driving the brush in rotation,

a bouncing element comprising a bouncing surface that is configured to let the dirt particles and/or liquid, that are released from the brush during rotation, rebound to the brush, said bouncing surface being spaced apart from the brush and extending substantially parallel to the brush axis, and

an adjustment means for adjusting the position of the bouncing element relative to the surface depending on a direction of movement of the device, wherein the adjustment means is adapted to arrange the bouncing element in a first position in which the bouncing element has a first distance d1 to the surface, when the cleaning device is moved in a forward direction, in which the bouncing element is, seen in the direction of movement of the device, located behind the brush, and to arrange the bouncing element in a second position in which the bouncing element has a second distance d2 to the surface, when the cleaning device is moved in an opposite backward direction, wherein d2 is greater than d1 and equal to d3*tan, d3 being the distance between the bouncing surface and the position of the brush where the tip portions lose contact from the surface to be cleaned during the rotation of the brush, and α

being an angle that is equal to or smaller than 20°

.

2. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustment means is adapted to arrange the bouncing element in the second position in which the bouncing element has the second distance d2 to the surface, wherein d2 is greater than d1 and equal to d3*tan, wherein α

is equal to or smaller than 15°

, preferably equal to or smaller than 12°

, more preferably in a range of 9°

to 11°

, and most preferably equal to 10°

.

3. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustment means is adapted to arrange the bouncing element in the first position in a distance d1 of zero, wherein the bouncing element touches the surface.

4. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustment means is adapted to arrange the bouncing element in the second position with a second distance d2 to the surface, wherein d2 is in a range of 0.3 to 7 mm, preferably in a range of 0.5 to 5 mm, and most preferably in a range of 1 to 3 mm.

5. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bouncing surface is tilted with respect to a vertical axis that is perpendicular to the surface.

6. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nozzle arrangement comprises a nozzle housing that at least partly surrounds the brush and wherein the bouncing element is attached to said housing.

7. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a linear mass density of a plurality of the brush elements is, at least at the tip portions, lower than 150 g per 10 km, preferably lower than 20 g per 10 km

8. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive means are adapted to realize a centrifugal acceleration at the tip portions of the brush elements which is, in particular during a dirt release period when the brush elements are free from contact to the surface during rotation of the brush, at least 3,000 m/s², more preferably at least 7,000 m/s², and most preferably 12,000 m/s².

9. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive means are adapted to realize an angular velocity of the brush which is in a range of 3,000 to 15,000 revolutions per minute, more preferably in a range of 5,000 to 8,000 revolutions per minute, during operation of the device.

10. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the brush has a diameter which is in a range of 10 to 100 mm, more preferably in a range of 20 to 80 mm, most preferably in a range of 35 to 50 mm, when the brush elements are in a fully outstretched condition, and wherein the length of the brush elements is in a range of 1 to 20 mm, preferably in a range of 8 to 12 mm, when the brush elements are in a fully outstretched condition.

11. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a vacuum aggregate for generating an under-pressure in a suction area that is defined in a space between the brush and the bouncing element for ingesting dirt particles and liquid, wherein said under-pressure generated by the vacuum aggregate is in a range of 3 to 70 mbar, preferably in a range of 4 to 50 mbar, most preferably in a range of 5 to 30 mbar.

12. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a packing density of the brush elements is at least 30 tufts of brush elements per cm², and wherein a number of brush elements per tuft is at least 500

13. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, comprising means for supplying a liquid to the brush at a rate which is lower than 6 ml per minute per cm of a width of the brush in which the brush axis is extending.

14. A nozzle arrangement for a cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

a brush rotatable about a brush axis, said brush being provided with brush elements having tip portions for contacting the surface to be cleaned and picking up dirt particles and/or liquid from the surface during the rotation of the brush,

a drive means for driving the brush in rotation,

a bouncing element comprising a bouncing surface that is configured to let the dirt particles and/or liquid, that are released from the brush during rotation, rebound to the brush, said bouncing surface being spaced apart from the brush and extending substantially parallel to the brush axis, and

an adjustment means for adjusting the position of the bouncing element relative to the surface depending on a direction of movement of the device, wherein the adjustment means is adapted to arrange the bouncing element in a first position in which the bouncing element has a first distance d1 to the surface, when the cleaning device is moved in a forward direction, in which the bouncing element is, seen in the direction of movement of the device, located behind the brush, and to arrange the bouncing element in a second position in which the bouncing element has a second distance d2 to the surface, when the cleaning device is moved in an opposite backward direction, wherein d2 is greater than d1 and equal to d3*tan, d3 being the distance between the bouncing surface and the position of the brush where the tip portions lose contact from the surface to be cleaned during the rotation of the brush, and α

being an angle that is equal to or smaller than 20°

.