SURFACE-CLEANING MACHINE

• US 20170215679A1
• Filed: 04/12/2017
• Published: 08/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alfred Kärcher SE & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Alfred Kã¤Rcher GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Rufenach, Christoph, Buchmann, Johanna, Mueller, Andreas, Moser, Fabian, Schulze, Manuel
• Granted Patent: US 10,349,797 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/202 having separate drive for the cleaning brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/302 having rotary tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4008 Arrangements of switches, indicators or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4016 specially adapted for collecting fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4027 Filtering or separating contaminants or debris
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped 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 11/4075 Handles; levers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4083 Liquid supply reservoirs; Preparation of the agents, e.g. mixing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4088 Supply pumps; Spraying devices; Supply conduits
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/30 with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0411 driven by electric motor

Abstract

A surface-cleaning machine is provided, which includes an appliance body on which a suction apparatus device is arranged, a cleaning head on which at least one cleaning roller is arranged, and a drive device for driving the at least one cleaning roller in rotation, wherein the cleaning head has, between a first face side and an oppositely situated second face side, a first region, a second region and a central region situated between the first and second regions, and wherein at least one first suction mouth is positioned at the first region and associated with the at least one cleaning roller and at least one second suction mouth is positioned at the second region and associated with the at least one cleaning roller, wherein the at least one first suction mouth and the at least one second suction mouth are fluidically connected to the suction apparatus device.

Claims

1. A surface-cleaning machine, comprising:

an appliance body on which a suction apparatus device is arranged;

a cleaning head on which at least one cleaning roller is arranged; and

a drive device for driving the at least one cleaning roller in rotation;

wherein the cleaning head has, between a first face side and an oppositely situated second face side, a first region, a second region and a central region situated between the first region and the second region; and

wherein at least one first suction mouth is positioned at the first region so as to be associated with the at least one cleaning roller and at least one second suction mouth is positioned at the second region so as to be associated with the at least one cleaning roller; and

wherein the at least one first suction mouth and the at least one second suction mouth are fluidically connected to the suction apparatus device.

2. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein a connecting direction between the first face side and the second face side is parallel to an axis of rotation of the at least one cleaning roller.

3. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein, at the central region, there is arranged at least one of a drive element and a shaft, which drive element or shaft is connected in terms of torque transmission to the drive device.

4. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one cleaning roller is of two-part form, having a first part which is positioned at the first region and having a second part which is positioned at the second region.

5. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first part and the second part are seated on a shaft which is positioned at the central region.

6. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least one of (i) the at least one first suction mouth or an arrangement of multiple first suction mouths has a length parallel to an axis of rotation of the at least one cleaning roller which amounts to at least 80% of a corresponding length of the first part of the at least one cleaning roller, and (ii) the at least one second suction mouth or an arrangement of multiple second suction mouths has a length parallel to an axis of rotation of the at least one cleaning roller which amounts to at least 80% of a corresponding length of the second part of the at least one cleaning roller.

7. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one first suction mouth and the at least one second suction mouth are fluidically separated from one another.

8. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein a separating element for fluidically separating the at least one first suction mouth and the at least one second suction mouth is arranged at the central region.

9. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein, on the cleaning head, there is arranged at least one first suction funnel, which has the at least one first suction mouth, and at least one second suction funnel, which has the at least one second suction mouth.

10. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least one first suction pipe is connected to the at least one first suction funnel, and at least one second suction pipe is connected to the at least one second suction funnel.

11. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least one of (i) the at least one first suction pipe and (ii) the at least one second suction pipe are formed, at least in sections, as hoses.

12. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 10, wherein the at least one first suction pipe and the at least one second suction pipe are arranged spaced apart from one another in a direction parallel to an axis of rotation of the at least one cleaning roller.

13. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 12, wherein a projection of a drive motor of the drive device onto an envelope plane of the at least one first suction pipe and of the at least one second suction pipe lies at least partially in a free region between the at least one first suction pipe and the at least one second suction pipe.

14. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 13, wherein the drive motor is positioned spaced apart from the envelope plane.

15. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 1, comprising a manifold pipe which has a connection for the fluidic connection to the suction apparatus device and which is connected to the at least one first suction pipe and to the at least one second suction pipe.

16. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 15, wherein the manifold pipe has a curved region on which the connection is arranged.

17. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 15, wherein at least one of the manifold pipe, at least partially, and the connection is positioned on the appliance body or on a housing of the appliance body or is positioned on the cleaning head or at a transition from the cleaning head to the appliance body.

18. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 1, comprising a wetting device for moistening the at least one cleaning roller.

19. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 18, wherein the wetting device has at least one nozzle which is arranged on the cleaning head.

20. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 1, comprising a unit which has at least one first suction funnel with the at least one first suction mouth and at least one second suction funnel with the at least one second suction mouth, wherein the unit as a whole is detachably fixable to the cleaning head.

21. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 20, wherein the unit has a cover panel which covers a section on the cleaning head.

22. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 20, wherein a part of a wetting device is arranged on the unit, and in particular, one or more nozzles are arranged on the unit, and in particular, one or more lines to the at least one nozzle are arranged on the unit.

23. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein a drive axis of a drive motor of the drive device and an axis of rotation of the at least one cleaning roller are oriented transversely and in particular perpendicularly with respect to one another.

24. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 23, wherein the drive device comprises a transmission device for the transmission of torque to the at least one cleaning roller.

25. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cleaning head is seated by means of a joint, so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis, on the appliance body.

26. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 25, wherein the pivot axis is oriented transversely with respect to a longitudinal axis of the appliance body, and in particular is oriented at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis.

27. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 25, wherein the drive motor of the drive device is positioned at least partially on the joint.

28. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 27, wherein a drive axis of the drive motor lies at least approximately parallel or coaxially with respect to the pivot axis.

29. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 27, wherein the cleaning head is mounted so as to be rotatable about the drive motor.

30. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 25, wherein the joint has an inner sleeve, in which the drive motor is at least partially positioned, and an outer sleeve, which is seated on the inner sleeve and which is mounted pivotably thereon.

31. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of (i) at least one of a receiving device for dirt and a reservoir device for dirty liquid is arranged on the appliance body, and (ii) a reservoir device for cleaning liquid is arranged on the appliance body.

32. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein a separation device which is associated with the suction apparatus device is arranged on the appliance body.

33. The surface-cleaning machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein, during a cleaning operation, the surface-cleaning machine is supported on a surface for cleaning only by way of a cleaning roller.