Floor sweeping and scrubbing machine
First Claim
1. A floor sweeping and scrubbing machine comprising:
- a mobile body comprising a frame supported on wheels for travel over a surface;
a motorized cleaning head attached to the mobile body, the cleaning head configured to perform sweeping and scrubbing operations on the surface;
a waste hopper positioned on a rear side of the cleaning head and configured to receive waste discharged from the cleaning head during the surface sweeping operations;
a hopper lift connected to the mobile body and configured to raise the waste hopper from an operating position, in which the waste hopper is positioned adjacent the cleaning head, to a dumping position, in which the waste hopper is positioned to dump waste collected in the waste hopper;
a vacuum squeegee;
a vacuum fan in vacuum communication with a vacuum port of the vacuum squeegee; and
a waste recovery tank supported by the mobile body on the rear side of the cleaning head and configured to receive liquid waste collected by the vacuum squeegee.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A hard floor sweeping and scrubbing machine includes a mobile body comprising a frame supported on wheels for travel over a surface, a motorized cleaning head, a waste hopper, a hopper lift and a vacuum squeegee. The motorized cleaning head is attached to the mobile body and is configured to perform sweeping and scrubbing operations on the surface. The waste hopper is positioned on a rear side of the cleaning head and is configured to receive waste discharged from the cleaning head during the surface sweeping operations. The hopper lift is configured to raise the waste hopper from an operating position, in which the waste hopper is positioned adjacent the cleaning head, to a dumping position, in which the waste hopper is positioned to dump waste collected in the waste hopper. In one embodiment, the vacuum squeegee is attached to the hopper lift. Also disclosed is a method of cleaning a surface using embodiments of the machine.
293 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A floor sweeping and scrubbing machine comprising:
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a mobile body comprising a frame supported on wheels for travel over a surface; a motorized cleaning head attached to the mobile body, the cleaning head configured to perform sweeping and scrubbing operations on the surface; a waste hopper positioned on a rear side of the cleaning head and configured to receive waste discharged from the cleaning head during the surface sweeping operations; a hopper lift connected to the mobile body and configured to raise the waste hopper from an operating position, in which the waste hopper is positioned adjacent the cleaning head, to a dumping position, in which the waste hopper is positioned to dump waste collected in the waste hopper; a vacuum squeegee; a vacuum fan in vacuum communication with a vacuum port of the vacuum squeegee; and a waste recovery tank supported by the mobile body on the rear side of the cleaning head and configured to receive liquid waste collected by the vacuum squeegee. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A floor sweeping and scrubbing machine comprising:
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a mobile body comprising a frame supported on wheels for travel over a surface; a motorized cleaning head attached to the mobile body and configured to perform sweeping and scrubbing operations on the surface; a waste hopper positioned on a rear side of the cleaning head and configured to receive liquid and solid waste discharged from the cleaning head during the surface sweeping operations; and a hopper lift connected to the mobile body and configured to raise the waste hopper from an operating position, in which the waste hopper is positioned adjacent the cleaning head, to a dumping position, in which the waste hopper is positioned to dump waste collected in the waste hopper; and a vacuum squeegee attached to the hopper lift, whereby the vacuum squeegee is raised and lowered in response to the raising and lowering of the waste hopper by the hopper lift. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of cleaning a surface comprising steps of:
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providing a floor sweeping and scrubbing machine comprising; a motorized cleaning head; a waste hopper; a hopper lift connected to the waste hopper; and a vacuum squeegee attached to the hopper lift; placing the waste hopper in an operating position, in which the waste hopper is positioned adjacent a rear side of the cleaning head; performing a cleaning operation on the surface using the cleaning head including sweeping waste into the waste hopper; raising the waste hopper and the vacuum squeegee to a dumping position using the hopper lift; and dumping the waste contained in the waste hopper. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification