Micro powered floor cleaning device

• US 7,774,894 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2005
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Wagner, Eric F., McFarland, Timothy M., Druecke, Frank G., Ales, Thomas M. III, Meyer, Mary Jo, Chen, Fung-Jou, Rippl, Carl G., Lindsay, Jeffrey D., Tyrrell, David J., Ellefson, Kim
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson; Lee D
• Application Number:
  US11/247,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20070079470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,771 Days
• Field of Search: 153/20, 152/28, 152293-2299, 151/441, 152/31, 151/28, 151/18, 134/6
• US Class Current: 15/320
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/34 Machines for treating carpets in position by liquid, foam, or vapour, e.g. by steam
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4005 Arrangements of batteries or cells; Electric power supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/405 Machines using UV-lamps, IR-lamps, ultrasound or plasma cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4086 Arrangements for steam generation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/22 with liquid-feeding devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/225 Steam mops
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 15/06 Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, hand-held tools or the like control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/82 Micromachines
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/30 Fuel cells in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04208 Cartridges, cryogenic media or cryogenic reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1011 Direct alcohol fuel cells [DAFC], e.g. direct methanol fuel cells [DMFC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A floor-cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning head having a cleaning device, a control handle connected to the cleaning head for controlling the cleaning head and a micro power source in communication with the cleaning device. The micro power source is lightweight, compact, and rechargeable or replaceable for generating energy to power the cleaning device.

Claims

1. A floor cleaning apparatus, comprising:

a cleaning head including a cleaning device;

a control handle connected to the cleaning head for controlling the cleaning head; and

a micro power source in communication with the cleaning device, the micro power source including a fuel source and a chamber in communication with the fuel source, the chamber being configured to generate energy from a fuel communicated from the fuel source to power the cleaning device;

wherein the cleaning device is an ultrasonic plate in communication with the micro power source, the ultrasonic plate being configured to produce a plurality of vibrations using the energy generated by the micro power source, the cleaning device being configured to direct the vibrations from the ultrasonic plate in a direction of a floor to dislodge a plurality of foreign particles from the floor.

2. The floor cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the control handle is swivably connected to the cleaning head by a swivel assembly, the swivel assembly configured to allow a user to change a direction of movement of the cleaning head.

3. The floor cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the control handle includes a power switch in communication with the micro power source, the power switch being configured to selectively activate the micro power source.

4. The floor-cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein the power switch is a conductivity contact being configured to activate the micro power source by a user.

5. The floor cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein the micro power source is configured to generate about 0.2 W to about 200 W for powering the cleaning device.

6. The floor cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the micro power source is a fuel cell having a fuel cartridge disposed proximate the chamber, the fuel cartridge being configured to hold the fuel, the chamber being a reaction chamber configured to receive and generate the energy from an oxidation of the fuel.

7. The floor cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the oxidizing fuel generates a waste heat, the waste heat in communication with a fragrance solution, the fragrance solution being adapted to react with the waste heat to convey an aroma into a room as a floor is cleaned by the cleaning device.

8. The floor cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the fuel cartridge is configured to be refillable with a replacement supply of fuel.

9. The floor cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the fuel cartridge is a replaceable fuel cartridge.

10. The floor cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a reservoir being configured to hold a fluid selected from the group consisting of a quantity of water, a quantity of cleaning solution, a quantity of fragrance and combinations thereof.

11. The floor-cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 10, further comprising a control mechanism being configured to selectively spray the water, the cleaning solution, the fragrance or combinations thereof.

12. A floor cleaning apparatus, comprising:

a cleaning head including a cleaning device;

a control handle connected to the cleaning head for controlling the cleaning head; and

a micro fuel cell in communication with the cleaning device, the micro fuel cell comprising at least one fuel cartridge having a quantity of fuel disposed therein and a reaction chamber in communication with the fuel cartridge, the reaction chamber being configured to generate energy from an oxidation of the fuel to power the cleaning device;

wherein the cleaning device comprises an ultrasonic plate in communication with the fuel cell, the ultrasonic plate being configured to produce a plurality of vibrations using the energy generated by the fuel cell, the cleaning device being configured to direct the vibrations from the ultrasonic plate in a direction of a floor to dislodge a plurality of foreign particles from the floor.

13. The floor cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the control handle is swivably connected to the cleaning head by a swivel assembly, the swivel assembly configured to allow a user to change a direction of movement of the cleaning head.

14. The floor cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the control handle includes a power switch in communication with the micro fuel cell to selectively activate the micro fuel cell.

15. The floor-cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the power switch is a conductivity contact being configured to activate the micro fuel cell by a user.

16. The floor cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the fuel cartridge is configured to be refillable with a replacement supply of fuel.

17. The floor cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the fuel cartridge is a replaceable fuel cartridge.

18. The floor cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 12, further comprising a reservoir being configured to hold a fluid selected from the group consisting of a quantity of water, a quantity of cleaning solution, a quantity of fragrance solution and combinations thereof.

19. The floor-cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 18, further comprising a control mechanism being configured to selectively spray the water, the cleaning solution, the fragrance solution or combinations thereof.

20. The floor-cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 18, further comprising an intake member disposed adjacent the reaction chamber to protect the reaction chamber from the fluid.

21. A floor cleaning apparatus, comprising:

a cleaning head including a cleaning device;

a control handle connected to the cleaning head for controlling the cleaning head; and

a microturbine engine in communication with the cleaning device, the microturbine engine configured to generate energy to power the cleaning device;

wherein the cleaning device is an ultrasonic plate in communication with the microturbine engine, the ultrasonic plate being configured to produce a plurality of vibrations using the energy generated by the microturbine engine, the cleaning device being configured to direct the vibrations from the ultrasonic plate in a direction of a floor to dislodge a plurality of foreign particles from the floor.

22. The floor cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 21, wherein the control handle is swivably connected to the cleaning head by a swivel assembly, the swivel assembly configured to allow a user to change a direction of movement of the cleaning head.

23. The floor cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 21, wherein the control handle includes a power switch in communication with the microturbine engine to selectively activate the microturbine engine.

24. The floor-cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 23, wherein the power switch is a conductivity contact being configured to activate the microturbine engine by a user.

25. The floor-cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 21, wherein the microturbine engine includes a plurality of diffuser vanes and a plurality of compressor blades, the plurality of compressor blades being configured for rotation about the diffuser vanes to generate the energy.

26. The floor cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 25, further comprising a fuel cartridge being configured to hold a supply of fuel and a chamber being configured to receive and combust the fuel, the compressor blades being configured to rotate in response to a combustion gas generated by the combusted fuel.

27. The floor cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 26, wherein the fuel cartridge is configured to be refillable with a replacement supply of fuel.

28. The floor cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 26, wherein the fuel cartridge is a replaceable fuel cartridge.

29. The floor cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 21, further comprising a reservoir being configured to hold a fluid selected from the group consisting of a quantity of water, a quantity of cleaning solution, a quantity of fragrance solution and combinations thereof.

30. The floor-cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 21, further comprising a control mechanism being configured to selectively spray the water, the cleaning solution, the fragrance solution or combinations thereof.