Floor cleaning apparatus

• US 7,958,595 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2008
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nilfisk A/S (Nilfisk Holding A/S)
• Original Assignee: Nilfisk-Advance Incorporated (Nilfisk Holding A/S)
• Inventors: Goff, Sean K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Redding; David A
• Application Number:
  US12/042,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20100229891A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: 153/20, 153401-3404, 154/01, 153/65, 153/67, 153/73, 153/84
• US Class Current: 15/320
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/302 having rotary tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4016 specially adapted for collecting fluids
• 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 11/4052 Movement of the tools or the like perpendicular to the cleaning surface
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4072 Arrangement of castors or wheels
• 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

Abstract

A cleaning apparatus having a cleaning system including at least one downwardly directed spray nozzle is supported by the chassis proximal the chassis forward end and in fluid communication with at least one cleaning solution tank. The at least one spray nozzle sprays cleaning solution from the tank onto the floor. At least one ground engaging agitation brush is disposed rearwardly of the at least one spray nozzle for agitating the cleaning solution sprayed onto the floor. At least one vacuum shoe is supported by the chassis rearwardly of the at least one agitation brush, and in fluid communication with the at least one recovery tank. Cleaning solution drawn into the vacuum shoe is deposited into the at least one recovery tank. In one embodiment, the apparatus is drivable. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a second cleaning system including a vacuum squeegee.

Claims

1. A floor cleaning apparatus comprising:

a chassis having a forward end and a rearward end;

a plurality of floor engaging wheels supporting said chassis above a floor;

at least one first tank supported by said chassis for holding a cleaning solution;

at least one second tank supported by said chassis for holding recovered cleaning solution;

wherein said cleaning solution from said at least one first tank is applied to the floor;

at least one ground engaging agitation brush for agitating the cleaning solution applied to the floor;

at least one vacuum shoe supported by said chassis rearwardly of where said cleaning solution is applied to the floor, wherein cleaning solution drawn into said vacuum shoe is deposited into said at least one second tank; and

a squeegee assembly supported by said chassis rearwardly of said at least one agitation brush, wherein cleaning solution drawn into said squeegee assembly is deposited into said at least one second tank.

2. The cleaning apparatus as in claim 1, in which at least one of said floor engaging wheels is a steerable wheel steerable by a steering wheel supported by said chassis.

3. The floor cleaning apparatus as in claim 1, in which said vacuum shoe is mounted to one end of a bracket pivotally fixed relative to said chassis, wherein said vacuum shoe is movable between a stored position and an operating position.

4. The floor cleaning apparatus as in claim 1, in which said vacuum shoe is pivotally mounted relative to said chassis, wherein pivotal movement of said vacuum shoe changes the angle of said shoe relative to said floor.

5. The floor cleaning apparatus as in claim 4, wherein said angle of said shoe is fixable relative to said floor.

6. The floor cleaning apparatus as in claim 1, in which said squeegee assembly has an operating position and a stored position, wherein in said operating position said squeegee assembly engages the floor.

7. The floor cleaning apparatus as in claim 1, in which a vacuum source supported by said chassis is selectably in fluid communication with at least one of said at least one vacuum shoe and said squeegee assembly, wherein said vacuum source creates a suction for drawing cleaning solution applied to the floor into said at least one second tank.

8. The cleaning apparatus as in claim 1, in which said at least one agitation brush is cylindrical having an axis of rotation transverse to a longitudinal centerline extending through said forward end and said rearward end of said chassis.

9. The floor cleaning apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising:

at least one downwardly directed spray nozzle supported by said chassis proximal said chassis forward end and in fluid communication with said at least one first tank, wherein said cleaning solution from said at least one tank is applied to the floor by the at least one spray nozzle spraying said cleaning solution onto the floor, with the at least one ground engaging agitation brush and the at least one vacuum shoe disposed rearwardly of said at least one spray nozzle.

10. The cleaning apparatus as in claim 9, including a side brush supported by said chassis forwardly of said at least one spray nozzle for urging debris into the path of said cleaning apparatus.

11. A floor cleaning apparatus comprising:

a chassis having a forward end and a rearward end;

a plurality of floor engaging wheels supporting said chassis above a floor;

at least one first tank supported by said chassis for holding a cleaning solution;

at least one second tank supported by said chassis for holding recovered cleaning solution;

wherein said cleaning solution from said at least one first tank is applied to the floor;

at least one ground engaging agitation brush for agitating the cleaning solution applied to the floor;

at least one squeegee assembly fixed relative to said chassis and disposed rearwardly of said at least one agitation brush; and

at least one vacuum shoe supported by said chassis rearwardly of where said cleaning solution is applied to the floor, wherein cleaning solution drawn into said at least one vacuum shoe is deposited into said at least one second tank, said at least one vacuum shoe being movable between a vacuum shoe stored position and a vacuum shoe operating position, wherein in said vacuum shoe operating position said at least one vacuum shoe draws cleaning solution into said vacuum shoe from the floor, said at least one vacuum shoe being pivotally mounted relative to said chassis, wherein in said vacuum shoe operating position pivotal movement of said at least one vacuum shoe changes the angle of said at least one vacuum shoe relative to said floor.

12. The floor cleaning apparatus as in claim 11, in which a squeegee assembly is fixed relative to said chassis.

13. The floor cleaning apparatus as in claim 12, in which said at least one vacuum shoe is mounted to one end of a bracket pivotally fixed relative to said chassis, wherein pivotal movement of said bracket moves said at least one vacuum shoe between said vacuum shoe stored position and said vacuum shoe operating position.

14. The floor cleaning apparatus as in claim 12, wherein said angle of said at least one vacuum shoe is fixable relative to said floor.

15. The floor cleaning apparatus as in claim 12, in which said squeegee assembly has an operating position and a stored position, wherein in said operating position said squeegee assembly engages the floor.

16. The floor cleaning apparatus as in claim 12, in which a vacuum source supported by said chassis is selectably in fluid communication with at least one of said at least one vacuum shoe and said squeegee assembly, wherein said vacuum source creates a suction for drawing cleaning solution applied to the floor into said at least one second tank.

17. The cleaning apparatus as in claim 12, in which said at least one agitation brush is cylindrical having an axis of rotation transverse to a longitudinal centerline extending through said forward end and said rearward end of said chassis.

18. The cleaning apparatus as in claim 12, in which at least one of said floor engaging wheels is a steerable wheel steerable by a steering wheel supported by said chassis.

19. The floor cleaning apparatus as in claim 11, further comprising:

at least one downwardly directed spray nozzle supported by said chassis proximal said chassis forward end and in fluid communication with said at least one first tank, wherein said cleaning solution from said at least one tank is applied to the floor by the at least one spray nozzle spraying said cleaning solution onto the floor, with the at least one ground engaging agitation brush and the at least one vacuum shoe disposed rearwardly of said at least one spray nozzle.

20. The cleaning apparatus as in claim 19, including a side brush supported by said chassis forwardly of said at least one spray nozzle for urging debris into the path of said cleaning apparatus.

21. A floor cleaning apparatus comprising:

a chassis having a forward end and a rearward end;

a plurality of floor engaging wheels supporting said chassis above a floor;

at least one first tank supported by said chassis for holding a cleaning solution;

at least one second tank supported by said chassis for holding recovered cleaning solution, wherein said cleaning solution from said at least one first tank is applied to the floor;

at least one ground engaging agitation brush for agitating the cleaning solution applied to the floor;

at least one vacuum shoe rearwardly of where said cleaning solution is applied to the floor, wherein cleaning fluid drawn into said vacuum shoe is deposited into said at least one second tank, said at least one vacuum shoe being movable between a vacuum shoe stored position and a vacuum shoe operating position; and

a squeegee assembly rearwardly of said at least one agitation brush, wherein cleaning solution drawn into said squeegee assembly is deposited into said at least one second tank, said squeegee assembly being movable between a squeegee assembly stored position and a squeegee assembly operating position, wherein in a squeegee mode, said at least one vacuum shoe is in said vacuum shoe stored position and said squeegee assembly is in said squeegee assembly operating position, and in an extraction mode, said at least one vacuum shoe is in said vacuum shoe operating position and said squeegee assembly is in said squeegee assembly stored position.

22. The cleaning apparatus as in claim 21, in which at least one of said floor engaging wheels is a steerable wheel steerable by a steering wheel supported by said chassis.

23. The floor cleaning apparatus as in claim 21, wherein in a travel mode, said at least one vacuum shoe is in said vacuum shoe stored position and said squeegee assembly is in said squeegee assembly stored position.

24. The floor cleaning apparatus as in claim 21, in which said vacuum shoe is pivotally mounted relative to said chassis, wherein in said vacuum shoe operating position, pivotal movement of said vacuum shoe changes the angle of said shoe relative to said floor.

25. The floor cleaning apparatus as in claim 24, wherein said angle of said shoe is fixable relative to said floor.

26. The floor cleaning apparatus as in claim 21, in which a vacuum source supported by said chassis is selectably in fluid communication with at least one of said at least one vacuum shoe and said squeegee assembly, wherein said vacuum source creates a suction for drawing cleaning solution applied to the floor into said at least one second tank.

27. The floor cleaning apparatus as in claim 21, further comprising:

at least one downwardly directed spray nozzle supported by said chassis proximal said chassis forward end and in fluid communication with said at least one first tank, wherein said cleaning solution from said at least one tank is applied to the floor by the at least one spray nozzle spraying said cleaning solution onto the floor, with the at least one ground engaging agitation brush and the at least one vacuum shoe disposed rearwardly of said at least one spray nozzle.

28. The cleaning apparatus as in claim 27, including a side brush supported by said chassis forwardly of said at least one spray nozzle for urging debris into the path of said cleaning apparatus.

29. The cleaning apparatus as in claim 21, in which said at least one agitation brush is cylindrical having an axis of rotation transverse to a longitudinal centerline extending through said forward end and said rearward end of said chassis.

30. A floor cleaning apparatus comprising:

a chassis having a forward end and a rearward end;

a plurality of floor engaging wheels supporting said chassis above a floor;

at least one first tank supported by said chassis for holding a cleaning solution;

at least one second tank supported by said chassis for holding recovered cleaning solution, wherein said cleaning solution from said at least one first tank is applied to the floor;

at least one ground engaging agitation brush for agitating the cleaning solution applied to the floor;

at least one vacuum shoe rearwardly of where said cleaning solution is applied to the floor, wherein cleaning fluid drawn into said vacuum shoe is deposited into said at least one second tank;

a squeegee assembly rearwardly of said at least one agitation brush, wherein cleaning solution drawn into said squeegee assembly is deposited into said at least one second tank, said squeegee assembly being movable between a squeegee assembly stored position and a squeegee assembly operating position; and

a vacuum source supported by said chassis is selectably in fluid communication with at least one of said at least one vacuum shoe and said squeegee assembly, wherein said vacuum source creates a suction for drawing cleaning solution applied to the floor into said at least one second tank, wherein in a squeegee mode, said squeegee assembly is in said squeegee assembly operating position and in fluid communication with said second tank, and in an extraction mode, said at least one vacuum shoe is in fluid communication with said second tank and said squeegee assembly is in said squeegee assembly stored position.

31. The cleaning apparatus as in claim 30, in which at least one of said floor engaging wheels is a steerable wheel steerable by a steering wheel supported by said chassis.

32. The floor cleaning apparatus as in claim 30, in which said at least one vacuum shoe being movable between a vacuum shoe stored position and a vacuum shoe operating position, wherein in the squeegee mode, said at least one vacuum shoe is in said vacuum shoe stored position, and in the extraction mode, said at least one vacuum shoe is in said vacuum shoe operating position.

33. The floor cleaning apparatus as in claim 32, wherein in a travel mode, said at least one vacuum shoe is in said vacuum shoe stored position and said squeegee assembly is in said squeegee assembly stored position.

34. The floor cleaning apparatus as in claim 30, in which said vacuum shoe is pivotally mounted relative to said chassis, wherein in said vacuum shoe operating position, pivotal movement of said vacuum shoe changes the angle of said shoe relative to said floor.

35. The floor cleaning apparatus as in claim 34, wherein said angle of said shoe is fixable relative to said floor.

36. The cleaning apparatus as in claim 30, in which said at least one agitation brush is cylindrical having an axis of rotation transverse to a longitudinal centerline extending through said forward end and said rearward end of said chassis.

37. Method of cleaning a floor comprising:

moving a chassis on a floor;

supporting a squeegee assembly and a vacuum shoe on the chassis for moment therewith;

applying cleaning solution to the floor;

agitating the applied cleaning solution on the floor as the chassis is moved on the floor; and

drawing the agitated cleaning solution from the floor by selectively engaging one of the squeegee assembly or the vacuum shoe supported by the chassis and as the chassis is moved on the floor.

38. The method of claim 37, with applying cleaning solution comprising applying cleaning solution unto the floor.

39. The method of claim 38, with applying cleaning solution comprising spraying cleaning solution by nozzles fed by gravity or pumping from a cleaning solution tank supported on the chassis.

40. The method of claim 37, with agitating the applied cleaning solution comprising agitating the applied cleaning solution on the floor by counter rotating brushes.

41. The method of claim 40, with agitating the applied cleaning solution comprising agitating the applied cleaning solution on the floor by counter rotating, cylindrical brushes.