Floor cleaner scrub head having a movable disc scrub member

• US 8,584,294 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2005
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tennant Company
• Original Assignee: Tennant Company
• Inventors: Loring, Peter Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Huff, Mark F
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLS, MONIQUE M
• Application Number:
  US11/256,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20070089251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,951 Days
• Field of Search: 15/491, 15/501
• US Class Current: 15/49.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/283 the tools being disc brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4038 Disk shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4055 for lifting the tools to a non-working position
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4061 Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated

Abstract

A scrub head includes a first disc scrub member, a movable support having first and second positions, and a movable disc scrub member. The first disc scrub member is rotatable about a first vertical axis. The movable disc scrub member is rotatable about a second vertical axis and is connected to the movable support. The movable disc scrub member is configured to move relative to the first disc scrub member along first and second orthogonal axes of a horizontal plane, which is transverse to the first and second vertical axes, between first and second positions respectively corresponding to the first and second positions of the movable support.

Claims

1. A scrub head configured for attachment to a frame of a mobile floor cleaner, the scrub head comprising:

a main support;

a first disc scrub member attached to the main support and rotatable about a first vertical axis, wherein a portion of the main support overhangs the first disc scrub member;

a movable support pivotally connected to the main support and having first and second positions;

a movable disc scrub member rotatable about a second vertical axis and connected to the movable support, the movable disc scrub member configured to move relative to the first disc scrub member along first and second orthogonal axes of a horizontal plane, which is transverse to the first and second vertical axes, between first and second positions respectively corresponding to the first and second positions of the movable support; and

a locking mechanism configured to lock the movable support in the first position and fix the relative positions of the first disc scrub member and the movable disc scrub member.

2. The scrub head of claim 1, wherein the movable disc scrub member is configured to move in an arc along the horizontal plane.

3. The scrub head of claim 1, wherein the first and movable disc scrub members each include one of a disc brush and a disc pad.

4. The scrub head of claim 1, wherein the movable disc scrub member is located a first distance from the first disc scrub member when in the first position and the movable disc scrub member is located a second distance from the first disc scrub member when in the second position, the first and second distances are measured along the horizontal plane, and a difference between the first and second distances is greater than 4 inches.

5. The scrub head of claim 1, including a second disc scrub member, wherein a portion of the movable disc scrub member is positioned between the first and second disc scrub members when the movable disc scrub member is in the first position.

6. The scrub head of claim 5, wherein the portion of the movable disc scrub member is not positioned between the first and second disc scrub members when the movable disc scrub member is in the second position.

7. The scrub head of claim 6, wherein the second disc scrub member is connected to the movable support.

19. The scrub head of claim 7, wherein:

the movable disc scrub member is centrally positioned underneath the frame when the movable disc scrub member is in the first position; and

the movable disc scrub member is positioned closer to a side of the frame when the movable disc scrub member is in the second position relative to when the movable disc scrub member is in the first position.

8. A mobile floor cleaner comprising:

a frame supported on wheels; and

a scrub head positioned underneath the frame, the scrub head comprising;

a main support connected to the frame;

a first disc scrub member attached to the main support and rotatable about a first vertical axis, wherein a portion of the main support overhangs the first disc scrub member;

a movable support pivotally connected to the main support and having first and second positions;

a movable disc scrub member rotatable about a second vertical axis and connected to the movable support, the movable disc scrub member configured to move relative to the first disc scrub member along first and second orthogonal axes of a horizontal plane, which is transverse to the first and second vertical axes, between first and second positions respectively corresponding to the first and second positions of the movable support; and

a locking mechanism configured to lock the movable support in the first position and fix the relative positions of the first disc scrub member and the movable disc scrub member; and

a vacuum pickup squeegee supported by the frame on a rear side of the scrub head.

9. The mobile floor cleaner of claim 8, wherein the movable disc scrub member is configured to move in an arc along the horizontal plane.

10. The mobile floor cleaner of claim 8, wherein the first and movable disc scrub members each include one of a disc brush and a disc pad.

11. The mobile floor cleaner of claim 8, wherein the movable disc scrub member is located a first distance from the first disc scrub member when in the first position and the movable disc scrub member is located a second distance from the first disc scrub member when in the second position, the first and second distances are measured along the horizontal plane, and a difference between the first and second distances is greater than 4 inches.

12. The mobile floor cleaner of claim 8 including a second disc scrub member, wherein a portion of the movable disc scrub member is positioned between the first and second disc scrub members when the movable disc scrub member is in the first position.

13. The mobile floor cleaner of claim 12, wherein the portion of the movable disc scrub member is not positioned between the first and second disc scrub members when the movable disc scrub member is in the second position.

14. The mobile floor cleaner of claim 13, wherein the second disc scrub member is connected to the movable support.

15. A scrub head configured for attachment to a frame of a mobile floor cleaner, the scrub head comprising:

a main support;

a first disc scrub member attached to the main support and rotatable about a first vertical axis;

a movable support configured to move between first and second positions;

a second disc scrub member attached to the movable support and rotatable about a second vertical axis, the second disc scrub member moves relative to the first disc scrub member in a horizontal plane that is transverse to the first and second vertical axes responsive to movement of the movable support; and

a third disc scrub member attached to the movable support and configured to rotate about a third vertical axis, the third disc scrub member moves relative to the first disc scrub member in the horizontal plane responsive to movement of the movable support.

16. The scrub head of claim 15, wherein the second disc scrub member and the third disc scrub member are configured to move in an arc in the horizontal plane.

17. The scrub head of claim 15, wherein the movable support is pivotally connected to the main support.

18. The scrub head of claim 15, wherein:

a portion of the third disc scrub member is positioned between the first and second disc scrub members when the movable support is in the first position; and

the portion of the third disc scrub member is not positioned between the first and second disc scrub members when the movable support is in the second position.

20. The scrub head of claim 15, wherein a portion of the main support directly overhangs the first disc scrub member, the second disc scrub member and the third disc scrub member.

21. A mobile floor cleaner comprising:

a frame supported on wheels; and

a scrub head positioned underneath the frame comprising;

a main support connected to the frame;

a movable support attached to the main support and configured to pivot about a vertical support axis relative to the main support;

a first disc scrub member supported by the main support and rotatable about a first vertical axis;

a second disc scrub member supported by the main support and rotatable about a second vertical axis;

a third disc scrub member attached to the movable support and rotatable about a third vertical axis, the third disc scrub member configured to move relative to the first and second disc scrub members responsive to rotation of the movable support about the support axis; and

a locking mechanism configured to lock the relative positions of the first, second and third disc scrub members in a cleaning position, in which the first, second and third disc scrub members are configured to clean a continuous swath of floor surface extending across the width of the frame.

22. The mobile floor cleaner of claim 21, wherein the second disc scrub member is positioned between the first and third disc scrub members when the first, second and third disc scrub members are locked in the cleaning position.

23. The mobile floor cleaner of claim 22, wherein the first, second and third disc scrub members are not configured to perform a floor cleaning operation on a floor surface that is not directly underneath the frame.