Floor care device for applying a floor care fluid

• US 9,615,710 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2015
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Miele & CIE KG
• Original Assignee: Miele & CIE KG
• Inventors: Babenhauserheide, Nils, Penner, Markus, Kara, Seyfettin, Buhl, David
• Primary Examiner(s): REDDING, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US14/932,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20160128532A1
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/185 with supply of cleaning agents
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/201 with supply of cleaning agents
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• 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 2201/00 Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0477 Rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2852 Elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters or nozzles

Abstract

A floor care device for the care of a floor includes a drive system that moves the floor care device over the floor, a device controller that controls the floor care device over a travel path, and a care apparatus that applies a floor care fluid to the floor. The care apparatus includes a rotatable hollow roller body that stores the floor care fluid, and the floor care fluid emerges from the roller body as the roller body rotates.

Claims

1. A floor care device for the care of a floor, the floor care device comprising:

a drive system configured to move the floor care device over the floor;

a device controller configured to control the floor care device over a travel path; and

a care apparatus configured to apply a floor care fluid to the floor, the care apparatus comprising a rotatable hollow roller body configured to store the floor care fluid, the roller body being configured such that floor care fluid emerges from the roller body as the roller body rotates,

wherein a plurality of holes are arranged in a lateral surface of the roller body,

wherein the holes are covered on at least one side by a membrane, and

wherein the membrane lines an inner side of the roller body.

2. The floor care device of claim 1, wherein the membrane comprises a synthetic material.

3. The floor care device of claim 1, wherein the holes are each sealed by a fibre plug.

4. The floor care device of claim 3, wherein the fibre plugs contain polyester fibres.

5. The floor care device of claim 3, wherein the fibre plugs only partially fill the holes in a longitudinal direction of the holes, with the result that a free space remains between an outer end of the fibre plugs and an outer circumference of the roller body.

6. The floor care device of claim 1, wherein an absorbent layer is arranged on the roller body.

7. The floor care device of claim 6, wherein the absorbent layer comprises a nonwoven layer.

8. The floor care device of claim 7, wherein the absorbent layer is tubular and is slid onto the roller body.

9. The floor care device of claim 7, wherein the absorbent layer is wound onto the roller body in webs, and the webs are at least one of arranged next to one another or on top of one another.

10. The floor care device of claim 1, wherein the roller body is sealed at axial ends thereof by closure caps.

11. The floor care device of claim 10, wherein at least one of the closure caps can be removed in order to pour floor care fluid into the roller body or slide on a tubular absorbent layer.

12. The floor care device of claim 10, wherein the closure caps comprise bearings configured to rotatably mount the care apparatus.

13. The floor care device of claim 12, wherein the bearings comprise a bearing rim.

14. The floor care device of claim 1, wherein the care apparatus is configured to rotate at a rotational speed of between approximately 400 and 1200 revolutions per minute.

15. The floor care device of claim 1, wherein the floor care device comprises a robotic vacuum cleaner, and wherein the care apparatus is arranged in a receptacle of a brush roller of the robotic vacuum cleaner in place of the brush roller.

16. A floor care device for the care of a floor, the floor care device comprising:

a drive system configured to move the floor care device over the floor;

a device controller configured to control the floor care device over a travel path; and

a care apparatus configured to apply a floor care fluid to the floor, the care apparatus comprising a rotatable hollow roller body configured to store the floor care fluid, the roller body being configured such that floor care fluid emerges from the roller body as the roller body rotates,

wherein a plurality of holes are arranged in a lateral surface of the roller body, and

wherein the holes are each sealed by a fibre plug.

17. The floor care device of claim 16, wherein the fibre plugs contain polyester fibres.

18. The floor care device of claim 16, wherein the fibre plugs only partially fill the holes in a longitudinal direction of the holes, with the result that a free space remains between an outer end of the fibre plugs and an outer circumference of the roller body.