Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – Brushing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-22
2001-11-27
Graham, Gary K. (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
Brushing
C015S098000, C015S050300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06321406
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a cleaning device with two brush rollers that are mounted parallel to one another on a frame and actuated to rotate in opposite directions and with a push handle acting on the frame.
Such a cleaning device is known for example from EP 0 286 328 A1. In such cleaning devices the push handles extend in a direction which runs at right angles to the axes of rotation of the brush roller, so that upon pushing or pulling the cleaning device via the push handle the cleaning device is displaced at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the brush rollers. In this manner the cleaning device can cover a surface to be cleaned.
With this type of cleaning, in which the brush rollers rotate in opposite directions, the propulsive forces of the two brush rollers on the cleaning device counterbalance one another, therefore pushing or pulling forces have to be exerted to displace the cleaning device, since the brush rollers do not contribute to this movement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to develop a generic cleaning device so that the rotational movement of the brush rollers can be used to displace the cleaning device.
According to the present invention there is provided a cleaning device with two brush rollers that are mounted parallel to one another on a frame and are actuated to rotate in opposite directions and with a push handle acting on a frame, which protrudes from the frame in the direction of the axes of rotation of the brush rollers and is connected to the frame in rotationally fixed manner with respect to a rotation about a direction extending parallel to the axes of rotation of the brush rollers, wherein, at its end remote from the frame, the push handle comprises handle elements that are disposed spaced apart at right angles to its longitudinal direction, and the handle elements are disposed substantially symmetrically to a vertical plane that extends parallel to the axes of rotation of the brush rollers and lies between them.
The push handle thus extends at right angles to the direction in which a push handle normally extends in such two-brush devices. This new arrangement of the push handle enables a turning moment to be transmitted via the push handle to the frame bearing the two brush rollers, in which case the frame is swivelled around an axis which extends parallel to the axis of rotation of the brush rollers. This swivelling or tilting of the frame results in that, depending on the swivelling direction, either the one brush roller or the other brush roller is pushed more forcefully against the surface to be cleaned than the respective other brush roller, which on the contrary is slightly raised. These varying pressing forces of the two brush rollers result in a varying reciprocal action of the brush rollers with the surface to be cleaned and thus also in a varying frictional force between the brush roller on the one hand and the surface to be cleaned on the other hand. Whereas in the case of an non-tilted frame the two brush rollers come into contact in the same manner with the surface to be cleaned and therefore the forces exerted on the surface to be cleaned counterbalance one another, this is no longer the case with a tilted frame. In the case of a tilted frame, the frictional force of the more powerfully pressed brush roller predominates and this results in a displacement of the frame according to the direction of rotation of the brush rollers that are pressed more powerfully. The user can then simply control the direction of displacement in that by tilting the frame in the one or in the other direction either the one or the other brush roller presses more strongly against the surface to be cleaned. For example, this may occur alternately so that then such a cleaning device is periodically pushed to and fro without the user for this having to apply a force in the direction of displacement, it being sufficient to perform the tilting of the frame via the push handle, the displacement movement itself being performed by the actuation of the brush rollers.
To facilitate this tilting of the cleaning device, it is preferably specified that at its end remote from the frame the push handle comprises handle elements that are disposed spaced apart at right angles to its longitudinal direction. By these spaced handle elements turning moments can be transmitted via the push handle to the frame, which result in its tilting.
In this case it is advantageous if the handle elements are disposed substantially symmetrically to a vertical plane that extends parallel to the axes of rotation and lies between them, so that the tilting can be achieved in both directions with forces of equal size.
In a preferred embodiment it may be specified that the push handle is swivellably connected to the frame around an axis that extends at right angles to the direction of the axes of rotation. As a result the push handle can be swivelled in its height, possibly also be fixed in different angular positions. A rotationally fixed connection is only necessary in one direction, which extends parallel to the axes of rotation of the brush rollers.
According to a preferred embodiment it is specified that the push handle acts between the brush rollers on the frame, in particular in this case the point of application of the push handle lies on the edge of the frame in the region of the end of the brush rollers.
In a particularly simple embodiment the push handle may take the form of a bar.
However it is also possible to develop the push handle in a manner known per se in the form of a U-shaped curved piece.
In another preferred embodiment it is specified that the push handle can be swivelled around a swivel axis that is perpendicular on the frame into a position in which it protrudes from the frame perpendicularly to the direction of the axes of rotation of the brush rollers. This is the basically normal position of the push handle for a two-brush cleaning device, in this position the cleaning device can be moved in the conventional manner by pushing and pulling forces. This swivelling facility of the push handle thus enables the user optionally to displace the device in the conventional manner or by tilting the frame by the movement of the brush rollers.
In this case it is favourable if the push handle can be fixed in both its positions in which it extends in the direction of the axes of rotation of the brush rollers or at right angles thereto.
Precisely in such an embodiment in which the push handle can also be swivelled into a conventional position that is directed at right angles to the axis of rotation of the brush rollers, it is advantageous if the point of application of the push handle lies at the edge of the frame in the region of the ends of the brush rollers. As a result it is possible for the user to insert the frame with its end lying opposite the point of application under objects, for example under cupboards etc., without the push handle acting on the frame being a nuisance.
In a preferred embodiment it is specified that the push handle be divided into at least two portions, which are fixed adjacent to one another in an operating position, but can be folded together in an inoperative position.
In this case it is particularly favourable if the folded-together portions of the push handle can be laid on the upper side of the frame.
Such a construction enables the push handle to be folded together in a space-saving manner and if necessary it to be laid on the upper side of the device so that overall a very compact structure is achieved when the device is not in use.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2536902 (1951-01-01), Bechett
patent: 2821258 (1958-01-01), Benson et al.
patent: 2842788 (1958-07-01), Rench et al.
patent: 5381577 (1995-01-01), Lilja
Kloepfer Martin
Neumayer Ingo
Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co.
Graham Gary K.
Lipsitz Barry R.
McAllister Douglas M.
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