Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – Brushing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-24
2001-10-16
Chin, Randall E. (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
Brushing
C015S320000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06301738
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a floor treating apparatus, and more particularly to a solenoid valve and timing module kit to control the liquid supply system in a floor treating apparatus.
In a floor treating apparatus such as a floor scrubber, liquid from a liquid supply reservoir is supplied to a floor treating device such as a brush or a pad. The rate or amount of liquid supplied to the floor treating device is manually controlled by a choke cable and a conventional metering valve or ball valve. In order to control the amount of liquid supplied to the floor treating device, an operator must manually adjust the ball or needle valve until the desired amount of liquid supplied is achieved. It is difficult to accurately adjust the amount of liquid supplied because, as is known in the art, the design of a ball valve does not allow a linear increase or decrease in the amount of liquid that passes through the ball valve. Further, the operator must continuously open and close the ball valve to adjust the supply to avoid providing too little or too much liquid to the floor treating device. This manual operation sometimes causes undesirable liquid flow levels due to the inaccurate method of adjusting the ball valve to create the desired flow.
In addition to the inaccurate adjustment and delivery of liquid flow, the use of a ball valve in a floor treating apparatus has other drawbacks. The ball valve is normally located in the liquid flow line a few feet from the floor treating device. This causes a lag time when starting the liquid flow since the liquid must travel a few feet from the ball valve to the floor treating device when the ball valve is first opened. The location of the ball valve also causes a lag time when stopping the liquid flow since the liquid in the flow line between the ball valve and the floor treating device will continue to flow once the ball valve is closed. Another drawback to a ball valve or other conventional metering valves is that it is not always completely open when liquid is supplied. Therefore, particles tend to become trapped between the needle and seat or ball and seat thereby affecting the flow of liquid.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to provide a kit for a floor treating apparatus having a liquid delivery system wherein such kit eliminates the need for a ball or needle valve and therefore eliminates the inaccurate, nonlinear manual adjustment of liquid flow due to the ball or needle valve. It is another object of this invention to provide a kit for a floor treating apparatus having a liquid delivery system wherein such kit electronically controls the liquid flow from the liquid supply to the floor treating device using a timing module to continuously open and close a solenoid valve in the fluid flow line. It is still another object of this invention to provide a kit for a floor treating apparatus having a liquid delivery system wherein such kit has a timing module designed to control the amount of liquid supplied to the treating device by opening and closing the solenoid valve at different duty cycles to create anything from a trickle to a full flow of liquid. It is still another object of this invention to provide a kit for a floor treating apparatus having a liquid delivery system such that a timing module allows an operator to maintain a constant flow of liquid. It is another object of this invention to provide a kit for a floor treating apparatus having a liquid delivery system wherein a solenoid valve is placed directly at or in close proximity to the supply point at the treating device to eliminate any lag time when starting or stopping the flow of liquid. It is another object of this invention to provide a kit for a floor treating apparatus having a liquid delivery system wherein a solenoid valve opens completely when activated allowing particles to pass through the valve without affecting the flow of liquid. It is still another object of this invention to provide a kit for a floor treating apparatus having a liquid delivery system wherein the kit provides linear control of the liquid delivery system. It is another object of this invention to provide a kit for a floor treating apparatus having a liquid delivery system wherein such kit provides electronic control of the liquid delivery system as opposed to manual control. It is still another object of this invention to provide a kit for a floor treating apparatus having a liquid delivery system wherein such kit repeatedly allows the supply of the same amount of liquid to the supply point at the treating device.
The invention comprises a kit for use with a floor treating apparatus which engages a floor and is responsive to an operator. The floor treating apparatus includes a reservoir for holding a supply of liquid; a head assembly adapted to carry a floor treating device for engaging and treating the floor with the liquid in the reservoir, said head assembly including a motor for rotating the floor treating device; and a fluid flow line for delivering liquid from the reservoir to a supply point adjacent to a point at which the floor treating device engages the floor. The kit comprises a flow control valve adapted to be positioned in line with the fluid flow line for permitting liquid flow from the reservoir through the fluid flow line to the supply point when the valve is open and for inhibiting liquid flow from the reservoir through the fluid flow line to the supply point when the valve is closed. The kit also includes an operator control responsive to the operator for generating an operating signal. The kit further includes a timing module responsive to the operator control for opening and closing the flow control valve such that the flow control valve is open for a period of time which corresponds to the operating signal whereby the operator controls the open period of the flow control valve via the operator control to thereby control the liquid supplied from the reservoir via the fluid flow line and the fluid control valve to the supply point.
The invention also comprises a kit for use with a floor treating apparatus for use on a floor. The floor treating apparatus includes a reservoir for holding a supply of liquid and a head assembly adapted to carry a floor treating device for engaging and treating the floor with the liquid in the reservoir. The head assembly includes a motor for rotating the floor treating device. A fluid flow line delivers liquid from the reservoir to a supply point adjacent to a point at which the floor treating device engages the floor. The kit comprises a flow control valve adapted for placement in line with the fluid flow line for permitting liquid flow from the reservoir through the fluid flow line to the supply point when the valve is open. The flow control valve inhibits liquid flow from the reservoir through the fluid flow line to the supply point when the valve is closed. The kit also comprises a timing module for generating a control signal in response to an operating signal for repeatedly opening and closing the flow control valve such that the flow control valve has a duty cycle wherein the flow control valve is open for a period of time which corresponds to the operating signal allowing liquid to flow from the reservoir to the supply point via the fluid flow line and the fluid control valve.
Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.
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Courtney Gerald
Deiterman Lenard
Alto U.S. Inc.
Chin Randall E.
Senniger Powers Leavitt & Roedel
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