Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – With air blast or suction
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-01
2001-11-06
Moore, Chris K. (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
With air blast or suction
C015S320000, C015S345000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06311365
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a steam cleaning apparatus, in particular for an automatic cleaning apparatus for window and facade surfaces. The invention, however, is not restricted to such an application; rather, the steam cleaning apparatus of the invention can also be operated by hand, and its applications are not limited to the cleaning of window and facade surfaces, but it can serve many cleaning purposes on preferably even, but for example also curved surfaces.
EP 0 243 323 A discloses a steam cleaning head which is guided as a hand-held device over window panes, floors or washable walls and has a housing similar to that of a conventional vacuum cleaner. In one embodiment the housing has disposed therein a distribution tube which extends over the entire width and is provided with small holes from which steam exits. Said distributor has secured thereto a sponge which also extends over the entire width of the housing and which is guided over the surface to be cleaned. In another embodiment, steam exits from a chamber which extends over the entire width of the housing and which towards the outside of the housing is confined by a brush while in parallel with the one steam cleaning chamber a suction chamber follows that also extends over the entire length of the housing and is enclosed by elastic brooms. The steam passes between the elastic bristles of the brooms into the suction chamber. This embodiment is intended for cleaning floor surfaces.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a steam cleaning apparatus for cleaning soiled surfaces, such as window or facade surfaces, in a highly efficient manner. In particular, the steam cleaning apparatus should be suited as part of an automatic cleaning machine for window and facade surfaces.
This object is achieved according to the invention by the features of patent claim
1
.
Advantageous developments of the invention are characterized in the subclaims.
The steam cleaning apparatus of the invention contains a steam cleaning head which includes a plurality of separate steam pressure chambers which communicate with a steam generator, and a plurality of separate suction regions provided at the front side, which are connected to a vacuum source. For cleaning, for example, a window surface, the steam cleaning head of the invention is placed on said surface, whereupon steam is supplied from the steam pressure chambers at the front side at a steam pressure of up to about 4 bar. An overpressure which lifts the steam cleaning head from the window surface by a small distance is thereby created in the steam pressure chambers. The steam flows beyond the front confinement of the steam pressure chambers into the front suction regions where, for example, a vacuum prevails in the order of about 0.2 bar. As a result, a gap of a predetermined width is obtained between the steam cleaning head and the surface to be cleaned, so that the steam cleaning head can be guided without any contact with the window pane over the surface to be cleaned. This guarantees that a window pane or another surface to be cleaned cannot be damaged, for instance scratched, by the steam cleaning head.
The steam cleaning head is expediently supported on a steam layer which constantly flows out of the steam pressure chambers into the suction regions. A highly efficient cleaning effect is thereby obtained, because the hot steam removes the dirt particles from the window surface and carries them along while flowing off into the suction regions. Part of the steam condenses, so that a mixture of steam, water, air and dirt is sucked off from the window pane.
The steam pressure chambers should be distributed over the front working surface of the steam cleaning head in such a manner that when the window surface is preferably treated in rows the surface is swept over in all regions by at least one steam pressure chamber, but preferably by a plurality of steam pressure chambers. According to a further suggestion of the invention, additional suction slits may be provided in the edge region of the steam cleaning head, whereby it is ensured that the surface to be cleaned becomes clean without any stripes. When the steam cleaning head in its region that is the rear one when viewed in the working direction is additionally provided with a wiper that consists, for example, of silicone, the cleaned surface will dry rapidly without any stripes.
It is within the scope of the invention that chemicals can be added to the water to be evaporated in order to increase steam efficiency in the case of impurities that are difficult to remove.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the steam pressure chambers have an elongated shape and are arranged in surrounding fashion at least in the edge portion of the steam cleaning head. When the steam cleaning head has a circular round shape when viewed from the front, steam pressure chambers are consequently arranged side by side in the form of a circular ring. Moreover, there may be provided preferably spaced-apart radial steam pressure chambers which have positioned thereinbetween the suction regions provided at the front side.
When, as is particularly preferred, the steam cleaning head has a delta shape with slightly rounded sides, steam pressure chambers are again arranged side by side along the edge portion and are followed radially on the inside by a suction region. This suction region is defined by a circular annular arrangement of further steam pressure chambers in the interior of which a suction region is again found.
With such an arrangement of the steam pressure chambers, the surface to be cleaned is swept over successively by a plurality of steam pressure chambers so that it is cleaned everywhere.
The steam pressure chambers are expediently equipped with a bottom wall and surrounding short webs adjacent thereto, so that they have a flat U-shape when viewed in crosss section.
Each of the individual steam pressure chambers communicates via a plurality of nozzles with a rear steam distribution chamber which has a pressure tube opening thereinto for supplying steam. Apart from the opening of the pressure tube and the nozzles by which steam is introduced into the steam pressure chambers, the steam distribution chamber is closed on all sides.
The front suction regions, in turn, communicate via suction sleeves with a joint suction chamber in the rear part of the steam cleaning head which has a suction tube connected thereto. Hence, the joint suction chamber forms a suction bell into which the mixture of steam, condensed water, dirt and air is sucked before it is discharged through the suction tube.
In a particularly advantageous development, a fresh-air distribution chamber is formed in the steam cleaning head and, when viewed in axial direction of the steam cleaning head, is expediently located between the front arrangement consisting of steam pressure chambers and suction regions and the steam distribution chamber. The fresh-air distribution chamber communicates via holes, preferably in the radial circumferential wall of the steam cleaning head, with the surroundings thereof and, via ducts extending through the partition between the fresh-air distribution and the suction regions, with said suction regions. Hence, during operation of the steam cleaning head, air is constantly sucked into the suction regions, which promotes transport of the steam/water/dirt mixture. The cleaning effect of the steam cleaning head of the invention is thereby enhanced considerably.
Moreover, in a particularly advantageous development, suction slits are formed along the front circumference of the steam cleaning head and are preferably located directly radially inside the housing wall where small webs and large suction regions may be arranged in alternating fashion. These suction slits communicate with the suction bell and efficently prevent the steam/water/dirt mixture from laterally exiting from the steam cleaning head.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the steam cleaning head is mounted on a slide which is movable on rails that are positi
Dornier Technologies GmbH & Co.
Moore Chris K.
Tuettner Pyle & Piontek
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