Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – With air blast or suction
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-23
2003-06-03
Snider, Theresa T. (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
With air blast or suction
C015S392000, C015S371000, C015S087000, C015S098000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06571423
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a surface-cleaning device comprising a base part and a cleaning part which is provided with a substantially flat contact surface for making contact with a surface to be cleaned and which is journaled so as to be rotatable relative to the base part about an axis of rotation which extends substantially perpendicularly to the contact surface.
The invention also relates to a vacuum cleaner provided with a housing in which a suction unit is present and with a suction attachment which is coupled to the suction unit via a suction channel and is provided with a surface-cleaning device, which surface-cleaning device comprises a base part and a cleaning part which is provided with a substantially flat contact surface for contact with a surface to be cleaned and which is journaled so as to be rotatable relative to the base part about an axis of rotation which extends substantially perpendicularly to the contact surface.
The invention further relates to a cleaning element suitable for use in a surface-cleaning device according to the invention.
A suction attachment of the Japanese brand National with type designation AMC-MS
1
available on the Japanese market is provided with two surface-cleaning devices of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraphs arranged next to one another and is suitable for use in a vacuum cleaner of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraphs.
FIG. 1
a
is a diagrammatic plan view of the known suction attachment
1
, and
FIG. 1
b
is a diagrammatic cross-section taken on the line I
b
—I
b
in
FIG. 1
a
. The cleaning part
3
of the surface-cleaning devices
5
of the known suction attachment
1
comprises a disc-shaped holder
7
which is provided with a bearing journal
11
built up from elastic tongues
9
. The holder
7
is detachably fastened to a bearing bush
13
, which is accessible from a lower side
15
of the suction attachment
1
, by means of the bearing journal
11
and is rotatably journaled in the bearing bush
13
relative to the suction attachment
1
. A disc-shaped cleaning cloth
19
is fastened to a lower side
17
of the holder
7
, on which cloth the contact surface
21
, circular in shape, is present. The axis of rotation
23
of the cleaning part
3
encloses a small angle &agr; of a few degrees with a perpendicular
27
on the surface
25
to be cleaned in an operational position of the suction attachment
1
on the surface
25
to be cleaned, so that a portion
31
of the contact surface
21
present adjacent a circumference
29
of the contact surface
21
of the cleaning cloth
19
is in contact with the surface
25
to be cleaned. When the suction attachment
1
is displaced over the surface
25
to be cleaned in a displacement direction X by a user, the cleaning parts
3
are rotated about their axes of rotation
23
in a direction R shown in
FIG. 1
a
under the influence of friction forces F exerted on the parts
31
by the surface
25
to be cleaned. The rotating cleaning cloths
19
have a cleaning effect which supplements a cleaning effect provided by the suction attachment
1
as a result of an underpressure present in the suction attachment
1
. Since the cleaning parts
3
of the known. suction attachment
1
are rotated under, the influence of said friction forces, the known suction attachment
1
need not have any driving means for driving the cleaning parts
3
.
A disadvantage of the surface-cleaning devices
5
used in the known suction attachment
1
is that exclusively said portions
31
of the cleaning cloths
19
are in contact with the surface
25
to be cleaned. The result is that only a small portion of the surface
25
present below the suction attachment
1
is treated by the cleaning cloths
19
. In addition, only an annular portion
33
of each cleaning cloth
19
extending along the circumference
29
is utilized for cleaning the surface
25
, and a comparatively large central portion
35
of the cleaning cloth
19
remains unused.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a surface-cleaning device and a vacuum cleaner of the kinds mentioned in the opening paragraphs wherein the cleaning part is also rotatable about the axis of rotation without driving means, but wherein the contact surface of the cleaning part is in substantially full contact with the surface to be cleaned.
To achieve this object, a surface-cleaning device according to the invention is characterized in that the cleaning part is pivotable relative to the base part about a pivot axis which extends transversely to the axis of rotation, while the base part is provided with means for exerting a pre-tension torque on the cleaning part about said pivot axis.
To achieve this object, a vacuum cleaner according to the invention is characterized in that the surface-cleaning device used therein is a surface-cleaning device according to the invention.
When the surface-cleaning device according to the invention is placed on the surface to be cleaned, the cleaning part is pivoted through contact with the surface to be cleaned about said pivot axis into a position in which the contact surface is directed substantially parallel to the surface to be cleaned and is accordingly in substantially full contact with the surface to be cleaned. Since said means exert a pre-tension torque on the cleaning part about the pivot axis, the contact surface exerts a surface pressure on the surface to be cleaned which is asymmetrical relative to the pivot axis, so that a displacement of the surface-cleaning device over the surface to be cleaned generates a friction force between the contact surface and the surface to be cleaned which is also asymmetrically distributed relative to the pivot axis. A suitable position of the pivot axis with respect to the axis of rotation of the cleaning part, for example a position in which the pivot axis intersects the axis of rotation or the pivot axis lies at a comparatively small distance from the axis of rotation, achieves that said friction force is also asymmetrically distributed with respect to the axis of rotation, so that the cleaning part is rotated about the axis of rotation under the influence of the friction force. Since the contact surface is in substantially full contact with the surface to be cleaned, the contact surface is substantially completely utilized for cleaning the surface to be cleaned during rotation.
A special embodiment of a surface-cleaning device according to the invention is characterized in that said means comprise a roller member which is rotatable about a further axis of rotation extending transversely to the axis of rotation and which bears with pre-tension on a roller track of the cleaning part, which roller track extends substantially parallel to the contact surface. A practical and simple construction of said means is obtained thereby, wherein wear of said means is limited as much as possible.
A further embodiment of a surface-cleaning device according to the invention is characterized in that said means comprise a wire spring, and the roller member is rotatably journaled around said wire spring adjacent an end of said wire spring. A practical and simple bearing for the roller member is thus provided, said means comprising only a limited number of components.
A yet further embodiment of a surface-cleaning device according to the invention is characterized in that the cleaning part is journaled with radial clearance in a bearing bush of the base part, and the base part is provided adjacent the bearing bush with a support ring which extends substantially perpendicularly to the axis of rotation and which serves to support the cleaning part in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation. Said support ring is provided, for example, on an end of the bearing bush. The use of said radial clearance renders the cleaning part pivotable about a support point which is present on the support ring approximately diametrically opposite a point of application of a pre-tension force arising from the pre-tension torque, as seen relative to
Lijzenga Henk
Oudman Benjamin Luurt
Bartlett Ernestine C.
Koninklijke Philips Electronics , N.V.
Snider Theresa T.
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