Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – Brushing
Patent
1997-02-05
1999-01-19
Till, Terrence
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
Brushing
15 883, 15 534, B60S 306
Patent
active
058601805
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a tire cleaning apparatus for wheelchairs.
Wheelchairs are generally used by handicapped people and have to replace or at least temporarily relieve the strain on the functioning of the walking equipment, both inside and outside buildings. Unlike the situation in relation to people who are not handicapped, when entering a building the wheelchair cannot be simply changed like a normal pair of shoes but, if the tires are dirty, it has to be cleaned and also further used within the building. For removing in particular large-size soiling hitherto cleaning cloths or brushes were used, which were passed around the entire periphery of the wheel in a time-consuming manner; the handicapped person frequently could not do that without outside help. In addition the dirt which dropped off in the cleaning operation had to be subsequently removed.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,375 shows a cleaning apparatus for wheelchairs which however is only intended for wheelchairs which are pushed by hand. The wheelchair, without the handicapped person, must be introduced into a container by a non-handicapped person. It is also not stated that at least roller (48, 49), see FIG. 7 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,375, is to be switched into a free-wheel condition.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore the object of the present invention is to provide a tire cleaning apparatus with which the tires of wheelchairs can be quickly and reliably cleaned without outside help.
The invention provides a cleaning apparatus for wheelchairs, which has at least two rollers which carry at least one wheelchair tire with wheelchair, wherein at least one roller is drivable for rotating the tires or is switchable into a freewheel condition, and at least one cleaning device associated with at least one tire.
A substantial advantage of the invention is that a handicapped wheelchair occupant enjoys greater freedom as there is no need for people to assist in cleaning the wheelchair tires.
So that the tire cleaning apparatus can be flexibly adapted to wheelchair tires of different diameters, a plurality of rollers are arranged in the platform in pairs with increasing spacings relative to each other in a trough.
As there are both manually and also electrically driven wheelchairs, it is desirable that each roller can be selectively drivable or switched into a freewheel condition.
So that the wheelchair is not driven out of the tire cleaning apparatus when that is not wanted, oppositely disposed rollers can rotate at different speeds in order to produce a vertical force component which is directed towards the platform. In that manner wheelchairs are securely held in the tire cleaning apparatus.
In a first embodiment one of the cleaning devices is desirably a cleaning belt which is rotatable in opposite relationship to the direction of rotation of the rollers and which contacts the tire from below. So that the cleaning operation is more efficient and the apparatus is more adaptable the cleaning belt comprises a plurality of brush segments which are mounted movably on a drive chain, wherein the brush segments are preferably of elliptical cross-section and rotate about an axis of rotation which is perpendicular to the roller axis.
So that dirt can be reliably removed from the whole of the peripheral surface of the tire, three cleaning devices can be associated with each tire, which devices are arranged along the roller axis at a spacing relative to each other and displaced in respect of height in such a way that the respective two outwardly disposed cleaning devices are in a plane which is higher than that of the central cleaning device.
So that the brush segments can clean themselves, at least two of the cleaning devices are so arranged that the brush segments partially overlap in the inoperative condition at least when rotating.
So that the cleaning devices can be adapted to different tire thicknesses in the first embodiment the cleaning devices can be suitably displaced relat
REFERENCES:
patent: 1479841 (1924-01-01), Stover
patent: 3729763 (1973-05-01), Coley
patent: 4233703 (1980-11-01), Clyne et al.
Rudiger Heise
Till Terrence
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