Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – Brushing
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-17
2003-01-14
Spisich, Mark (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
Brushing
C015S052100, C015S083000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06505371
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a sweeper comprising a rotary brush arranged in a housing, a dirt collector that can be detachably connected to the housing and, adjacent the rotary brush in the dirt collector, a dirt inlet on the bottom edge of which a sill is arranged.
For sweepers it is known that the dirt collectors are detached from the housing to be emptied and then transported to a place of discharge. These dirt collectors are usually open on one side, the open side constitutes the dirt inlet into the collector.
During the transport to the place of discharge there is the danger that the dirt collected in the dirt collector may fall out of the interior. To prevent this it is also known to provide for a sill at the bottom of the dirt collector in the region of the dirt inlet over which the dirt particles are whirled while the sweeper is in operation. A sill of this kind however prevents the dirt particles collected at the bottom of the dirt collector from falling out of the interior during the transport to the place of discharge.
Dirt collectors are often made in form of plastic containers, and for this reason it is difficult to form such sills integrally onto the bottom section, in particular problems to take out these parts arise during the production.
The object of the invention is to construct a sweeper in accordance with the preamble, in a way that the sill on the bottom edge of the dirt collector can be produced in a particularly simple manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
For a sweeper of the kind described at the outset this object is accomplished in accordance with the invention by forming the sill out of a wall section that runs alongside both its longitudinal edges in one plane and stands out of this plane to one side in between these edges, and by connecting the wall section to the bottom of the dirt collector alongside its longitudinal edges whereby at least alongside one longitudinal edge between the floor and the wall section there is a connection consisting of two pieces.
A wall section standing out on one side is therefore formed, for example by means of an arch-shaped cross section or of a cross section with an offset angle, and this wall section is connected to the bottom of the dirt collector. For this the connection alongside both edges can consist of two pieces, which means that in the connecting area the wall section that is independent of the dirt collector and the bottom of the dirt collector are connected to each other, for example by snapping or sticking them together.
But it is also possible for such a connection consisting of two pieces to be made alongside one longitudinal edge only whereas alongside the other longitudinal edge there is a connection between the bottom and the wall section consisting of one piece. In this case the wall section is made in one piece with the bottom when the dirt collector is being formed, and by bending the wall section is then set in the position to the bottom in the way the sill is finally intended to be arranged. Normally this will be a tilting movement, this can be simplified particularly by designing the connection in one piece like a hinge connection, for example as a so-called film-hinge.
In this embodiment the free longitudinal edge is then connected to the bottom in a suitable way, whether by means of a mechanical snapping connection or by means of sticking or welding.
It is particularly advantageous for an embodiment to provide that the connection in two pieces of the bottom and the longitudinal edge of the wall section can be designed in a way that a projection snaps into a recess.
The recess can for example be designed as a longitudinal groove at the bottom into which the longitudinal edge of the wall section engages.
In this respect it is advantageous when the longitudinal groove is designed as a step in the bottom the upper edge of which stands out over the lower edge.
In particular the longitudinal groove can be designed as having a v-shape in the cross section.
Furthermore it is advantageous for the wall section to be designed in the shape of a wedge in cross section along its longitudinal edge engaging into the longitudinal groove, thereby the sliding in of the longitudinal edge into the longitudinal groove is facilitated.
A preferable embodiment provides for the connections of the longitudinal edges to the bottom to be so close to each other that the wall section is arched up elastically and the longitudinal edges are therefore submitted to a tension force drawing them apart. This ensures that a free edge of the wall section engaging into a longitudinal groove is held, it can only be drawn out of the groove against the elastic tension force that draws the longitudinal edges apart.
In particular the wall section can consist of two plane wall surfaces that are connected to each other at an angle, the connecting edge of the surfaces running parallel to the longitudinal edges of the wall section.
It is advantageous for the sill in the dirt collector connected to the housing to plunge into a corresponding recess of the housing, this leads to a particularly good fixation of the dirt collector to the housing and serves to assist the insertion. The corresponding recess in the housing can be designed as a sill or a ramp that is open on one side and v-shaped in cross section and is situated directly adjacent a rotary brush and that thereby serves as a guiding surface for the dirt particles whirled off from the rotary brush.
The following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention serves to explain it further with the help of the drawing.
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Fischer Franz
Schmidgall Martin
Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co.
Lipsitz Barry R.
McAllister Douglas M.
Spisich Mark
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