The present invention relates to cleaning machines, in particular sweeping machines. Compact sweeping machines are well known in the marketplace and typically comprise a four-wheeled vehicle with a cab at its front end behind which is a refuse hopper capable of taking a payload of swept up rubbish or other material, the hopper has to be located relatively high up on the machine to allow of its emptying into refuse skips or into other transfer vehicles, the machines have steerable front and/or rear wheels controllable from the cab and a pair of contra rotating brushes extending forwardly in front of the cab and easily visible to the operator within the cab. The brushes are able to sweep a width varying from about 1 to 3 .5meters, the width of which can also be controllable from the cab. The machines are normally provided with a suction arrangement to pick up rubbish swept by the aforementioned brushes to a central location between the contra rotating brushes and with some form of dust separation equipment to separate out dust from the exhaust air stream from the suction arrangement. A third brush may also be fitted capable of providing a greater reach than the two contra rotating brushes. The machines may be provided with other operator comforts such as full suspension, electronic control systems for reduced operator workload, heated windscreen, adjustable steering wheel, adjustable driver's seat, a forward tilting cab and air conditioning. It is also important that the machine has good operator visibility. In order to improve rear vision, a reversing camera may also be provided. These machines have in the past been powered by internal combustion engines.

However, internal combustion engines are noisy, and this can be problematic especially when the machine is being used early in the morning when many members of the public are asleep. Internal combustion engines also generate pollutants and are therefore generally unsuitable for use indoor areas such as shopping malls and indoor shopping precincts. To overcome these problems electric sweeping machines have been developed such as WO2009/153315.

However, electric sweeping machines have their own problems. The power density available from batteries is far less than that available from internal combustion engines. Thus, the batteries on electric sweeping machines tend to be far bulkier than an equivalent internal combustion engine. Furthermore, the time taken to recharge batteries can be considerable necessitating the need for an operator to provide one set of batteries for use on the electric sweeping machine whilst the second set of batteries is being recharged.

Thus, depending upon the circumstances, sometimes it is preferable to use an electric cleaning machine, and on other occasions it is preferable to use a cleaning machine powered by an internal combustion engine. However, under most circumstances it is impractical for an operator to have both a battery powered sweeping machine and an internal combustion powered sweeping machine simply because of the cost of purchasing and maintaining two vehicles.

Because there is a need for both an electric powered sweeping machine and an internal combustion engine powered sweeping machine, then manufacturers of such machines must provide two separate production lines, one aimed at electric sweeping machines and one aimed at internal combustion engine powered machines.

Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning machine having the benefits of an electric powered cleaning machine (e.g. quiet operation) but also of having the benefits of an internal combustion engine powered cleaning machine (e.g. having a higher power density enabling longer duration of operation).

Another object of the present invention is to minimise the costs associated with manufacturing both an electric powered cleaning machine and an internal combustion engine powered cleaning machine. Thus, according to the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a first cleaning machine including the steps of:

providing a first power arrangement selected from a set of power arrangements, providing a second power arrangement selected from said set of power arrangements, said first power arrangement being different from said second power arrangement,

providing a first set of parts including:

a first hopper,

a first suction fan,

a first suction nozzle,

a first operator seat,

a first set of operator controls,

a first vehicle chassis,

a first set of front wheel hubs,

a first set of rear wheel hubs,

a first set of ground engaging wheels,

a first electric motor for driving at least one of the ground engaging wheels of the first set,

assembling said first set of parts with said first power arrangement to form a first electric driven cleaning machine,

said set of power arrangements including at least two set members selected from:

a first set member having a first module including a battery and a second module including a battery,

a second set member having a first module including a battery and a second module including an internal combustion engine coupled to an electricity generator, a third set member having a first module including an internal combustion engine coupled to an electricity generator and a second module including one or more of a cooling system, an emissions abatement system and a fuel tank for the internal combustion engine of the first module,

a fourth set member having a first module including a fuel cell and a second module including a fuel tank, a fifth set member having a first module including a battery and a second module including a fuel cell and a fuel tank,

said first module of said first power arrangement being mounted on one of a right and left hand side of the first cleaning machine and said second module of said first power arrangement being mounted on the other of the right and left hand side of said first cleaning machine.

Advantageously, the invention provides a cleaning machine capable of being fitted with alternative power sources.

According to a another aspect of the present invention there is provided a cleaning machine including a hopper, a suction fan, a suction nozzle, an operator seat, a set of operator controls, a vehicle chassis, a set of front wheel hubs, a set of rear wheel hubs, a set of ground engaging wheels, an electric motor for driving at least one of the ground engaging wheels of the first set of ground engaging wheels and a power arrangement, the power arrangement including a first module including a battery and a second module including an internal combustion engine coupled to an electricity generator, said first module of said power arrangement being mounted on one of a right and left hand side of the cleaning machine and said second module of said power arrangement being mounted on the other of the right and left hand side of the cleaning machine.

Advantageously, the invention provides a series electric hybrid cleaning machine wherein the power source can be readily mounted and demounted.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a cleaning machine including a hopper, a suction fan, a suction nozzle, an operator seat, a set of operator controls, a vehicle chassis, a set of front wheel hubs, a set of rear wheel hubs, a set of ground engaging wheels, an electric motor for driving at least one of the ground engaging wheels of the first set of ground engaging wheels and a power arrangement, the power arrangement including a first module including an internal combustion engine coupled to an electricity generator and a second module including one or more of a cooling system, and emission abatement system and a fuel tank for the internal combustion engine of the first module said first module of said power arrangement being mounted on one of a right and left hand side of the cleaning machine and said second module of said power arrangement being mounted on the other of the right and left hand side of the cleaning machine.

Advantageously, the invention provides a cleaning machine having wheels driven by an electric motor but having an internal combustion engine as the primary power source, the internal combustion engine being readily mountable and demountable. According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a cleaning machine including a hopper, a suction fan, a suction nozzle, an operator seat, a set of operator controls, a vehicle chassis, a set of front wheel hubs, a set of rear wheel hubs, a set of ground engaging wheels, an electric motor for driving at least one of the ground engaging wheels of the first set of ground engaging wheels and a power arrangement, the power arrangement including a first module including a fuel cell and a second module including a fuel tank said first module of said power arrangement being mounted on one of a right and left hand side of the cleaning machine and said second module of said power arrangement being mounted on the other of the right and left hand side of the cleaning machine.

Advantageously, the invention provides a cleaning machine having wheels driven by an electric motor wherein the primary power source is a fuel cell wherein the primary power source is readily mountable and demountable on the machine. According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a cleaning machine including a hopper, a suction fan, a suction nozzle, an operator seat, a set of operator controls, a vehicle chassis, a set of front wheel hubs, a set of rear wheel hubs, a set of ground engaging wheels, an electric motor for driving at least one of the ground engaging wheels of the first set of ground engaging wheels and a power arrangement, the power arrangement including a first module including a battery and a second module including a fuel cell and a fuel tank said first module of said power arrangement being mounted on one of a right and left hand side of the cleaning machine and said second module of said power arrangement being mounted on the other of the right and left hand side of the cleaning machine and a left hand side of the cleaning machine.

Advantageously, the invention provides a series hybrid cleaning machine wherein the power source can be readily mounted and demounted.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of a cleaning machine according to the present invention,

Figure 2 is a schematic view of a power arrangement for use with the cleaning machine of figure 1,

Figure 3 is a schematic isometric view of an alternative power arrangement for use with the cleaning machine of figure 1,

Figure 4 is a schematic isometric view of an alternative power arrangement for use with the cleaning machine of figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a schematic isometric view of an alternative power arrangement for use with the cleaning machine of figure 1,

Figure 6 is schematic isometric view of an alternative power arrangement for use with the cleaning machine of figure 1.

With reference to figure 1 there is shown a cleaning machine, in this case a sweeping machine 10 having a cab 12 for an operator. The machine includes two front wheels 14 which are steerable and two rear wheels 16. Each wheel is mounted on an associated wheel hub 14a, 16a.

The cab is mounted on a chassis 18 which supports the front wheel hubs 14a via a front suspension 15 and supports the rear wheel hubs 16a via a rear suspension 17. Mounted in the cab are an operator seat 20 (shown schematically) and various operator controls 22 (shown schematically). The operator controls might include controls typically found in a car, such as a steering wheel, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, switches to operate the lights, windscreen wiper, air conditioning etc. The cab will also include operator controls specific to a cleaning machine, such as controls to operate the brushes, suction nozzle, suction fan and hopper (see below).

Mounted at the front of the machine is a pair of contrary rotating brushes 24. The brushes 24 are operated to sweep debris and the like into the gap 25 between the brushes and just in front of a suction nozzle 26. The suction nozzle is connected via a suction pipe 27 to the hopper 28. Within the hopper there is mounted a suction fan (not shown) driven by an electric motor (not shown). Mounted on the chassis is an electric drive motor 30 which drives the rear wheels via the rear wheel hubs. The electrical power source (or power arrangement) for the electric drive motor is in the form of a first and second module. Alternative power arrangements can be fitted to the sweeping machine with each alternative power arrangement having different modules.

Figure 2 shows a power arrangement 40 having a first module 41 and a second module 42. In this case the first module is a battery pack and the second module is a battery pack. The first module is fitted on the right hand side of the vehicle between the right hand front wheel and right hand rear wheel. The second module 42 is fitted on the left hand side of the vehicle between the left hand front wheel and left hand rear wheel.

Figure 3 shows a power arrangement 50 having a first module 51 and a second module 52. In this case the first module includes a battery and the second module includes an internal combustion engine 53 coupled to an electricity generator 54.

Figure 4 shows a power arrangement 60 having a first module including an internal combustion engine 63 coupled to an electricity generator 64. The second module 62 includes a radiator 65, a fuel tank 66 and an emission abatement system 67. The radiator receives cooling water from the internal combustion engine 63 and radiates heat to atmosphere thereby keeping the internal combustion engine 63 cool. The fuel tank 66 supplies fuel to the internal combustion engine 63. The emission abatement system 67 is coupled to the internal combustion engine to reduce the amount of pollutants being exhausted to the atmosphere from the internal combustion engine. Included within the emission abatement system 67 is an exhaust silencer 68.

Figure 5 shows a power arrangement 70 having a first module 71 and a second module 72. In this case the first module 71 includes a fuel cell 73 (in this case a hydrogen fuel cell) and the second module 72 includes a fuel tank 74 (in this case a hydrogen fuel tank).

Figure 6 shows a power arrangement 80 having first module 81 and a second module 82. In this case the first module 81 is a battery pack and the second module 82 includes a fuel cell 83 (in this case a hydrogen fuel cell) and a fuel tank 84 (in this case a hydrogen fuel tank).

Depending upon the circumstances power arrangement 40 or power arrangement 50 or power arrangement 60 or power arrangement 70 or power arrangement 80 can be mounted on the sweeping machine 10. Thus, circumstances where it is important to minimise noise and/or emissions, power arrangement 40 can be mounted on the sweeping machine 10. Under these circumstances the first module 41 will be mounted on the right hand side of the sweeping machine 10 and the second module 42 will be mounted on the left hand side of the sweeping machine. The sweeping machine will include a socket 31 which is coupled to plug 43 so as to connect power arrangement 40 to the electric drive motor 30. In this case the plug and socket are shown as connecting the electric drive motor 30 to the battery of the first module 41. The battery of the second module 42 can either be connected to the drive motor 30 via a further plug and socket arrangement (not shown) or alternatively the battery of the second module 42 could be connected electrically to the battery (the connection not being shown) of the first module 42 thereby ensuring both batteries are coupled via plug 43 and socket 31 to the drive motor 30. The power arrangement 40 includes mounting features 44 for engaging mounting structure 34 of the chassis 18 to enable the first module 41 and second module 42 to be mounted on the chassis. As will be appreciated, by positioning the first and second modules on either side of the vehicle between the front rear wheels enables them to be readily mounted and demounted. Thus, when the batteries within the first and second modules are depleted, the first and second modules can be removed and replaced with either a different power arrangement 40 or one of power arrangements 50, 60 or 70.

As mentioned above, power arrangement 40 is typically used to ensure low noise and low emissions. Alternatively power arrangement 70 could be used in similar circumstances. In this case the fuel cell 73 would produce electricity to power the electric drive motor 30. Fuel in the fuel tank 74 would be transferred via line 75 to be used in the fuel cell 73. When the fuel in the fuel tank 74 becomes depleted then the fuel tank can simply be refilled.

Alternatively power arrangement 80 could be used in similar circumstances. In this case the fuel cell 83 would produce electricity to power the electric drive motor 30, or alternatively it could be used to recharge the battery in the first module 81, which in turn is then used to drive the electric drive motor. Thus, when using power arrangement 80, the cleaning machine becomes a series hybrid machine. Under different circumstances low noise/emissions may be necessary only for certain operating periods and during other operating periods higher noise/emissions may be acceptable. Under these circumstances power arrangement 50 could be used. Thus, if the machine is to be operated over an 8 hour shift starting at 04.00am and ending at noon, then in the first half of the shift up until 08.00am the sweeping machine could be run purely from the battery in the first module 51. From 08.00am onwards the internal combustion engine 53 could be run to drive the electricity generator 54 thereby supplying power to the electric drive motor 30. The electricity generator 54 could either be coupled by a separate plug and socket (not shown) directly to the electric drive motor 30, or alternatively it could be used to recharge the battery in the first module 51, which in turn is then used to drive the electric drive motor. Thus, when using the power arrangement 50, the sweeping machine becomes a series electric hybrid machine. In other circumstances, greater noise and greater emissions may be acceptable, for example when operating a shift between 09.00am and 05.00pm. Under these circumstances the power arrangement 60 could be used wherein the internal combustion engine is continuously run to drive the electricity generator 64. The internal combustion engine 63 may need to be more powerful engine than the internal combustion engine 53, and as such may require a separate cooling radiator 65, fuel tank 66, mission abatement system 67, and silencer 68 which can be contained within the second module 62. As mentioned above, the power arrangement 40 includes mounting features 44 enabling the first module 41 and the second module 42 to be mounted on the chassis 18. Power arrangement 50, 60, 70 and 80 also include identical mounting features 44 enabling these power arrangements to be readily mounted upon the same chassis 18. As mentioned above the power arrangement 40 included a plug 43. Power arrangements 50, 60, 70 and 80 also include an identical plug 43 such that when respective power arrangements 50, 60, 70 and 80 are mounted via their respective mounting features 44 on the chassis 18, then the respective plug 33 can be readily coupled to the socket 31 of the sweeping machine 10.

As will be appreciated, the invention provides a method of readily adapting a sweeping machine to accept different power sources. By mounting the various types of power source on the outside of the vehicle they can readily be removed and replaced. It should be noted that known sweeping machines powered by internal combustion engines have the engine "buried" within the vehicle simply because it is not expected to remove the engine on a regular basis. In one form the present invention provides a series electric hybrid machine wherein an internal combustion engine is readily mountable and demountable from the machine. In another embodiment the invention provides an electric driven machine with power for the electric motor coming from an internal combustion engine driven generator. The internal combustion engine driven generator is readily mountable and demountable. It will be appreciated, that, from an operator point of view it is possible to provide a purely battery powered machine which can be readily adapted to use a power source including an internal combustion engine. Thus, the operator no longer needs two separate sweeping machines, rather a single sweeping machine with two alternative power arrangements will provide the required versatility.

The invention not only has benefits for the operator, but also has benefits for the manufacturer. Thus, the manufacturer can produce pure battery powered sweeping machines and internal combustion engine powered sweeping machines on the same production line. This is because the majority of the components aside from the differing power arrangements are identical irrespective of whatever power arrangement is to be fitted. Furthermore, by providing the power arrangements such that the modules of the power arrangements can be readily mounted on each side of the machine enables the majority of the machine to be built absent the power arrangements, and then only towards the end of the production line need appropriate power arrangements be fitted. By providing the power arrangements as modules each module can be separately tested prior to assembly onto the vehicle. Because the power arrangements each produce electricity as a power source, then coupling the power arrangements to the drive motor 30 is relatively simple since a simple plug and socket can be used. There is no need for a mechanical linkage to couple the power arrangements to the electric drive motor.

As will be seen from figure 1, in the absence of the first and second modules, there is ready access to the chassis of the sweeping machine which eases manufacture. This is a further advantage of assembling the first and second modules relatively late on the production line. Because the brushes 24 and wheels 14 and 16 are relatively bulky, typically they are also assembled relatively late on the production line. Indeed under certain circumstances the brushes 24 are not assembled on the production line, rather they are stored separately on the sweeping machine during delivery of the sweeping machine to the customer. Only once the machine has been delivered to the customer are the brushes finally assembled in their correct location. As described above in respect of each power arrangement shown in figures 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, certain components are mounted on the right hand side of the vehicle and certain components are mounted on the left hand side of the vehicle. First module 51 could alternatively contain the internal combustion engine coupled to the electricity generator where as the second module 52 could contain a battery. Similarly with respect to figure 4 in a further embodiment, the components found in the first and second modules could be transposed. Similarly with respect to figure 5, in an alternative embodiment, the components found in the first and second modules could be transposed.

Similarly, with respect to figure 6, in an alternative embodiment, the components found in the first and second modules could be transposed.