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Title:
FLOOR CLEANER
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2022/129849
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
A floor cleaner for cleaning a floor comprises a reservoir for storing cleaning liquid, and a cleaning head which is arranged to deliver cleaning liquid received from the reservoir to the floor, and to suck used cleaning liquid from the floor. The cleaning head includes a plurality of driven cleaning elements for engaging and cleaning the floor in combination with the delivered cleaning liquid. The cleaning elements are each arranged to be driven relative to the cleaning head with components of translational motion in at least two different non-parallel directions along the floor.

Inventors:
DODGSON OLIVER (GB)
Application Number:
PCT/GB2021/052970
Publication Date:
June 23, 2022
Filing Date:
November 17, 2021
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
DYSON TECHNOLOGY LTD (GB)
International Classes:
A47L11/40; A47L11/30
Foreign References:
DE102009022269A12010-11-25
EP0434907A21991-07-03
DE1072783B
DE102007004721A12008-08-07
CN206586900U2017-10-27
GB389285A1933-03-16
KR20010087031A2001-09-15
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
MACPHERSON, Carolyn et al. (GB)
Download PDF:
Claims:
Claims

1. A floor cleaner for cleaning a floor, wherein the floor cleaner comprises a reservoir for storing cleaning liquid, and a cleaning head which is arranged to deliver cleaning liquid received from the reservoir to the floor, and to suck used cleaning liquid from the floor, the cleaning head including a plurality of driven cleaning elements for engaging and cleaning the floor in combination with the delivered cleaning liquid, and wherein the cleaning elements are each arranged to be driven relative to the cleaning head with components of translational motion in at least two different non-parallel directions along the floor.

2. A floor cleaner according to claim 1, wherein a first of the cleaning elements is arranged to move in a first direction at the same time as a second of the cleaning elements is arranged to move in a second direction, the second direction being different from the first direction.

3. A floor cleaner according to claim 2, wherein the second direction is in the opposite direction to the first direction.

4. A floor cleaner according to any preceding claim, wherein a first of the cleaning elements moves along a first path and a second of the cleaning elements moves along a second path, the first path being a mirror image of the second path.

5. A floor cleaner according to any preceding claim, wherein each of the cleaning elements is arranged to translate around a closed loop path.

6. A floor cleaner according to any preceding claim, wherein each of the cleaning elements comprises an absorbent pad via which cleaning liquid is delivered to the floor and/or used cleaning liquid is sucked from the floor.

7. A floor cleaner according to any preceding claim, wherein the cleaning head further comprises a barrier member for retaining cleaning liquid at least partly within a footprint of the cleaning head.

8. A floor cleaner according to any preceding claim, wherein the cleaner head comprises a first barrier member on one side of the foot print of the cleaner head and a second barrier member on an opposite side of the foot print of the cleaner head.

9. A floor cleaner according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the barrier member is movably mounted on the cleaning head, so that it lifts off from the floor when moved along the floor as the leading barrier member and is nearer to the floor when moved along the floor as the trailing barrier member.

10. A floor cleaner according to any of claims 7 to 9, wherein the used cleaning liquid is sucked from the floor via a channel forming part of, being adjacent or otherwise associated with a barrier member.

11. A floor cleaner according to any preceding claim further including a waste tank for receiving used cleaning liquid sucked from the floor by the cleaning head.

12. A cleaning head for a floor cleaner according to any preceding claim.

Description:
Floor cleaner

Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns a floor cleaner. More particularly, but not exclusively, this invention concerns a vacuum cleaner for washing and cleaning a floor with a cleaning liquid, which may be referred to as a wet floor cleaner.

Background of the Invention

Various types of floor cleaner are available. They include “dry” floor cleaners such as vacuum cleaners, and “wet” floor cleaners. Some wet floor cleaners of the prior art apply a cleaning fluid to the floor as part of the cleaning process and include a reservoir for holding such cleaning fluid. Some wet floor cleaners of the prior art include cleaning elements arranged to be in contact with the floor and for agitating the cleaning fluid once applied to the floor. Such cleaning elements may be driven via one or more electric motors. The wet floor cleaner may also include a vacuum pump or fan which removes waste liquid from the floor.

CN206586900U discloses a wet floor cleaner having a cleaner head with a scrubbing device comprising adjacent generally circular cleaning discs which in use are driven to rotate in opposite directions. Cleaning liquid is delivered to the floor via outlets in the cleaner head. A liquid suction device is arranged on the cleaner head and located behind the scrubbing device, and is used for sucking away liquid on the surface to be cleaned. Rotational movement utilising generally round cleaning pads makes it difficult to clean a floor in the region in or near a comer formed by two perpendicular walls. Also the rubbing motion between pad and floor increases with radial distance from the centre of rotation, meaning that floor beneath the centre of rotation will be cleaned less effectively that areas nearer the periphery of the pad.

Other floor cleaners having more than one driven cleaning device, in the form of a pad which is moved over the floor when cleaning, are known. GB389285A discloses a pair of such pads which are rectangular and reciprocate on a straight line path in use, moving in opposite directions as they do so. The pads move left and right, such that the area in the fore-aft direction cleaned by the pads, absent any extra movement caused by the operator of the cleaner, is limited by the length of the pads in the fore-aft direction.

KR20010087031 shows a floor cleaner with square pads which rotate to and fro about spaced apart axes. There is an open area between the pads at which cleaning liquid is sprayed onto the floor. The region of the floor at the gap between the pads does not appear to be covered by the rotating motion of the pads, other than by means of the operator moving the whole floor cleaner laterally over the floor.

In all of the above-described prior art, the cleaning elements in contact with the floor are flat-bottomed remaining co-planar with the surface being cleaned and utilise either rotational movement of pads about a fixed axis or translational reciprocating movement along a straight line path. Dirt will tend to be moved to the exterior of the area being swept out by the pads. That might make it difficult to clean areas near walls or in corners.

The present invention seeks to mitigate one or more of the above-mentioned problems. Alternatively or additionally, the present invention seeks to provide an improved floor cleaner.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention provides a floor cleaner for cleaning a floor. The floor cleaner comprises a reservoir for storing cleaning liquid, and a cleaning head. The cleaning head is arranged to deliver cleaning liquid received from the reservoir to the floor and to suck used cleaning liquid from the floor. The cleaning head including a plurality of driven cleaning elements for engaging and cleaning the floor in combination with the delivered cleaning liquid. The cleaning elements are each arranged to be driven relative to the cleaning head with components of translational motion in at least two different non-parallel directions along the floor. In use, such translational motion will be in directions within a plane parallel to the floor (assuming that the floor is relatively flat). It may be that in use the whole of the floor cleaner’s cleaning head is also moved relative to the floor, for example by an operator (i.e. a person) moving the cleaner fore-and-aft as one typically does when mopping a floor.

Having multiple cleaning elements moved with such translational motion enables embodiments of the invention, in which each cleaning element cleans a larger area than a rotating element would cover, with a more even cleaning action than would be possible with a rotating head, and with better overall coverage of the floor area immediately beneath the cleaning head, which may in such embodiments have a generally rectangular shape. It is also thought that a simple rotating cleaning pad, for example with a generally round shape in plan view, will tend to move dirt, debris and liquid on the floor to the periphery of the rotating pad, rather than wiping it up or cleaning it effectively. In embodiments of the present invention, the translational movement in different non-parallel directions may result in a better and/or more efficient cleaning action.

A first of the cleaning elements may be arranged to move in a first direction at the same time as a second of the cleaning elements is arranged to move in a second direction, the second direction being different from the first direction, for example in opposite directions. Embodiments in which two cleaning elements move in opposite directions for all or part of a cycle of motion can help in reducing vibration of the floor cleaner that might otherwise be caused by movement of the respective cleaning elements causing the centre of mass of the cleaning head to shift rapidly with a cyclical motion. In certain embodiments, the direction of motion of the first of the cleaning elements may be arranged to always oppose the direction of motion of the second of the cleaning elements. Thus there may be times during operation when the first of the cleaning elements moves, relative to the cleaning head, towards the second of the cleaning elements. There may be times during operation when the first of the cleaning elements moves in an opposite direction to the second of the cleaning elements, but without significantly changing the distance of separation between the cleaning elements.

It may be that a first cleaning element is arranged to move along a first path and a second cleaning element is arranged to move along a second path, wherein the first and second paths are symmetrical and/or have the same shape. For example, the first part may be a mirror image of the second path. The first part may have rotational symmetry with the second path. Each of the cleaning elements may be arranged to translate around a closed loop path.

It will of course be appreciated that features described in relation to one aspect of the present invention may be incorporated into other aspects of the present invention.

Description of the Drawings Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings of which:

Figure 1 shows a floor cleaner of a type compatible with embodiments of the invention;

Figure 2 shows a dock capable of receiving the floor cleaner of Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows schematically the functions of the floor cleaner of Figure 1;

Figure 4 shows a cleaner head for a floor cleaner according to a first embodiment of the invention,

Figures 5 to 10 show cleaning pads of the cleaner head of the first embodiment in successive positions as they move during use,

Figures 11 to 17 show cleaning pads of a cleaner head of a second embodiment in successive positions as they move during use, and

Figures 18 to 21 show cleaning pads of a cleaner head of a third embodiment in successive positions as they move during use.

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a floor cleaner for cleaning a floor. The following description relates to features that are typically present in a given embodiment of the invention, but it will be understood that there may be embodiments not having such features. The skilled person will appreciate that the accompanying claims may be amended to add or remove features now described. The one or more specific embodiments relating to the accompanying Figures are described in detail later.

The floor cleaner comprises a cleaning head including at least one driven cleaning element for engaging and cleaning the floor. The floor cleaner may comprise only two such cleaning elements. In other embodiments, the floor cleaner may comprise more than two cleaning elements.

The floor cleaner may be in the form of a vacuum cleaner. The cleaning head may be arranged to suck dirt from the floor in use. The driven cleaning element(s) may be arranged to engage and clean the floor by means of agitating dirt so that it can be more readily sucked from the floor. For example, the driven cleaning element may comprises one or more brushes, for example arranged around its periphery. The floor cleaner may be a wet floor cleaner. The floor cleaner may comprise a reservoir for storing cleaning liquid. The cleaning head may be arranged to deliver cleaning liquid, for example received from such a reservoir, to the floor. It may be that the liquid is gravity fed. It is preferred however for the liquid to be pumped, for example under the control of a control unit that forms part of the floor cleaner. The cleaning element(s) may be arranged to engage and clean the floor in combination with delivered cleaning liquid. The cleaning head of the floor cleaner may be arranged to remove used cleaning liquid from the floor, for example via suction. Thus, the cleaning head may be arranged (a) to deliver cleaning liquid received from a reservoir of the floor cleaner to the floor, so that the cleaning element(s) engage and clean the floor in combination with the delivered cleaning liquid, and (b) to suck used cleaning liquid from the floor. The floor cleaner may include a waste tank for receiving used cleaning liquid sucked from the floor by the cleaning head.

The floor cleaner may have its own electrical power supply for driving a motor that is arranged to provide suction, for example by the motor driving a vacuum pump or fan. The floor cleaner may have its own electrical power supply for driving the one or more cleaning elements. The floor cleaner may contain one or more batteries, for example in the form of a rechargeable battery pack.

Each cleaning element may comprise a pad, for example a cleaning pad and/or an absorbent pad. When the floor cleaner is in the form of a wet cleaner, cleaning liquid may be delivered to the floor via the cleaning pad(s) of the cleaning element(s). Used cleaning liquid may be sucked from the floor via the cleaning pad(s) of the cleaning element(s). Each cleaning pad may comprise an open cell foam material, for example which allows liquid to drain therethrough. Each cleaning pad may additionally or alternatively comprise holes or channels in the body of the pad to allow liquid to drain therethrough.

The cleaner head may comprise multiple suction inlets arranged to be adjacent to the floor when the cleaner is in use, the suction inlets being spaced apart from the cleaning elements and being provided to suck used cleaning liquid from the floor. The cleaner head may comprise multiple outlets arranged to be adjacent to the floor when the cleaner is in use, the outlets being spaced apart from the cleaning elements and being provided to deliver cleaning liquid to the floor. It will be appreciated that in some embodiments, liquid may be delivered via the pads and sucked from the floor via a different route, and that in other embodiments, liquid may be sucked from the floor via the pads but delivered to the floor via a different route.

Each cleaning element may be moved relative to the floor with a component of rotational motion, for example about an axis (which itself may move or be stationary relative to the cleaning head) that may be non-parallel to the floor, and/or upright (that is, not necessarily always perfectly vertical or perpendicular to the plane of the floor when in use, but substantially vertical, or at least more vertical than horizontal). Each cleaning element may be moved relative to the floor with a component of translational motion, for example parallel to the floor. Each cleaning element may be moved relative to the floor around a closed path, for example which is fixed in position relative to the cleaning head. Each cleaning element may be arranged to be moved to and fro, in one direction and then in an opposite direction, and/or with an oscillating motion. The oscillating motion may for example include moving the cleaning element with movement along a path or in a given direction, for a period of time, and then moving the cleaning element with an opposite movement, for example for an equal period of time, before reversing the movement again, and repeating. Each cleaning element may be arranged to have cyclical motion, for example with the same set cycle of motion being repeated cyclically.

The cleaning element, and/or the pad associated with the cleaning element, may have a shape that includes a pointed corner. The pointed corner may be rounded. The pointed comer may form an apex. The shape may have at least three pointed comers. The shape may have rotational symmetry. The shape may be a quadrilateral with three edges that are at right angles to at least one of the other two edges. The shape may have two parallel edges. The shape may have one edge that is at an acute angle to the opposite edge, for example a slanted edge. One cleaning element, and/or the pad associated with the cleaning element, may have a shape with a portion (for example a curved portion or a slanted edge) that, in use is adjacent to a correspondingly shaped portion of the shape of another, for example paired, cleaning element/pad.

In the case where there are at least two cleaning elements, one of the cleaning elements may be arranged to be a master cleaning element and another cleaning elements may be arranged to be a slave cleaning element, such that the master cleaning element is arranged to drive the slave cleaning element. The cleaning elements may be arranged to be driven relative to the cleaning head such that as a first of the cleaning elements rotates in a clockwise direction, a second of the cleaning elements rotates in an anticlockwise direction or such that as the first cleaning element moves in one direction, the second cleaning element moves in the opposite direction.

In the case where there are multiple cleaning elements, the cleaning elements (for example the pads of the cleaning elements) are preferably so shaped that the footprint of the area swept out by a first cleaning element and the footprint of the area swept out by a second cleaning element have a shared boundary or overlap. Such a geometry reduces the chance of a region of the floor between the pads not being adequately cleaned. The pads of the cleaning elements may be compressible or deformable to allow for the pads to touch during use, whilst reducing the risk of finger trapping or trapping other foreign objects. For such a reason, the rigid bodies of the cleaning elements may be arranged to always be spaced apart during use. The shape of each cleaning element may be the same. The shape of one cleaning element may be a mirror image of another cleaning element, for example a paired cleaning element.

In the case where the cleaner is a wet floor cleaner, the cleaning head may further comprise a barrier member for retaining cleaning liquid at least partly within a footprint of the cleaning head. The barrier member may for example comprise a squeegee device. The cleaner head may comprise a first barrier member on one side of the foot print of the cleaner head and a second barrier member on an opposite side of the foot print of the cleaner head. The cleaner head may be open (e.g. no barrier member) on the other sides of the footprint of the cleaner head. Each barrier member may be movably mounted on the cleaning head, so that it lifts off from the floor when moved along the floor as the leading barrier member and is nearer to the floor (e.g. in contact with the floor) when moved along the floor as the trailing barrier member. With such an arrangement, a cleaning head may be moved along the floor in such a way that the leading barrier member lifts so that it passes freely over dirt, debris and moisture on the floor, whereas the trailing barrier member, being nearer to the floor (for example in sliding contact with the floor) may sweep such dirt, debris and moisture on the floor. As such, any such dirt, debris and moisture on the floor may be retained within the footprint of the cleaning head and be sucked up from the floor. The cleaning head may be so arranged that used cleaning liquid may be sucked from the floor via a channel forming part of, being adjacent to or otherwise associated with a barrier member. The barrier member may for example comprise a channel for sucking liquid from the floor. The channel may be provided between two walls, which may be arranged next to each other. The walls may each extend along the outer edge of the cleaner head.

The cleaning head may have a generally rectangular footprint having its shortest edge in the fore-aft direction in which a user might typically move the cleaner over the floor. In the case where there are multiple cleaning elements, the cleaning elements (for example the pads of the cleaning elements) may be arranged side by side along the longest edge of the rectangular footprint.

The floor cleaner may be associated with a separate dock for receiving the floor cleaner. Such a dock may comprise a receiving unit for receiving the floor cleaner. Such a dock may comprise a reservoir for containing a liquid, for example to enable the dock to replenish the cleaning liquid stored in the floor cleaner. Such a dock may comprise a reservoir for containing a liquid, for example to enable the dock to received waste water from the floor cleaner. Such a dock may comprise a reservoir for containing a liquid, for example to clean a part of the floor cleaner when docked. The dock may comprise a charging unit, the charging unit arranged to charge a battery of a floor cleaner received in the receiving unit.

The cleaning head of the floor cleaner may be configured to be detachable from the rest of the floor cleaner. The cleaning head may therefore be provided separately. The cleaning head may comprise a mechanical connection to facilitate the mounting of the cleaning head to the rest of the floor cleaner. The cleaning head may comprise one or more fluid connectors to facilitate the flow of liquid to and/or from the cleaning head from and/or to the rest of the floor cleaner and/or the provision of suction to the floor region. The cleaning head may comprise a connector that when engaged with a corresponding part of the rest of the floor cleaner facilitates the transmission of motion from a motor housed in the body of the floor cleaner to one or more driven elements of the cleaning head. The cleaning head may comprise an electrical connection.

Each cleaning element may, at least in part, be configured to be detachable from the rest of the cleaning head. The cleaning element may therefore be provided separately. The cleaning element may comprise a mechanical connection to facilitate the mounting of the cleaning element to the cleaning head or a part of the cleaning element to the rest of the cleaning element. The cleaning element may, for example, include a detachable pad, brush assembly or the like. Such parts may be provided separately, for example as consumable parts having a limited useable lifetime compared to the floor cleaner itself. Such parts may be reusable. Such parts may be removable to facilitate cleaning or washing of the parts separately from the rest of the cleaning element.

Figure 1 shows an external view of a floor cleaner 100 according to a first illustrated embodiment of the invention, wherein the floor cleaner comprises a cleaner body 106, a neck 102, a handle 104 and a cleaner head 112.

When in use, the bottom surface of the cleaner head 112 faces the floor surface to be cleaned. The cleaner head 112 is mounted at the base of the cleaner body 106 and is pivotally attached to allow for relative movement between the cleaner head and body 106. The neck 102 is in the form of a long and thin cylindrical shaft which extends upwardly from the cleaner body 106 to the handle 104. The handle 104 is an angled extension of the neck, and allows the user to operate the floor cleaner from a standing position. The cleaner body 106 and handle 104 move together as a relatively rigid body. The handle 104 comprises a user interface which enables the floor cleaner functions to be controlled by the user.

The cleaner body 106 comprises a housing which contains a vacuum suction element and two liquid tanks, one 108 for holding the cleaning fluid and the other 110 for containing waste liquid that has been removed from the floor via suction. In use, as the user moves the cleaner 100 over the floor to be cleaned, cleaning liquid from the tank 108 is applied to the floor. Moving parts (described later) of the cleaner head 112 agitate, scrub, or otherwise move over the floor, and in combination with the cleaning liquid clean the floor. Used and dirty liquid is then sucked up back into the waste water tank 110 of the cleaner body 106. The pivoting connection between the cleaner head 112 and the cleaner body 106, allows the user to move the cleaner back and forth over the floor, with the angle of the shaft of the neck 102 relative to the floor changing, while the cleaner head 112 remains parallel to the floor. The cleaner body 106 also comprises a battery (not shown in Figure 1) for powering various parts of the cleaner.

Figure 2 shows an external view of the floor cleaner 100 received into a dock 200, according to the same embodiment of the invention. The dock is arranged so that the cleaner head 112 of the floor cleaner 100 can be rested in the central cavity 202 of the dock 200 while the handle 102 can be propped up by a support arm 204, which allows the floor cleaner to stand upright in the dock. The dock 200 is connected into the mains power by a plug 208. The dock comprises a cleaning liquid tank for replenishing the cleaning liquid stored in the corresponding tank 108 of the floor cleaner, a waste tank for receiving waste water from the corresponding tank 110 of the floor cleaner, and a charging connector for (re-)charging the battery of the floor cleaner with power from the mains. The dock may be mobile and have its own battery unit.

Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram illustrating the function of the floor cleaner 100 of the first embodiment of the invention. The cleaner head comprises a main body 118, one or more cleaning elements 138, a front squeegee arrangement 114 and a rear squeegee arrangement 116. The main body 118 houses a motor 122 which drives the movement of the cleaning elements 138. The motor 122 is powered by a battery 132 housed in the cleaner body 106 (not shown separately in Figure 3). The squeegee arrangements 114, 116 are mounted on the main body 118 of the cleaner head via an attachment 124, which allows the squeegee arrangements to pivot up and down. Figure 3 shows the front squeegee arrangement 114 lifted off from the floor in front of the main body 118 and the rear squeegee arrangement 116 in contact with the floor behind the main body 118.

In use, the user may manually move the cleaner over the floor backwards and forwards in a fore-aft motion, represented by the double headed arrow 125. A connecting mechanism (not shown separately) between the handle 104 and the squeegee arrangements 114, 116 causes each of the two squeegee arrangements to be raised in turn dependent on the direction of movement of the floor cleaner. When the floor cleaner 100 is pushed forwards by the user (to the left in Figure 3), the front squeegee arrangement 114 (being the leading squeegee arrangement at that moment) moves to its raised position, thus allowing the cleaner head to move across the floor and over any dirt, liquid and the like on the floor in the region that was immediately in front of the cleaner head. At the same time the rear squeegee arrangement 116 (being the trailing squeegee arrangement at that moment) moves to its lowered position so that it is in contact with the floor, thus retaining any dirt, liquid and the like within the footprint of the cleaner head. When the floor cleaner 100 is pulled backwards by the user (to the right in Figure 3), the front squeegee arrangement 114 (now the trailing squeegee arrangement) moves to its lowered position and the rear squeegee arrangement 116 (now being the leading squeegee arrangement) moves to its raised position. Such a function allows any cleaning liquid or debris present on the floor in the regions around the cleaner head 112 to be swept over and subsequently collected by the cleaner head, and for the majority of any liquid added to the floor by the cleaner head to be retained within its footprint.

In this embodiment, each squeegee arrangement is formed by a pair of squeegees which are arranged either side of a suction opening 136. Waste liquid or debris present on the floor that is swept over by the cleaner head is collected by the trailing squeegee arrangement and is sucked through the suction opening 136 into the waste liquid tank 110 via a suction conduit 130. Suction is provided by a vacuum suction element 134 which is housed in the cleaner body 106 of the floor cleaner 100 and is powered by the battery 132.

The cleaning elements 138 are comprised of a cleaning element body 120 attached to each of which is a cleaning pad 126 which engages the floor during use. The motor 122 drives the motion of the cleaning elements 138 such that they are able to move relative to the main body 118. The movement and the shape of the cleaning pads, and variations thereof, are described in more detail below in relation to Figure 4 and the subsequent Figures. It should be appreciated that while the drawing in Figure 3 shows schematically what appear to be at least two cleaning elements arranged fore and aft, it is possibly more likely that there will be either one cleaning element per cleaning head, or two cleaning elements per cleaning head arranged side-by-side. Other configurations are of course possible in other embodiments. Cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid tank 108 is provided to the cleaning pads 126 via a conduit 128 that leads from the tank 108 to the cleaning element 138. The conduit is arranged so as to allow the cleaning liquid to flow at a controlled rate onto the cleaning pads 126, which then deliver the cleaning liquid to the floor. It will be appreciated that the geometry and arrangement of the tanks 108, 110 and conduits 128, 130 is not shown in Figure 3 and will depend on the position of the tanks in the body of the cleaner and the desired configuration of the outlets/inlets for liquid at the underside of the cleaning head. During use, it is possible for the cleaning pads to be kept wet/moist, rather than sodden, such that the floor is made wet, but without significant pools or liquid being deposited on the floor at any given time. The water to be fed to the floor may be warm and may be heated. The floor cleaner may include a water heater for such purposes, for example powered by the battery.

Figure 4 shows the underside of the cleaner head 112 of the first embodiment. Figure 4 shows the positions of two pads 126 which are mounted on respective cleaning elements 138 (not visible in Fig 4). Each cleaning element is arranged to be driven around a generally square or rectangular closed loop, via tracks or slots not shown. Linkages may be provided such that the orientation of the cleaning element 138, relative to the cleaning head body 112, stays the same during movement of the cleaning element. As such the movement of cleaning element 138, relative to the cleaning head body 112, may consist primarily (or exclusively) translational movement along the floor when in use.

The body of the cleaning head 112 is generally rectangular in shape as view in Figure 4, and has four sides, with rounded corners. Each pad has four sides and the two pads are mounted side by side (one to the left 126L and the other to the right 126R as seen in Figure 4). Each pad has an upper edge that extends parallel to a lower edge, the pad’s upper and lower edges also being parallel to the corresponding sides of the body of the cleaning head 112. The right-hand edge of the right-hand pad and the left-hand edge of the left-hand pad extend parallel to each other and are perpendicular to the upper and lower edges of the pads, and therefore also parallel to the corresponding sides of the body of the cleaning head. The right-hand edge of the left-hand pad and the left-hand edge of the right-hand pad also extend parallel to each other, but are angled to the vertical, and thus at an acute angle to the perpendicular of the upper and lower edges of the pads. When the cleaner is moved by the operator in the fore-aft direction (up and down in the frame of reference of Figure 4), the slanting edges reduce the chance of there being an area between the pads that is not cleaned effectively, particularly in combination with the respective paths of movement of the pads.

Figures 4 to 10 show the pads in successive positions as they are driven around their closed loop paths. The left hand pad 126L moves in a substantially rectangular path in a clockwise direction as the right-hand pad 126R moves in a substantially rectangular path, of the same size and shape, in an anti-clockwise direction. It will be seen (from Figure 5) that the left hand pad 126L is positioned at its top-left position when the right-hand pad 126R is positioned at its bottom-left position. The pads move left and right together, but up and down in opposite directions. A complete cycle of motion is shown by the positions illustrated in Figures 4 to 10, and the pads are in the same position in Figures 4 and 10. Figure 10 additionally shows the path of movement 144 from the position shown in Figure 4 to the position shown in Figure 9. It will be seen that the path of movement of each cleaning pad has components of translational motion in four directions along the floor, namely up, right, down, and left, with each successive direction of motion in a straight line being perpendicular to the previous direction. It will be noted that even if the cleaning head 112 remains stationary on the floor, substantially all regions within the planform of the cleaning head are covered by a pad at least once during a cycle of motion, including the region in the middle (left-right direction) despite there being a gap between the left-hand and right-hand pads at all times. As shown in Figure 10, the shape and the direction of movement of the path of the left-hand pad 144L is a mirror image of the path for the right-hand pad 144R (about a horizontal axis in Figure 10).

Together the pads 126 follow a two dimensional path allowing them to cover (and therefore clean) a wider area than if the pads each simply rotated about a fixed axis. Also, translational movement rather than rotation provides a more even cleaning/scrubbing action (whereas the floor under the hub of a rotating pad is scrubbed much less than the floor under the periphery of the pad).

Figures 11 to 17 show the pads 326 of a second embodiment of the invention and their successive positions as they are driven around respective closed loop paths. The second embodiment utilises pads of the same shape and size as the first embodiment, but are moved differently, as will now be described. The left hand pad 326L moves in a substantially square path in a clockwise direction as the right-hand pad 326R moves in a substantially square path, of the same size and shape, also in a clockwise direction. It will be seen (from Figure 11) that the left hand pad 326L is positioned at its top-left position when the right-hand pad 326R is positioned at its bottom-right position. As the left pad moves in one direction, the right pad moves in the opposite direction.

A complete cycle of motion is shown by the positions illustrated in Figures 11 to 17, and the pads are in the same position in Figures 11 and 17. Figure 17 additionally shows the path of movement 344 from the position shown in Figure 11 to a position between those shown in Figures 16 and 17. As shown in Figure 17, the shape and the direction of movement of the path of the left-hand pad 344L has rotational symmetry with the path for the right-hand pad 344R, in that one maps onto the other by means of a rotation of 180 degrees. The use of two pads following opposite paths at all times reduces vibration of the machine during use. While there may remain a small gap between the adjacent slanted edges (see gap in Figure 13) the typical fore-aft motion imparted by the user, in conjunction with the slanted edges, can ensure that no areas between the pads are left uncleaned.

Figures 18 to 21 show the pads 426 of a third embodiment of the invention and their successive positions as they are driven around respective closed loop paths. The third embodiment utilises pads of the same shape and size as the first embodiment, but are moved differently, as will now be described. The left hand pad 426L moves in a substantially rectangular path in a clockwise direction as the right-hand pad 426R moves in a substantially rectangular path, of the same size and shape, also in a clockwise direction. As shown in Figure 18, the shape and the direction of movement 444L of the path of the left-hand pad 426L is a mirror image of the path 444R for the right-hand pad 426R (about a vertical axis in Figure 18). It will be seen (also from Figure 18) that the left hand pad is positioned at its top-left position when the righthand pad is positioned at its top-right position. The pads move up and down together, but left and right in opposite directions. Thus, from the positon shown in Figure 18 the pads move towards each other, then the move down together (Figure 19 to Figure 20), then the move apart from each other (Figure 20 to 21), before returning to the positon shown in Figure 18 by moving up together. A complete cycle of motion is thus shown by the positions illustrated in Figures 18 (start and end position), 19, and 20. The two pads move in opposite directions for the majority of the time (thus reduce vibration of the machine during use as compared to a case where the pads move in the same direction all the time) and also sweep out substantially all regions within the planform of the cleaning head 412 during a cycle of motion, despite there being a gap between the left-hand and right-hand pads at all times. This is as a result of the slanting adjacent edges.

Whilst the present invention has been described and illustrated with reference to particular embodiments, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention lends itself to many different variations not specifically illustrated herein. By way of example only, certain possible variations will now be described.

The floor cleaner may be one which operates independently of a mobile dock. The floor cleaner may be configured to operate with the need for a dock. The floor cleaner may be mains powered for example.

The path of motion of a pad need not be square, rectangular of even symmetrical. For example, in the case of the pads having a shape as shown in the Figures, consider the case where a left pad has moved from a top left position to the right, as a right pad has moved from a bottom right position to the left. When the pads meet in the middle, instead of moving up-down in a perpendicular direction, the pads could be very close to each other and move in opposite directions, being parallel to the slanted edge. The slanted edges would then move parallel to each other, possibly in sliding engagement with each other. Thus, the left pad moves (generally) down as the right pad moves (generally) up, whilst maintaining a constant separation between the slanted edges of the pads.

Where in the foregoing description, integers or elements are mentioned which have known, obvious or foreseeable equivalents, then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth. Reference should be made to the claims for determining the true scope of the present invention, which should be construed so as to encompass any such equivalents. It will also be appreciated by the reader that integers or features of the invention that are described as preferable, advantageous, convenient or the like are optional and do not limit the scope of the independent claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that such optional integers or features, whilst of possible benefit in some embodiments of the invention, may not be desirable, and may therefore be absent, in other embodiments.




 
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