Cleaning device for cleaning a surface comprising a brush and a squeegee element

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cleaning device for cleaning a surface (20), comprising: —a nozzle arrangement (10) that comprises i) a brush (12) rotatable about a brush axis (14), said brush (12) being provided with flexible brush elements (16) having tip portions (18) for contacting the surface to be cleaned (20) and picking up dirt particles (22) and liquid (24) from the surface (20) during a pick-up period when the brush elements (16) contact the surface (20) during the rotation of the brush (12), wherein a linear mass density of a plurality of the brush elements (16) is, at least at the tip portions (18), lower than 150 g per 10 km, and ii) a single squeegee element (32) for pushing or wiping dirt particles (22) and liquid (24) across or off the surface to be cleaned (20) during movement of the cleaning device (100), said squeegee element (32) being spaced apart from the brush (12) and extending substantially along a longitudinal direction (48) being substantially parallel to the brush axis (14), wherein a suction area (34) is defined within the nozzle arrangement (10) between the squeegee element (32) and the brush (12), —a drive means for driving the brush (12) in rotation, wherein the drive means are adapted to realize a centrifugal acceleration at the tip portions (18) which is, in particular during a dirt release period when the brush elements (16) are free from contact to the surface (20) during rotation of the brush (12), at least 3,000 m / s 2, and —a vacuum aggregate (38) for generating an under-pressure in the suction area (34) for ingesting dirt particles (22) and liquid (24).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to a cleaning device for cleaning a surface. Further, the present invention relates to a nozzle arrangement for such a cleaning device.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Hard floor cleaning these days is done by first vacuuming the floor, followed by mopping it. Vacuuming removes the coarse dirt, while mopping removes the stains. From the state of the art many appliances, especially targeting the professional cleaning sector, are known that claim to vacuum and mop in one go. Appliances for the professional cleaning sector are usually specialized for big areas and perfectly flat floors. They rely on hard brushes and suction power to get water and dirt from the floor. Appliances for home use often use a combination of a hard brush and a squeegee nozzle. Like the appliances for the professional cleaning sector these products use the brush to remove stains from the floor and the squeegee in combination with an under-pressure to lif...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent text describes a rotating brush for cleaning surfaces that has brush elements with low deformation and high flexibility. The speed at which deformation occurs is influenced by the mass density of the brush elements, which also affects the power needed to rotate the brush. The relatively low mass density allows for flexibility and minimal friction, reducing damage to surfaces and preventing heating. When the brush elements come into contact with dirt or liquid, they bend and straighten out, launching the liquid droplets and dirt particles off the surface. The packing density of the brush elements is important for enhancing the capillary effects for fast removal of liquid. The centrifugal acceleration at the tips of the brush elements is increased, resulting in wear on the brush elements being minimal. The brush is driven at a high angular velocity to achieve optimal cleaning results.

Problems solved by technology

The sweeper, however, does not include a vacuum source and is therefore not able to pick-up water from the floor to be cleaned.

The performance on drying the floor is thus rather low.

However, the performance on drying the floor is rather low, since such an agitator is not able to lift liquid from the floor.

Moving the device in an opposite backward direction would leave the floor wet, since the cleaning water which is dispersed with the brush is not removed from the squeegees in this backward stroke.

Even though such double squeegee arrangements on both sides of the brush show good cleaning results, the nozzle of these devices become fairly bulky.

This again results in a non-satisfying, limited work capability.

Especially in household appliances where often narrow corners need to be cleaned, such bulky nozzles are, due to their limited liberty of action, disadvantages and uncomfortable to use.

Due to the constant contact of the squeegees with the floor during the movement of the device, such double squeegees may generate a high scratch load to the floor.

Especially when the double squeegee arrangements are used on each side of the brush, this will lead to an increased risk of inducing scratches on the floor.

Furthermore, such squeegee arrangements include the disadvantage that they are not open for coarse dirt like e.g. hairs or peanuts, since coarse dirt is often entangled within the squeegees or is pushed away from the squeegees, and is thus not able to enter the suction inlet.

Apart from that such double squeegee nozzles are hard to clean and do not have the ability to clean themselves.

Due to the two separate brushes and the additional squeegees the nozzle becomes also according to this solution fairly bulky, which again ends up in a non-satisfying liberty of action for the consumer.

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