Surface cleaning machine

Abstract

The present application relates to a surface cleaning machine, comprising a suction port, a vacuum motor and a dirty liquid recovery container, the surface cleaning machine being configured to establish a vacuum path from the suction port to the dirty liquid recovery container to the vacuum motor, the dirty liquid recovery container having an interior with a recovery chamber capable of storing dirty liquid and solid waste, and having a bottom end portion and a top end portion opposite to the bottom end portion, the dirty liquid recovery container comprising a bottom wall at the bottom end portion, a side wall extending from the bottom wall toward the top end portion, and an upper cover assembly at the top end portion, the recovery chamber having a side opening portion at a lower portion of the side wall, the dirty liquid recovery container further comprising a discharge cover hinged to the side wall, the discharge cover being capable of covering the side opening portion in an openable and closable manner, the bottom wall having an inner surface defining a lower boundary of the recovery chamber, the inner surface being a sloped surface, and a lowest portion of the sloped surface being adjacent to the side opening portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of cleaning equipment technology, and in particular to a surface cleaning machine that can use cleaning liquid to wet wipe the surface to be cleaned and recycle the used cleaning liquid. Background Technology

[0002] The surface cleaning machine includes a rotatable cleaning component, a liquid supply unit for supplying cleaning fluid to the cleaning component, and a recovery unit for collecting the waste liquid from the surface to be cleaned. The cleaning component uses the cleaning fluid to perform cleaning operations on the surface to be cleaned, and the waste liquid generated during the cleaning operation is recovered by the recovery unit and ultimately stored in the waste liquid recovery container of the recovery unit.

[0003] Since the wastewater recycling container contains wastewater and solid waste, it usually needs to be emptied after use to prevent mold growth and odor.

[0004] Some existing surface cleaning machines use manual methods to empty the wastewater recovery container, which is not only time-consuming and labor-intensive, but also makes it easy for users to come into contact with the wastewater, resulting in a poor user experience. Others use pipes connected to the wastewater recovery container for drainage. While these pipes can also drain wastewater, their limited size makes them prone to clogging when solid waste enters. To prevent clogging, a solid-liquid separation device is installed inside the wastewater recovery container to separate solid waste in advance. However, this means that these pipes can only discharge wastewater containing small pieces of waste, while larger pieces of waste remain in the wastewater recovery container awaiting manual cleaning. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the technical problems mentioned above regarding the need for cleaning of wastewater recycling bins after use, the purpose of this invention is to provide a surface cleaning machine that allows solid waste and wastewater to be discharged together from the wastewater recycling container without dismantling it.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a surface cleaning machine, comprising: a suction port, a vacuum motor, and a wastewater recovery container. The surface cleaning machine constructs a vacuum path from the suction port to the wastewater recovery container and then to the vacuum motor. The wastewater recovery container has a recovery chamber capable of storing wastewater and solid waste and has a bottom end and a top end opposite to the bottom end. The wastewater recovery container includes a bottom wall located at the bottom end, a side wall extending from the bottom wall toward the top end, and a top cover assembly located at the top end. The recovery chamber has a side opening located at the lower part of the side wall. The wastewater recovery container includes a discharge cover hinged to the side wall and capable of latching and closing the side opening. The bottom wall has an inner surface defining the lower boundary of the recovery chamber. The inner surface is a slope, and the lowest point of the slope is adjacent to the side opening.

[0007] In the above technical solution, preferably, the wastewater recycling container includes a first locking hook, the discharge cover has a first end hinged to the side wall and a second end away from the first end, the second end is provided with a second locking hook that can lock with the first locking hook, and the wastewater recycling container also includes an unlocking button that can trigger the mutual locking of the first locking hook and the second locking hook to release the locking relationship.

[0008] In the above technical solution, preferably, the unlocking button is arranged on the lower side of the bottom wall.

[0009] In the above technical solution, preferably, a torsion spring is provided between the first end and the side wall.

[0010] In the above technical solution, preferably, the upper cover assembly includes an upper cover housing, which can be detachably covered at the upper opening of the side wall, and the upper cover housing defines the upper boundary of the recycling chamber.

[0011] In the above technical solution, preferably, the upper cover assembly includes an air filter, which is detachably mounted on the upper cover housing and defines part of the vacuum path.

[0012] In the above technical solution, preferably, a sealing ring is provided on one of the side opening and the discharge cover.

[0013] In the above technical solution, preferably, the discharge cover is configured to rotate upwards to open the side opening.

[0014] In the above technical solution, preferably, the diameter of the side opening is greater than or equal to 40mm.

[0015] Compared to existing technologies, the surface cleaning machine provided by this invention replaces the existing solution of using a drain hole or connecting a drain pipe for sewage discharge by setting a side opening and a matching discharge cover. On the one hand, it allows a large amount of sewage in the sewage chamber to flow out instantly after the discharge cover is opened, which helps to completely drain solid waste and sewage. On the other hand, the side opening is not easily blocked by garbage, and solid waste and sewage can be discharged from the side opening at the same time. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the surface cleaning machine provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the cleaning base provided in the embodiment of this application;

[0018] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A longitudinal sectional view of the cleaning base in the diagram;

[0019] Figure 4 This is a longitudinal sectional view of the upright fuselage provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection relationship of various components in the surface cleaning machine provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0021] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the wastewater recovery container provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0022] Figure 7 For the appendix Figure 6 Cross-sectional view along the AA direction;

[0023] Figure 8 For the appendix Figure 7 The diagram shows the state of the exhaust cover when it is open.

[0024] The components are as follows: 100. Surface cleaning machine; 1. Cleaning base; 2. Upright body; 11. Base; 12. Brush roller cover; 13. Roller cavity; 14. Brush roller; 15. Brush roller motor; 111. Front; 112. Rear; 113. First side; 114. Second side; 16. Casters; 131. Suction port; 17. First scraper; 18. Second scraper; 19. Fluid distributor; 110. Third scraper; 21. Body; 22. Handle; 221. Handle; 222. Control panel; 223. Rod; 211. Upright housing; 24. Battery pack; 25. Fluid supply container; 26. Sewage recovery container; 27. Vacuum motor; 28. Controller; 2116. Charging interface; 29. 3. Charging management circuit; 2601. Bottom end; 2602. Top end; 261. Recovery chamber; 2611. Side opening; 263. Bottom wall; 2631. Inner surface; 264. Side wall; 2641. Inner wall surface; 265. Top cover assembly; 2651. Top cover housing; 2652. Air filter; 2653. Liquid inlet short pipe; 2654. Liquid sprayer; 266. Hollow tube body; 2661. Liquid outlet opening; 267. Discharge cover; 2671. First end; 2672. Second end; 2674. Second locking hook; 2675. Sealing ring; 268. First locking hook; 269. Torsion spring; 2610. Unlock button; 31. Fluid channel; 32. Pump; 41. Wastewater input pipeline. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To explain in detail the technical content, structural features, achieved objectives and effects of this application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0026] Figure 1 An exemplary surface cleaning machine 100 is shown. It is a vertical machine and includes a cleaning base 1 movable on the surface to be cleaned and an upright body 2 rotatably connected to the cleaning base 1 at its lower part. The surface cleaning machine 100 also includes a fluid delivery system capable of delivering cleaning liquid to the cleaning base 1 and a wastewater recovery system for recovering wastewater from the surface to be cleaned between the cleaning base 1 and the upright body 2.

[0027] The orientation in this article is based on the perspective of an operator standing behind the surface cleaning machine 100 and pushing the surface cleaning machine 100 forward.

[0028] like Figure 2-3As shown, the cleaning base 1 includes a base body 11 forming the main skeleton of the cleaning base 1, a brush roller cover 12, a roller cavity 13 located at the front of the cleaning base 1, a brush roller 14 disposed in the roller cavity 13, and a brush roller motor 15 for driving the brush roller 14 to rotate. The base body 11 has a front part 111, a rear part 112, and a first side part 113 and a second side part 114 disposed opposite to each other. A pair of movable wheels 16 are rotatably connected to the rear part 112 of the base body 11, and the movable wheels 16 are used to move the cleaning base 1 on the surface to be cleaned. The brush roller cover 12 is detachably connected to the front part 111 of the base body 11. The front part 111, the first side part 113, the second side part 114, and the brush roller cover 12 together define the roller cavity 13, and the lower part of the roller cavity 13 has a suction port 131 facing the surface to be cleaned. The surface of the brush roller 14 is covered with fibrous fibers made of a liquid-wetting material. The lower part of the brush roller 14 extends from the suction port 131 so that the fibrous fibers come into contact with the surface to be cleaned.

[0029] A first scraper 17 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the base 11. The first scraper 17 defines the rear edge of the suction port 131. The first scraper 17 is configured to tilt forward and downward so that its front end contacts the ground. The first scraper 17 is typically a flexible scraper. A second scraper 18 and a fluid distributor 19 are also arranged at the front 111 of the base 11. The second scraper 18 is located upstream of the fluid distributor 19 in terms of the rotation direction of the brush roller 14. The second scraper 18 extends into the roller cavity 13 and contacts the brush roller 14. The second scraper 18 is used to scrape off the dirt carried by the brush roller 14 during the rotation of the brush roller 14. The second scraper 18 is typically a rigid scraper. The fluid distributor 19 has a plurality of openings that can extend in a direction parallel to the axis of the brush roller 14. The fluid distributor 19 is capable of dispensing cleaning liquid to the brush roller 14. A third scraper 110 is also provided on the inner wall surface of the brush roller cover 12; in terms of the rotation direction of the brush roller 14, the third scraper 110 is located downstream of the fluid distributor 19; the third scraper 110 also extends into the roller cavity 13 and contacts the brush roller 14. The main function of the third scraper 19 is to scrape the cleaning liquid output from the fluid distributor 19 onto the brush roller 14 and to prevent excess liquid output from the fluid distributor 19 that has not been absorbed by the brush roller 14 from flowing directly or splashing onto the surface to be cleaned from the gap between the brush roller cover 12 and the upper part of the brush roller 14.

[0030] See Figure 1 , 4 The upright body 2 includes a body section 21 extending longitudinally and a handle section 22 fixedly connected to the body section 21 and located on the upper side of the body section 21. The handle section 22 has a handle 221 for the user to hold, an operation panel 222 provided on the handle 221, and a rod 223 supporting the handle 221. The two ends of the rod 223 are fixedly connected to the handle 221 and the body section 21, respectively. The form of the operation panel 222 is not limited to buttons, sliders, triggers, etc.

[0031] The body section 21 includes an upright housing 211 and a lower connecting end 212 located at the lower end of the upright housing 211. The upright housing 211 forms part of the outer contour surface of the body section 21 and can accommodate several components. The lower connecting end 212 is rotatably hinged to the rear of the cleaning base 1, so that the upright body 21 can rotate relative to the cleaning base 1. A rechargeable battery pack 24 is also installed inside the upright housing 211, which can provide power to the various power-consuming components of the surface cleaning machine 100.

[0032] The body 21 is also equipped with a display (not shown in the figure), which is configured to display the current working status and operating parameters of the surface cleaning machine 100, such as the remaining battery power and the working status of the brush roller.

[0033] like Figure 5 As shown, the fluid delivery system mainly consists of a fluid supply container 25 for providing cleaning liquid, a fluid distributor 19, a fluid channel 31 located between the fluid supply container 25 and the fluid distributor 19, and a pump 32 disposed in the fluid channel 31 and providing flow power for the cleaning liquid. The pump 32 can be arranged on the base 11 of the cleaning base 1 or inside the upright housing 211 of the upright body 2.

[0034] The fluid supply container 25 is detachably connected to the upright housing 211 to facilitate manual addition of cleaning fluid by the operator. The cleaning fluid is not limited to water, disinfectant solution with added disinfectant, or cleaning solution with added cleaning agent.

[0035] A fluid supply path is established on the surface cleaning machine 100, from the fluid supply container 25 to the pump 32 and then to the fluid distributor 19. When the surface cleaning machine 100 is working, the cleaning liquid can be continuously supplied to the brush roller 14 by means of this fluid supply path.

[0036] The fluid delivery system is also equipped with a necessary liquid level detection mechanism (not shown in the figure), which can determine in real time whether the clean liquid in the fluid supply container 25 is exhausted or full.

[0037] The wastewater recovery system mainly consists of a wastewater recovery container 26 for receiving and storing wastewater, a wastewater input pipeline 41 for fluid communication between the wastewater recovery container 26 and the suction port 131, and a vacuum motor 27 for providing negative pressure.

[0038] like Figure 4 As shown, the wastewater recovery container 26 has a recovery chamber 261 inside and is configured to be detachably connected to the upright housing 211 for easy disassembly by the operator for manual cleaning. The vacuum motor 27 is in fluid communication with the wastewater recovery container 26.

[0039] The vacuum motor 27 can be any suitable motor capable of generating a vacuum. The vacuum motor 27 is a DC motor and is powered by the battery pack 24. The vacuum motor 27 is designed to be manually turned on or off by a switch located on the control panel 222.

[0040] A vacuum path is established on the surface cleaning machine 100, from the suction port 131 to the waste liquid recovery container 26 and then to the vacuum motor 27. When the surface cleaning machine 100 is working, relying on this vacuum path, debris on the surface to be cleaned and the used cleaning liquid that has turned into waste liquid are promptly recovered and stored in the waste liquid recovery container 26.

[0041] The surface cleaning machine 100 also includes a controller 28, which is operably signal-connected to various controlled components on the machine, such as the pump 32 in the fluid delivery system, the vacuum motor 27 in the waste recovery system, the brush roller motor 15, and the various switches and buttons on the control panel 222. The surface cleaning machine 100 is also equipped with a charging interface 2116, which is electrically connected to the battery pack 24, and a charging management circuit 293 is provided between them. Under the action of the charging management circuit 293, electrical energy input from the charging interface 2116 can be delivered to the battery pack 24 under certain conditions to charge the battery pack 24. The charging management circuit 293 is signal-connected to and controlled by the controller 28.

[0042] like Figure 6-8 An exemplary wastewater recovery container 26 is shown, which has a bottom end portion 2601 and a top end portion 2602 opposite to the bottom end portion 2601 and includes a bottom wall 263 located at the bottom end portion 2601, a side wall 264 extending from the bottom wall 263 toward the top end portion 2602, a removable top cover assembly 265 located at the top end portion 2602, and a hollow tube 266 extending into a recovery chamber 261. The recovery chamber 261 is defined by the bottom wall 263, the side wall 264, and the top cover assembly 265.

[0043] See Figure 7-8 A portion of a wastewater inlet pipe 41, leading from the suction port 131 to the recovery chamber 261, is formed within the hollow tube 266. The hollow tube 266 extends upward from the bottom wall 263 and includes a liquid outlet 2661 located within the recovery chamber 261 and oriented towards the bottom wall 263. In this example, the entire hollow tube 266 is inverted J-shape and completely located within the recovery chamber 261. In other embodiments, the hollow tube 266 may also be partially located outside the side wall 264, extending only partially into the recovery chamber 261.

[0044] The recovery chamber 261 has a side opening 2611 located at the lower part of the side wall 264. The side opening 2611 can be circular or elliptical, and its diameter is preferably greater than or equal to 40 mm. A discharge cover 267 is hinged to the side wall 264, and the discharge cover 267 can open and close the side opening 2611. A sealing ring 2675 is provided on the discharge cover 267. Figure 7 As shown, the discharge cover 267 closes the side opening 2611; as Figure 8 As shown, the discharge cover 267 opens the side opening 2611. The discharge cover 267 is designed to effectively seal the side opening 2611 when closed. In this example, the discharge cover 267 is configured to rotate upwards to open the side opening 2611.

[0045] The bottom wall 263 has an inner surface 2631 that defines the lower boundary of the recycling chamber 261. The inner surface 2631 is a sloping surface, and the lowest point of the sloping surface is adjacent to the side opening 2611. With this configuration, the sewage and solid waste falling into the recycling chamber 261 will eventually move toward the side opening 2611 under the guidance of the inner surface 2631. In this way, after the discharge cover 267 is opened, the sewage and solid waste and other liquid waste in the recycling chamber 261 can be discharged as much as possible, thereby reducing the residue of liquid waste in the recycling chamber.

[0046] The bottom wall 263 of the wastewater recovery container 26 has a first locking hook 268 located near the side opening 2611. The discharge cover 267 has a first end 2671 hinged to the side wall 264 and a second end 2672 away from the first end 2671. A torsion spring 269 is provided between the first end 2671 and the side wall 264. A second locking hook 2674 is provided at the second end 2672, which can lock with the first locking hook 268. An unlocking button 2610 is provided on the bottom wall 263 of the wastewater recovery container 26, which can trigger the unlocking of the interlocked first locking hook 268 and second locking hook 2674.

[0047] The cover assembly 265 includes a cover housing 2651, which is removably positioned to cover the upper opening of the sidewall 264. The cover housing 2651 defines the upper boundary of the recovery chamber 261.

[0048] The top cover assembly 265 also includes an air filter 2652, which forms part of the air exhaust passage from the recovery chamber 261 to the vacuum motor 27. The air filter 2652 is detachably mounted on the top cover housing 2651.

[0049] Continue as Figure 6As shown, the top cover assembly 265 also includes a liquid inlet tube 2653, which can deliver clean liquid from the fluid supply container 25 or other liquid supply device into the recovery chamber 261.

[0050] like Figure 7-8 As shown, a sprayer 2654 is also provided on the upper part of the recovery chamber 261. The sprayer 2654 is installed on the lower part of the upper cover housing 2651. The sprayer 2654 has multiple spray holes (not shown in the figure), which preferably face the inner wall surface 2641 of the side wall 264. The cleaning liquid input by the liquid inlet pipe 2653 can be sprayed onto the inner wall surface 2641 of the side wall 264 as much as possible under the action of the sprayer 2654, thereby achieving the flushing of the inner wall surface 2641 of the side wall 264. The flushed sewage and solid waste flow along the inner wall surface 2641 of the side wall 264 and flow towards the lower part of the recovery chamber 261. When the discharge cover 267 is opened, all the fluid waste will move towards the side opening 2611 with the help of the guiding effect of the inner surface 2631 and finally be discharged to the outside.

[0051] The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of this application, and are intended to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of this application and implement it accordingly. They should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this application. All equivalent changes or modifications made in accordance with the spirit of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A surface cleaning machine, comprising: The surface cleaning machine comprises a suction port, a vacuum motor, and a waste collection container. It constructs a vacuum path from the suction port to the waste collection container and then to the vacuum motor. The waste collection container has an internal collection chamber for storing waste and solid waste. The waste collection container has a bottom end and a top end opposite the bottom end and includes a bottom wall at the bottom end, side walls extending from the bottom wall toward the top end, and a top cover assembly at the top end. The surface cleaning machine also includes a hollow tube forming part of the vacuum path. The bottom wall extends upward and has a liquid outlet located within the recovery chamber; characterized in that the recovery chamber has a side opening located at the lower part of the side wall, the wastewater recovery container includes a discharge cover hinged to the side wall and capable of opening and closing the side opening, the bottom wall has an inner surface defining the lower boundary of the recovery chamber, the inner surface being a sloping surface, and the lowest point of the sloping surface being adjacent to the side opening, the diameter of the side opening being greater than or equal to 40 mm, and the discharge cover being configured to rotate upward to open the side opening.

2. The surface cleaning machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wastewater recovery container includes a first locking hook, and the discharge cover has a first end hinged to the side wall and a second end away from the first end. The second end is provided with a second locking hook that can lock with the first locking hook. The wastewater recovery container also includes an unlocking button that can trigger the locking relationship between the first locking hook and the second locking hook to be released.

3. The surface cleaning machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, The unlocking button is located on the lower side of the bottom wall.

4. The surface cleaning machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, A torsion spring is provided between the first end and the side wall.

5. The surface cleaning machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top cover assembly includes a top cover housing and a short inlet pipe. The top cover housing covers the upper opening of the side wall and defines the upper boundary of the recovery chamber. The surface cleaning machine also includes a fluid supply container for providing cleaning liquid, and the short inlet pipe delivers cleaning liquid from the fluid supply container or other liquid supply device into the recovery chamber.

6. The surface cleaning machine according to claim 5, characterized in that, The upper cover assembly includes an air filter, which is detachably mounted on the upper cover housing and located in the vacuum path. A liquid sprayer with multiple spray holes is also provided on the upper part of the recovery chamber, and the liquid sprayer is in fluid communication with the liquid inlet pipe.

7. The surface cleaning machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, A sealing ring is provided on one of the side openings and the discharge cover, and the opening of the liquid outlet is arranged facing the bottom wall.

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