Vacuum cleaner attachment and vacuum cleaner

Abstract

The invention relates to a vacuum mop attachment for a vacuum cleaner, comprising: - a base body (1) with a suction nozzle (2), - a mopping component with several mop carriers (7), - a contour (6) on which the mopping component is guided, - a control lever (9) which, when actuated, is configured to guide the mopping component on the contour (6) so that the several mop carriers (7) can be moved into a vacuum mop position in which the several mop carriers (7) and the suction nozzle (2) rest on the floor, and into a mopping position in which the several mop carriers (7) rest on the floor and the suction nozzle (2) is spaced from the floor and at least partially covered by the several mop carriers (7). The invention further relates to a vacuum cleaner comprising the vacuum mop attachment.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a vacuum mop attachment and a vacuum cleaner. In particular, the invention relates to a vacuum mop attachment comprising a base body with a suction nozzle and a mopping component with several mop carriers, and to a vacuum cleaner comprising the vacuum mop attachment.

[0002] Vacuum mop attachments that have a suction nozzle at the front (in one direction of travel) cannot clean the edge of a room. Because of the suction nozzle at the front, the mop heads, each equipped with a cleaning cloth, can only clean up to the nozzle, leaving a 2-3 cm or more border of the room uncleaned.

[0003] Furthermore, (vacuum) mopping attachments are known that have a mopping component with rotatably movable mop heads. These mopping attachments may have a suction nozzle, but are often designed without one. If a suction nozzle is present in an area in front of the mop heads in relation to the direction of travel, the edge of a room cannot be mopped. Additionally, protective devices must be provided for any puddles of water to prevent the vacuum cleaner equipped with the vacuum mopping attachment from sucking up liquid, as this would damage the blower. If the mopping attachment does not have a suction nozzle, several devices are required for room cleaning: one for vacuuming and another for mopping.

[0004] From EP 0 158 145 A1 a floor nozzle for a vacuum cleaner is known which has two bristle strips which are height-adjustable by means of a mechanism.

[0005] The invention thus addresses the problem of providing a vacuum mop attachment and a vacuum cleaner that give the user a choice between a vacuum mop mode, in which both vacuuming and mopping are performed, and a mopping mode, in which only mopping is performed. Furthermore, edge cleaning should be possible in the mopping mode.

[0006] According to the invention, this problem is solved by a vacuum mop attachment with the features of claim 1 and a vacuum cleaner with the features of claim 7. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are described in the following dependent claims.

[0007] The advantages achievable with the invention, besides the ability to wipe the edge of a room to be cleaned, include the option for the user to choose between wiping and vacuuming / mopping. Advantages of the wiping mode are that wiping can be done right up to the edge, since no suction channel limits the distance to the edge of the vacuuming / mopping attachment; that the vacuum cleaner's fan can be switched off, preventing liquid from being sucked up; that more water can be supplied for stubborn dirt without the risk of water being sucked up; that it also prevents dirt from accumulating on the edges of the vacuum nozzle; and that switching off the vacuum cleaner's fan extends the battery life of a cordless vacuum cleaner.Advantages of the vacuuming and mopping mode are that, before cleaning the floor, loose dirt does not need to be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner before mopping with another device, and that the loose dirt is vacuumed up and then mopped immediately, thus saving a lot of time in room cleaning.

[0008] The invention relates to a vacuum mop attachment for a vacuum cleaner, comprising a base body with a suction nozzle, a wiping component with several wiper arms, a contour on which the wiping component is guided, a control lever which, when actuated, is designed to guide the wiping component on the contour, so that the several wiper arms can be moved into a suction-wiping position in which the several wiper arms and the suction nozzle rest on the floor, and into a wiping position in which the several wiper arms rest on the floor and the suction nozzle has a distance from the floor and is at least partially covered by the several wiper arms.

[0009] The mop carriers are each designed to hold a mop pad intended for wet or damp mopping of the floor. Position and direction specifications refer to the standard operating position of the vacuum mop attachment.

[0010] The vacuum mop attachment can be operated in a vacuum-mop mode, in which it vacuums and mops simultaneously, and in a mop mode, in which it mops but does not vacuum. In vacuum-mop mode, the mop pads are positioned so that the multiple pads rest on the floor to be cleaned and the suction nozzle is also on the floor. This enables simultaneous vacuuming and mopping. In mop mode, the multiple pads are positioned so that they rest on the floor to be cleaned and the suction nozzle is at least partially covered by the pads.

[0011] This allows the vacuum mop attachment to wipe in the area where the suction nozzle is located, thus enabling edge cleaning.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the control lever is designed to cause the multiple wiper arms to move in the X and Z directions. The X direction is a direction of travel for the vacuum-mop attachment. Preferably, the multiple wiper arms are movable in the X and Z directions within a range of 5 to 30 mm. Preferably, the suction nozzle is positioned in front of the wiper arms in the direction of travel. The direction of travel is preferably forward. This provides for the vacuum-mop mode, which involves both the suction of loose dirt and subsequent wiping. Preferably, the multiple wiper arms are movable in the X and Z directions between the vacuum-mop position and the wiping position. Preferably, the contour is designed as a curved path. This allows for easy guidance.

[0013] The control lever can be operated manually or electromechanically.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the wiper component has several drivers, each configured to drive one of the multiple wiper carriers separately, and a drive mounting plate on which the drivers are attached. The drive mounting plate is preferably guided along the contour. It is preferably connected to the control lever via a shaft that is supported within the contour.

[0015] The drive units are preferably connected to the wiper arms via a drive shaft. The wiper arms can be designed as either passive or active wiper arms. An active wiper arm is designed to move automatically and has corresponding mechanisms. For example, it can rotate. This further improves the cleaning effect. A passive wiper arm is designed to move only when the vacuum mop attachment is moved. This eliminates the need for additional mechanisms for the automatic movement of the wiper arms and thus saves costs. The wiper arms preferably have a circular or rectangular cross-section.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, a front edge of the suction mop attachment and the multiple mop carriers form a plane when the multiple mop carriers are in the mopping position. This further supports edge cleaning.

[0017] Preferably, the control lever is designed to guide the wiping component along its contour when actuated, allowing the multiple wiper arms to be moved into a parking position. In this position, the wiper arms are positioned at a distance from the floor on which the vacuum mop attachment is located in its ready-to-use working position. The advantages of the different height levels of the parking mode, the vacuum mop mode, and the mop mode are as follows: In the parking mode, the wiper arms are positioned in the parking position. This allows the wiping component to dry with ambient air, preventing waterlogging and damage to the floor. Furthermore, the wiper arms do not touch the floor during storage in the parking position, thus preventing flattening. The vacuum mop mode combines the advantages of vacuuming and mopping.In mopping mode, only the advantages of mopping are available, and mopping is also possible in the perimeter of the room being cleaned. The fan is switched off in mopping mode, as it is not needed and also serves as motor protection against moisture that could be sucked in during mopping. Mopping mode also allows for the removal of larger amounts of water.

[0018] Preferably, the base body also includes a water tank. Preferably, it has the suction nozzle in the front area and a water tank in the rear area. Preferably, the water tank is designed to moisten the wiping textiles located on the wiper carriers in both the vacuuming / wiping mode and the mopping mode.

[0019] The invention further relates to a vacuum cleaner having a vacuuming and mopping attachment according to one or more of the embodiments described above.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, the vacuum cleaner further comprises an actuator motor and a handle with an actuating element. The actuating element is preferably designed to activate the actuator motor when actuated, which is configured to electromechanically actuate the control lever. This makes operating the vacuum cleaner easier for the user.

[0021] Preferably, the vacuum cleaner also has sensors designed for floor detection and a control unit configured to automatically control the control lever based on parameters obtained from the sensors. Such an automatic mode makes operating the vacuum cleaner easier for the user. It also prevents the vacuum cleaner from sucking up liquid, for example, if there are puddles of water on the floor.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment, the control device is configured to control the control lever such that the multiple wiper arms are positioned in the wiping position when the sensors detect a quantity of water exceeding a predetermined threshold. This automatically prevents the vacuum cleaner from sucking in water, as this would damage the blower. Alternatively or additionally, the control device is configured to control the control lever such that the multiple wiper arms are raised in the Z-direction when the sensors detect an edge and / or boundary. This automatically wipes the edge or boundary. The boundary could, for example, be a piece of furniture.

[0023] Preferably, the control unit is designed to switch off the vacuum cleaner's fan when it is in mopping mode. This prevents liquid from being vacuumed up. In this case, no additional sensors need to be installed for motor protection. Switching off the fan extends the battery life of the vacuum cleaner, provided it is battery-powered.

[0024] An embodiment of the invention is shown schematically in the drawings and is described in more detail below. It is shown schematically and not to scale. Fig. 1 a cross-sectional view of a vacuum mop attachment according to the invention in a vacuum mop mode; Fig. 2 a top view of the in Fig. 1 shown vacuum mop attachment in vacuum mop mode; Fig. 3 a bottom view of the in Fig. 1 shown vacuum mop attachment in vacuum mop mode; Fig. 4 a perspective view of the in Fig. 1 shown vacuum mop attachment; Fig. 5 a cross-sectional view of the in Fig. 1 shown vacuum mop attachment in a mopping mode; Fig. 6 a top view of the in Fig. 1 shown vacuum mop attachment in mopping mode; Fig. 7 a bottom view of the in Fig. 1 shown vacuum mop attachment in mopping mode; Fig. 8 a perspective view of the in Fig. 1 shown vacuum mop attachment in mopping mode; and Fig. 9 a further underside view of the in Fig. 1 shown vacuum mop attachment in the vacuum mop mode and the in Fig. 5 shown vacuum mop attachment in mopping mode.

[0025] Fig. 1 Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a vacuum-mop attachment according to the invention in a vacuum-mop mode. The vacuum-mop attachment is designed for use with a vacuum cleaner. It comprises a base body 1 with a suction nozzle 2 in a front area and a water tank 4 in a rear area, and a mopping component. The mopping component has several mop carriers 7, several actuators 5, each configured to drive one of the several mop carriers 7 separately, and a drive mounting plate 8 on which the actuators 5 are mounted. The vacuum-mop attachment further comprises a control lever 9, which, when actuated, is configured to guide the drive mounting plate 8 along a contour 6 by means of a shaft 10, so that the several mop carriers 7 can be moved into a vacuum-mop position, which is shown here, and into a mopping position, which is shown here. Fig. 5 shown.

[0026] The control lever 9 is designed to cause a displacement of the several wiper carriers 7 in a Z direction and an X direction, wherein the X direction is a working direction of the vacuum mop attachment and the Z direction is a height direction, as shown.

[0027] In Fig. 1 bis 4 The vacuum mop attachment is shown in vacuum mop mode, and in the Fig. 5 bis 8 The vacuum mop attachment is shown in mopping mode. Each figure includes a coordinate system.

[0028] Fig. 2 shows a top view of the in Fig. 1 The vacuum mop attachment shown is in vacuum mop mode. The vacuum mop attachment has a connection point 11 that can be coupled to a vacuum cleaner. It also has two mop carriers 7 and two drivers 5, each designed to drive one of the mop carriers 7.

[0029] Fig. 3 shows a bottom view of the in Fig. 1 The vacuum mop attachment shown is in vacuum mop mode. The two mop carriers 7 each have a circular cross-section. They can be designed to rotate during operation. The suction nozzle 2 is arranged in front of the mop carriers in the direction of travel, which is the X-direction.

[0030] Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of the in Fig. 1 shown vacuum mop attachment. Lever 9 can be operated in several positions.

[0031] Fig. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the in Fig. 1 The vacuum mop attachment shown is in mopping mode. The one in Fig. 5 The vacuum mop attachment shown corresponds to the one in Fig. 1 The vacuum mop attachment shown differs in that the wiper arms 7 are moved into the wiping position by shifting them in the X and Z directions. In the wiping position, the wiper arms 7 are, compared to the Fig. 1 pushed forward in the X direction.

[0032] Fig. 6 shows a top view of the in Fig. 1 The vacuum mop attachment shown is in mopping mode. The one in Fig. 5 The vacuum mop attachment shown corresponds to the one in Fig. 2 The suction mop attachment shown differs in that the control lever 9 has a different position due to the actuation and that the mop carriers are shifted in the Z direction, so that the suction mouth 2 does not rest on a floor to be cleaned (not shown), but only the mop carriers 7.

[0033] Fig. 7 shows a bottom view of the in Fig. 1 The vacuum mop attachment shown is in mopping mode. In the mopping position, the mop carriers 7 are compared to the Fig. 3 pushed forward in the X direction so that they at least partially cover the suction mouth 2 Fig. 8 shows a perspective view of the in Fig. 1 The vacuum mop attachment shown is in mopping mode. The one in Fig. 8 The vacuum mop attachment shown corresponds to the one in Fig. 4 shown suction mop attachment with the difference that the control lever 9 has a different position due to the actuation and that the shaft 10 is arranged differently in the contour 6.

[0034] Fig. 9 shows another bottom view of the in Fig. 1 shown vacuum mop attachment in the vacuum mop mode and the in Fig. 5 The vacuum mop attachment shown is in mopping mode. A direct comparison of the bottom views reveals that the mop carriers 7 are shifted forward by a length x1 from the vacuum mop position to the mopping position, so that they at least partially cover the suction nozzle 2. Reference symbol list

[0035] 1 Base body 2 Suction nozzle 4 Water tank 5 Drive unit 6 Contour 7 Wiper carrier 8 Drive mounting plate 9 Control lever 10 Shaft 11 Connection point

Claims

1. Suction mop attachment for a vacuum cleaner, comprising - a main body (1) having a suction mouth (2), - a mopping component having a plurality of mop carriers (7), - a contour (6) along which the mopping component is guided, - a control lever (9) which, when actuated, is configured to guide the mopping component along the contour (6) so that the plurality of mop carriers (7) can be displaced into a suction-mopping position, in which the plurality of mop carriers (7) and the suction mouth (2) rest on the floor, and into a mopping position, in which the plurality of mop carriers (7) rest on the floor and the suction mouth (2) is at a distance from the floor, characterised in that, in the mopping position, the suction mouth is at least partially covered by the plurality of mop carriers (7).

2. Suction mop attachment according to claim 1, characterised in that the suction mouth (2) is arranged in front of the plurality mop carriers (7) in relation to a direction of travel of the suction mop attachment, and in that the control lever (9) is configured to cause a displacement of the plurality of mop carriers (7) in an X and Z direction, the plurality of mop carriers (7) preferably being displaceable in the X and Z direction each in the range of 5 to 30 mm.

3. Suction mop attachment according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the contour (6) is configured as a trajectory curve.

4. Suction mop attachment according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the mopping component comprises a plurality of drivers (5), each configured to drive one of the plurality of mop carriers (7) separately, and a driver mounting plate (8) on which the drivers (5) are mounted, the driver mounting plate (8) preferably being guided in the contour (6).

5. Suction mop attachment according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that its front edge and the plurality of mop carriers (7) form a plane when the plurality of mop carriers (7) are in the mopping position.

6. Suction mop attachment according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that, when actuated, the control lever (9) is configured to guide the mopping component along the contour (6), so that the plurality of mop carriers (7) can be displaced into a parking position in which the plurality of mop carriers (7) are arranged at a distance from the floor.

7. Vacuum cleaner, comprising a suction mop attachment according to any of the preceding claims.

8. Vacuum cleaner according to claim 7, characterised by a servomotor and a handle having an actuating element, the actuating element being configured to activate the servomotor when actuated, which servomotor is configured to actuate the control lever (9) electromechanically.

9. Vacuum cleaner according to claim 7 or 8, characterised by sensors, which are configured to detect the floor, and a control device, which is designed and configured to automatically control the control lever (9) on the basis of parameters obtained by means of the sensors.

10. Vacuum cleaner according to claim 9, characterised in that the control device is configured to control the control lever (9) in such a way that the plurality of mop carriers (7) are arranged in the mopping position when the sensors detect a quantity of water that is greater than a predetermined threshold, and / or when the sensors detect an edge and / or a boundary.

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