Suction nozzle

Abstract

A suction nozzle (10) for a vacuum cleaner, the suction nozzle (10) has a main body (11) comprising: a liquid container (12) a liquid distribution system with an outlet (13), a pad holder (20) mounted outside the main body (11) by a shaft (25) and having at least one aperture (21) and a textile pad (22) attached to the pad holder (20), wherein the textile pad (22) has a distribution opening (23) which overlaps the aperture (21) of the pad holder (20) creating a through hole (24) and the outlet (13) of the liquid distribution system is placed above the through hole (24). The invention provides a suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner. The suction nozzle is able to perform wet cleaning and the cleaning effect has been improved by providing better distribution of the cleaning fluid over the cleaned surface. Moreover, the suction nozzle provides also a limitation in use of chemical detergents by providing a cleaning agent generator which generates in-situ detergent in amount which is required to perform the cleaning process.

Description

[0001] Suction nozzle

[0002] The present invention relates to a suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner, the suction nozzle has a main body comprising: a liquid container, a liquid distribution system with an outlet, a pad holder mounted outside the main body by a shaft and having at least one aperture and a textile pad attached to the pad holder.

[0003] Wet cleaning nozzles for vacuum cleaners are well known from the state of the art and are used in households for cleaning hard floors e.g. floor panels or tiles. Usually, cleaning nozzles have a water tank for water storage. Water can be mixed with a detergent which makes cleaning more efficient as detergents are intended to support the removal of impurities. The use of detergents for wet cleaning leads also to better hygienic results. Water is distributed directly on a cleaning surface or on the textile pad. Wet cleaning nozzles are equipped with cleaning pads which rotates or oscillates to enhance the effectiveness of the cleaning. In order to apply water or water with detergent from the water container to the surface or to the textile pad, usually there a pump is used, by means of which the liquid is delivered to the cleaned surface or the cleaning liquid reaches the surface to be cleaned thanks to gravity.

[0004] The patent document DE 10 2019 133 980 A1 discloses a cleaning head having an upper portion and a lower part, an upper part of which has a coupling body for coupling to the high-pressure cleaning device and a lower part of which can bear against a surface to be cleaned. The aim of the invention is to improve the cleaning head and make it easier to operate. According to the invention, the lower part to be pivotable about a virtual pivot axis is pivotally mounted on the upper part, and the lower part and an upper part have mutually cooperating bearing elements, and the virtual pivot axis is arranged offset in relation to the support element in the direction of the surface to be cleaned, the lower part can be detachably connected to the upper part, and the virtual pivot axis from the surface to be cleaned is at a maximum of + / -7 mm.

[0005] The patent document EP 2 675 333 B1 discloses a steam surface cleaner operable to clean a surface, and the steam surface cleaner includes a supply tank configured to retain a cleaning fluid, a base including a dispensing nozzle in fluid communication with the supply tank to dispense the cleaning fluid from the supply tank and onto the surface, a handle configured to move the base along the surface, a heater operable to heat the cleaning fluid to generate steam such that the cleaning fluid dispensed from the dispensing nozzle includes steam, and a cleaning pad coupled to the base for movement with the base and such that the cleaning pad is configured to directly contact the surface. The cleaning pad includes an aperture that allows the cleaning fluid to flow from the dispensing nozzle, through the aperture, and onto the surface.

[0006] The patent document DE 10 2006 061 192 A1 discloses a nozzle which has a liquid supply device with a liquid reservoir for a wiper unit. The device is provided with a feed pipe, a supply line and line end sections arranged in the nozzle to supply liquid from a liquid tank to the wiper unit. Application nozzles are mounted in a position to apply the fluid on a front half of a liquid transferring device in a moving direction. The sections are connected with a pump. A suction channel nozzle is provided in the moving direction of the floor nozzle at two opposite longitudinal sides of a housing frame.

[0007] It is the object of the present invention to provide a suction nozzle with an enhanced distribution of water or cleaning agent over the cleaned surface and over the lower surface of the textile cleaning pad.

[0008] This object is solved by a suction nozzle in which a textile pad has a distribution opening which overlaps the aperture of the pad holder, creating a through hole and the outlet is placed above the through hole. In order to perform wet cleaning, the suction nozzle is provided with a liquid distribution system with a liquid container and an outlet, a pad holder and a textile pad. The outlet is an end part of the liquid distribution system. The liquid container is a tank in which the water is stored. The liquid container is filled by the user. The water can contain a detergent or can be used alone. To deliver water to the cleaning surface an outlet of the liquid distribution system is provided which delivers liquid from the liquid container to the cleaned surface directly and next to the textile pad. The suction nozzle is provided with at least one pad holder which is mounted in the main body of the suction nozzle by a shaft. The suction nozzle can be equipped with more than one pad holder in dependence of the size of the suction nozzle. The pad holder rotates around the rotation axis which is formed by the shaft. The pad holder can also perform other movement e.g. oscillating or lateral movement. Thus, the pad holder can be round or can have other shapes in dependence of the movement it performs. The pad holder could be e.g. made of plastic. The surface of the pad holder is adjusted to receive the textile pad. Textile pads are usually made from soft textile e.g. microfiber, in order to become soaked and obtain good cleaning results. Textile pads are attached to the bottom side of pad holders by Velcro connection or can be attached by other well know means e.g. snaps. The user can easily detach them from the pad holder in order to clean them. In case when the cleaning liquid is delivered to the cleaned surface through the textile pad, the pad holder must have at least one aperture to allow the water with detergent to reach the cleaned surface. The pad holder can have more perforations in dependence of the movement of the pad holder. The textile pad which is attached to the bottom side of the pad holder has a distribution opening which overlaps the aperture of the pad holder, creating a through hole. The outlet of the liquid distribution system is placed above the through hole which is created by the distribution opening which overlaps the aperture. The positive effect is that the water or water with detergent is delivered directly to the cleaned surface.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the invention the through hole is placed in a central part of the pad holder. The pad holder is mounted outside the main body of the suction nozzle by a shaft which is the pad holder rotation axis at the same time. The through hole, which is created by the distribution opening which overlaps the aperture, is placed in the central part of the pad holder around the shaft. The positive effect is that the cleaning liquid is delivered to the cleaned surface in the central part of the textile pad so the distribution of the cleaning liquid is even in each direction.

[0010] In another embodiment of the invention the outlet is placed in a vicinity of the pad holder rotation axis. The outlet is provided to transfer the cleaning liquid to the cleaned surface. The outlet is placed in a vicinity of the pad holder rotation axis what means very close to the pad holder shaft. Preferably, the outlet is placed few millimeters from the shaft, so as close the center of the pad holder as possible. The positive effect of placing the outlet as close as possible the central part of the pad holder is that the whole surface of the textile pad becomes soaked fast which results in better distribution of the cleaning liquid and better perception of the whole device by the user. In another embodiment of the invention the suction nozzle has a cleaning agent generator. The cleaning agent generator is provided inside the suction nozzle to generate a cleaning agent in-situ during usage of the suction nozzle by the user. The cleaning agent is produced in an amount which is needed for particular cleaning. The positive effect is that there is no waste of detergent. The use of cleaning agents during wet cleaning leads to effective and hygienic cleaning results.

[0011] In another embodiment of the invention the cleaning agent generator comprises a liquid container, a pump, a reaction chamber and electrodes which are powered by an electric current source. The liquid container is a receptacle for storage water, water with detergent or mixture of water and salt. In case of salt and water, the mixture is pumped by a pump to the reaction chamber. In the reaction chamber a cleaning agent generation process is taking place thanks to an electric current which activates electrodes. The cleaning agent which is generated in the reaction chamber is transferred by the outlet of the liquid distribution system via the through hole to the surface to be cleaned and next distributed over the bottom side of the textile pad. The positive effect that the cleaning agent is generated in-situ in an amount which is needed to perform the cleaning process which is positive in context of environmental sustainability.

[0012] In another embodiment of the invention, the cleaning agent generator is placed above the pad holder to minimize the length of the path the cleaning agent takes. The cleaning agent is transported from the cleaning agent generator to the outer edge of the textile pad and the distance taken should be as short as possible as the cleaning agent constantly loses effectiveness along time.

[0013] Advantageously, the cleaning agent generated by the cleaning agent generator is sodium hypochlorite (NaCIO). Sodium hypochlorite is a disinfectant substance which kills viruses, bacteria and fungi. The positive effect of using such mixture is that the consumer receives not only good cleaning result but also a disinfection effect. The sodium hypochlorite remains on the cleaned surface and reacts there what effects in reducing the amount of waste water. The invention provides a suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner. The suction nozzle is able to perform wet cleaning and the cleaning effect has been improved by providing better distribution of the cleaning fluid over the cleaned surface. Moreover, the suction nozzle provides also a limitation in use of chemical detergents by providing a cleaning agent generator which generates in-situ detergent in amount which is required to perform the cleaning process.

[0014] The object mentioned above may also be solved by a textile pad for a vacuum cleaner, designed to be attached to a pad holder of a suction nozzle of the vacuum cleaner, wherein the suction nozzle may have a main body comprising a liquid container, a liquid distribution system with an outlet, and wherein said pad holder is mounted outside the main body by a shaft and having at least one aperture. The textile pad has a distribution opening which is designed to overlap the aperture of the pad holder to create a through hole, especially in use, such that the outlet of the liquid distribution system is placed above the through hole. By that means, the positive effects mentioned above, i.e. that water or water with detergent can be delivered directly to the cleaning surface, can be reached in very beneficial manner.

[0015] The construction of the invention, however, together with additional objects and corresponding advantages will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments and in connection with the accompanying drawing.

[0016] In the drawing:

[0017] Fig. 1 shows a suction nozzle in isometric view,

[0018] Fig. 2 shows the suction nozzle top view,

[0019] Fig. 3 shows the suction nozzle cross section,

[0020] Fig. 4 shows an enlarged part of the suction nozzle cross section comprising a pad holder with a textile pad and a outlet,

[0021] Fig. 5 shows an exploded view of the suction nozzle with a cleaning agent generator.

[0022] In cooperation with attached drawing, the technical contents and detailed description of the present invention are described thereinafter according to a preferable embodiment being not used to limit its executing scope. Any equivalent variation and modification made according to appended claims is all covered by the claims claimed by the present invention.

[0023] In the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, similar identical reference numbers designate identical of comparable components.

[0024] Fig. 1 shows a suction nozzle 10 for a vacuum cleaner (not shown on the figure) in isometric view. The suction nozzle 10 has a main body 11 in which the internal elements of the suction nozzle 10 are placed.

[0025] Fig. 2 shows the suction nozzle 10 top view with a section line A-A.

[0026] Fig. 3 shows the suction nozzle 10 cross section A-A with part B shown in details on Fig. 4. The suction nozzle 10 main body 11 comprises a cleaning agent generator 30 with a reaction chamber 33 in which the cleaning agent generating process is taking place.

[0027] Fig. 4 is an enlarged part B of the suction nozzle 10 cross section showing a pad holder 20 with a textile pad 22. The pad holder 20 has rounded shape made of plastic which is seated on a shaft 25. The axis of the shaft 25 is an axis of rotation Y of the pad holder 20. To the pad holder 20 the textile pad 22 is attached. The textile pad 22 is attached to the bottom side of the pad holder 20 by a Velcro connection. The textile pad 22 has a round shape and rotates with the pad holder 20 around the axis of rotation Y. The suction nozzle 10 is provided with two pad holders 20, each equipped with the textile pad 22. The pad holder 20 has an aperture 21. The aperture 21 is a simple opening in the pad holder. The textile pad 22 has a distribution opening 23 which aligns with the aperture 21 of the pad holder 20 and creates a through hole 24. Above the through hole 24, an outlet 13 of a liquid distribution system is placed. The outlet 13 is a simple nozzle which transfers water from the liquid container (not shown on the figure) to the cleaned surface directly as the cleaned surface is in continuous contact with the bottom side of the textile pad 22.

[0028] Fig. 5 shows an exploded view of the suction nozzle 10 with the cleaning agent generator 30 which comprises a liquid container 12, a reaction chamber 33, electrodes 34 and a pump 35. The liquid container 12 is a simple receptacle which stores the water and which is used to perform wet cleaning. In order to start the cleaning agent generation process the user prepares a mixture of water and salt in the liquid container 12. Next, the substance is pumped by a pump 35 to the reaction chamber 33 and an electric current flows through electrodes 34. Under the electric current a sodium hypochlorite (NaClo) is generated in the reaction chamber 33. From the reaction chamber 33 the cleaning agent is transferred by the outlet 13 to the cleaned surface and next to the lower side of the textile pad 22.

[0029] The invention provides a suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner. The suction nozzle is able to perform wet cleaning and the cleaning effect has been improved by providing better distribution of the cleaning fluid over the cleaned surface. Moreover, the suction nozzle provides also a limitation in use of chemical detergents by providing a cleaning agent generator which generates in-situ detergent in amount which is required to perform the cleaning process.

[0030] REFERENCE SIGNS

[0031] 10 suction nozzle

[0032] 11 main body

[0033] 12 liquid container

[0034] 13 outlet

[0035] 20 pad holder

[0036] 21 aperture

[0037] 22 textile pad

[0038] 23 distribution opening

[0039] 24 through hole

[0040] 25 shaft

[0041] 30 cleaning agent generator

[0042] 33 reaction chamber

[0043] 34 electrodes

[0044] 35 pump

[0045] (Y) axis of rotation of the pad holder (20) and the textile pad (22)

Claims

CLAIMS1. A suction nozzle (10) for a vacuum cleaner, the suction nozzle (10) has a main body (11) comprising: a liquid container (12) a liquid distribution system with an outlet (13), a pad holder (20) mounted outside the main body (11) by a shaft (25) and having at least one aperture (21) and a textile pad (22) attached to the pad holder (20), characterized in that the textile pad (22) has a distribution opening (23) which overlaps the aperture (21) of the pad holder (20) creating a through hole (24) and the outlet (13) of the liquid distribution system is placed above the through hole (24).

2. The suction nozzle (10) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the through hole (24) is placed in a central part of the pad holder (20) around the shaft (25).

3. The suction nozzle (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outlet (13) is placed in a vicinity of the pad holder (20) rotation axis (Y).

4. The suction nozzle (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the suction nozzle (10) has a cleaning agent generator (30).

5. The suction nozzle (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that the cleaning agent generator (30) comprises a liquid container (12), a pump (35), a reaction chamber (33) and electrodes (34).

6. The suction nozzle (10) according to any of the preceding claim 4-5, characterized in that the cleaning agent generator (30) is placed above the pad holder (20).

7. The suction nozzle (10) according to any of the preceding claim 4-6, characterized in that the cleaning agent generated by the cleaning agent generator (30) is sodium hypochlorite (NaCIO).

8. Textile pad for a vacuum cleaner suction nozzle (10), designed to be attached to a pad holder (20) of a suction nozzle (10) of the vacuum cleaner, wherein the suction nozzle (10) may have a main body (11) comprising a liquid container (12), a liquid distribution system with an outlet (13), and wherein said pad holder (20) is mounted outside the main body (11) by a shaft (25) and having at least one aperture (21), characterized in that the textile pad (22) has a distribution opening (23) which is designed to overlap the aperture (21) of the pad holder (20) to create a through hole (24) such that the outlet (13) of the liquid distribution system is placed above the through hole (24).

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