Actuator powered squeegee FLIP up mechanism

Abstract

A system and method for providing access to inspect and / or clean an underside of a squeegee assembly connected to a mobile floor-cleaning machine. The method includes raising and lowering, via a lifting actuator, the squeegee assembly between a floor-engaged position and a standby position. The method includes pivoting, via a pivoting actuator, the squeegee assembly between the standby position and an inspection position. The method includes controlling, via squeegee position controller, operation of the lifting and pivoting actuators. The method also includes causing, via the squeegee position controller, the pivoting actuator to first lift the squeegee assembly from a floor-engaged position to a standby position and then to pivot the squeegee assembly from the standby position to the inspection position in response a command to move the squeegee assembly from the floor-engaged position to the inspection position.

Description

2024-0088-DK1ACTUATOR POWERED SQUEEGEE FLIP UP MECHANISMBACKGROUND

[0001] Various industrial, commercial, and community enterprises can have very large buildings. Examples of such large buildings are factories, warehouses, distribution centers, retail stores, restaurants, offices, schools, churches, hospitals, etc. These large buildings necessarily have vast areas of floor space, which typically require cleaning from time to time, if not on a regular basis. Such cleaning can be performed for various reasons, such as, for example, safety, sanitation, aesthetics, etc. Such flooring can be either of hard-surface types of flooring or soft-surface types of flooring. Examples of hard-surface types of flooring include, for example, tile, concrete, terrazzo, wood, etc., which are typically found in factories, warehouses, distribution centers, retail stores, and schools. Examples of soft-surface types of flooring include carpeted floors, which are typically found in restaurants and offices. To clean the various flooring of buildings with various types of flooring, various types of mobile floor-cleaning machines having different sizes and capabilities have been developed.

[0002] Typically, hard-surface types of flooring use mobile floor-cleaning machines equipped to apply wet solvents to the flooring, scrub the wet flooring with rotating brushes, and then recover the dirty solvent after scrubbing. For large mobile floor-cleaning machines these functions - applying wet solvents, scrubbing the wet flooring, and recovering the dirty solvent - are performed by equipment components that are located, at least in part, on an underside of a rigid frame of the mobile floor-cleaning machine. Moreover, such large mobile floor-cleaning machines can be very heavy and are typically not designed to be lifted or tilted on a regular basis. Even the underside-located equipment components can be heavy or unwieldy, as well as having many interconnections with the mobile floor-cleaning machine to which it is attached. As such, it can be difficult and time-consuming to inspect and / or clean these various underside-located equipment components.

[0003] One type of underside-located equipment component is a squeegee assembly. Mobile floor-cleaning machines configured to clean hard-surface types of flooring are often equipped with such dirty-solvent recovery sub-systems. The squeegee assembly is typically located aft, with respect to operational direction of travel, of the solvent distribution equipment and the wet floor scrubbing equipment. The squeegee assembly is part of the dirty-solvent recoverysub-system, along with the suction apparatus and the dirty-solvent reservoir. Typically, the squeegee assembly is designed to direct the dirty solvent to a location where it is suctioned into a dirty-solvent reservoir for later disposal. As such, the squeegee assembly is located beneath the rigid frame of the mobile floor-cleaning machine and near the floor surface. Located in such a location obscures the underside of squeegee assembly from view.SUMMARY

[0004] Some embodiments relate to a system for providing access to inspect and / or clean an underside of a squeegee assembly connected to a mobile floor-cleaning machine. The system includes a squeegee assembly, which includes a support member and an elastic wiper blade coupled thereto. The elastic wiper blade has an arcuate front surface and a planar lower surface. The arcuate front surface features a concavity oriented in a direction of forward movement of the mobile floor-cleaning machine. The planar lower surface is configured to contiguously and slidably engage a floor surface across a lateral dimension transverse to the direction of forward movement. The elastic wiper blade is configured thereby to direct any liquid on the floor surface towards a middle portion of the arcuate front surface of the elastic wiper blade in response to forward movement of the mobile floor-cleaning machine. The system includes a lifting actuator, which is configured to raise and lower the squeegee assembly between a floor-engaged position and a standby position. The system includes a pivoting actuator, which is configured to pivot the squeegee assembly between the standby position and an inspection position. The system also includes a squeegee position controller communicatively coupled to and configured to control operation of the lifting and pivoting actuators.

[0005] Some embodiments relate to a method for providing access to inspect and / or clean an underside of a squeegee assembly connected to a mobile floor-cleaning machine. The method includes raising and lowering, via a lifting actuator, the squeegee assembly between a floor- engaged position and a standby position. The method includes pivoting, via a pivoting actuator, the squeegee assembly between the standby position and an inspection position. The method includes controlling, via squeegee position controller, operation of the lifting and pivoting actuators. The method also includes causing, via the squeegee position controller, the pivoting actuator to first lift the squeegee assembly from a floor-engaged position to a standby position andthen to pivot the squeegee assembly from the standby position to the inspection position in response a command to move the squeegee assembly from the floor-engaged position to the inspection position.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mobile floor-cleaning machine equipped with a pivotable squeegee assembly.

[0007] FIGS. 2A and 2B are perspective views of a squeegee assembly positioned in a standby configuration and an inspection configuration, respectively.

[0008] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a system for providing access to inspect and / or clean an underside of a squeegee assembly connected to a mobile floor-cleaning machine.

[0009] FIG. 4 is a side-elevation view of a latching mechanism of a system for providing access to inspect and / or clean an underside of a squeegee assembly connected to a mobile floorcleaning machine.

[0010] FIGS. 5 A and 5B are side elevation views of a squeegee assembly being positioned for inspection and / or cleaning by a system for positioning the squeegee assembly.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0011] It can be difficult and time-consuming to inspect or clean the underside of the squeegee assembly located beneath the rigid frame of the mobile floor-cleaning machine and near the floor surface. Apparatus and associated methods relate to providing access for inspecting and / or cleaning an underside of a squeegee assembly connected to a mobile floor-cleaning machine. Such access is provided by first raising, via a lifting actuator, the squeegee assembly from a floor-engaged position and a standby position. After being so raised, or if already in the standby position, the squeegee assembly is then pivoted, via a latching / pivoting actuator, from the standby position to an inspection position. A squeegee position controller controls such operation of the lifting and latching / pivoting actuators. In some embodiments, the squeegee position controller causes such repositioning of the squeegee assembly in response a command to move the squeegee assembly from the floor-engaged position to the inspection position.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mobile floor-cleaning machine equipped with a pivotable squeegee assembly. In FIG. 1, mobile floor-cleaning machine 10 has various systems forperforming various aspects of a floor-cleaning operation. For example, mobile floor-cleaning machine 10 has rigid chassis 12, which provides a rigid framework to which all other components and sub-systems are coupled. Some of these components and sub-systems relate to location, navigation, solvent application, scrubbing, dirty solvent removal, operator interface, etc. Many of such components and sub- systems are tailored for the specific operations they perform related to floor-cleaning of a specific type of flooring. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, mobile floorcleaning machine 10 is configured to clean hard-surface types of flooring, such as, for example, floor surface 14. As such, mobile floor-cleaning machine 10 is equipped with a solvent dispenser sub-system, a wet-floor scrubbing sub-system, and dirty-solvent recovery sub-system 16.

[0013] Dirty-solvent recovery sub-system 16 includes floor- wiping components, dirty- solvent suction components, and a dirty-solvent reservoir. Some of these components are located on underside attachment module 18 that is configured to attach to the underside of rigid chassis 12, while others of these components are located on or in rigid chassis 12. Various utility connecting members provide utility connections between underside attachment module 18 with the various utilities required thereby and provided by corresponding utility sources located on or in rigid chassis 12. Such utilities can include, for example, electrical and / or mechanical power, vacuum suction, fluid transport, etc. Underside attachment module 18 includes mounting assembly 20 which is configured to fixedly attach to the underside of rigid chassis 12 and squeegee assembly 22 which is configured to selectively engage floor surface 14 thereunder. Selective engagement of squeegee assembly 22 with floor surface 14 is desirable, because the scrubbing sub-system and squeegee assembly 22 need only engage floor surface 14 when mobile floor-cleaning machine 10 is cleaning floor surface 14. When mobile floor-cleaning machine 10 is not cleaning floor surface 14 but is simply navigating a route along floor surface 14, it is preferable that the scrubbing subsystem and squeegee assembly 22 is not engaged with floor surface 14.

[0014] Squeegee assembly 22 is moveable with respect to mounting assembly 20 so as to be configurable amongst various physical configurations. For example, squeegee assembly 22 can be configured in a standby configuration, in which squeegee assembly 22 is not engaged with floor surface 14 for navigation without cleaning operations. Squeegee assembly 22 can be configured in a floor-engaged configuration, in which squeegee assembly 22 is engaged with floor surface for cleaning operations. Squeegee assembly 22 can also be configured in an inspection configuration,in which a person can readily inspect and / or clean the underside of squeegee assembly 22. To provide for such configurability, various mechanisms can be used in connecting squeegee assembly 22 to mounting assembly 20. In the depicted embodiment, a lifting mechanism, a pivoting mechanism, and a latching mechanism are used to provide for such configurability as will be described below, with reference to FIGS. 2 A and 2B.

[0015] FIGS. 2A and 2B are perspective views of squeegee assembly 22 positioned in a standby configuration and in an inspection configuration, respectively. FIGS. 5A and 5B are side elevation views of squeegee assembly 22 positioned in a standby configuration and in an inspection configuration, respectively. Underside attachment module 18 includes mounting assembly 20, squeegee assembly 22, lifting mechanism 24, latching mechanism 26, and pivoting mechanism 28. Squeegee assembly 22 is moveably coupled with mounting assembly 20 via lifting pivot 30, about which squeegee assembly 22 pivots over a lifting angle 0 of pivotability. As squeegee assembly 22 is pivoted through the lifting angle 0 of pivotability, squeegee assembly 22 is moved between a raised position and a lowered position. Although in the depicted embodiment, squeegee assembly 22 is moveably coupled with mounting assembly 20 via pivot mechanism 28, which facilitate pivoting of squeegee assembly 22 over the lifting angle 0 of pivotability, in other embodiments, squeegee assembly 22 can be vertically raised and lowered via appropriate mechanical mechanisms for such vertical displacement, as are known in the art.

[0016] Lifting mechanism 24 performs such raising and lowering of squeegee assembly 22 by pivoting squeegee assembly 22. Lifting mechanism 24 includes lifting actuator 32, lifting cable 34, and lifting pulley 36, which are depicted in FIG. 3. Lifting actuator 32 moves a moving member of lifting actuator 32 to raise and lower squeegee assembly 22. In the depicted embodiment, lifting actuator 32 is an electro-mechanical linear actuator. In other embodiments, lifting actuator 32 can be another type of actuator, such as, for example, hydraulic, pneumatic, rotary, etc. Lifting mechanism 24 needs only to provide substantially vertical movement of squeegee assembly 22 with respect to an underside of mobile floor cleaning machine 10. Lifting cable 34 mechanically transmits the movement of the moving member of lifting actuator 32 to squeegee assembly 22. Lifting pulley 36 is attached to mounting assembly 18 via an axle coupled therebetween. Lifting pulley 36 is configured to orient lifting cable 34 so as to attach to squeegee assembly 22 in a substantially vertical orientation. Such a substantially vertical orientation resultsin substantially vertical movement of squeegee assembly 22 in response to moving of the moving member of lifting actuator 32. Although in the depicted embodiment, lifting cable 34 and lifting pulley 36 provide mechanical transmission of movement of the moving member of lifting actuator 32 to squeegee assembly 22, various other mechanical linkage configurations and assemblies can be used to perform such mechanical transmission, as are known in the art. Although in the depicted embodiment, lifting actuator 32 is depicted as a solenoid, various other electro-mechanical actuators can be used as are known in the art, such as, for example, a motor. In some embodiments, for example, a motor can be used to lift and / or lower the squeegee assembly 22 between the raised position and the lowered position, as well as providing a downward force of the squeegee assembly to the floor surface by controlling electrical current supplied to the motor.

[0017] Squeegee assembly 22 includes first and second frame members 38 and 40 pivotably coupled with one another via squeegee pivot(s) 42. First frame member 38 is the portion of squeegee assembly 22 that is moveably coupled with mounting assembly 20 in such a manner that first frame member 38 is moveable between the raised position and the lowered position with respect to mounting assembly 20, as was described above. Because second frame member 40 is coupled (pivotably) with first frame member 38, second frame member 40 is raised and lowered contemporaneously with the raising and lowering of first frame member 38. Second frame member 40 is the portion of squeegee assembly 22 to which elastic wiper blade 44 is attached. It is elastic wiper blade 44 that performs the wiping of floor surface 14 (i.e., directing the dirty solvent to a location at the center of elastic wiper blade 44, where it is then suctioned). A suction conduit can be connected to or have a suction port located proximate the center of the arcuate front surface of elastic wiper blade 44 so as to suction any dirty solvent directed thereto. Elastic wiper blade 44 has an arcuate front surface and a planar lower surface. The arcuate front surface features a concavity oriented in a direction of forward movement of mobile floor-cleaning machinelO. The planar lower surface is configured to contiguously and slidably engage floor surface 14 across a lateral dimension transverse to the direction of forward movement. Elastic wiper blade 44 is configured to direct any liquid on the floor surface towards a middle portion of the arcuate front surface of elastic wiper blade 44 in response to forward movement of the mobile floor-cleaning machine.

[0018] Second frame member 40 is pivotable between an aligned position and a tilted position with respect to first frame member 38. Second frame member 40 can also be selectively latched to and unlatched from first frame member 38 so as to permit or prevent, respectively, pivoting of second frame member 40 with respect to first frame member 38. When latched, second frame member 40 is rigidly coupled with first frame member 38, thereby ensuring proper engagement of elastic wiper blade 44 with floor surface 14, when so engaged. Thus, before pivoting of second frame member 40 can commence, second frame member 40 is unlatched from first frame member 38.

[0019] Such latching and unlatching of second frame member 40 to and from first frame member 38 is performed by latching mechanism 26. FIGS. 3 and 4 include a perspective view and a side-elevation view, respectively, of latching mechanism 26. In FIGS. 3 and 4, latching mechanism 26 includes latching / pivoting actuator 46, latching / pivoting cable 48, latching lever 50, and latching pin 52. Latching lever 50 is pivotably coupled to second frame member 40 via lever pivot 54. Latching lever 50 is pivotable between a latched position and an unlatched position. Lever stop 56 prevents or blocks further pivoting of latching lever 50 beyond the unlatched position. Latching / pivoting actuator 46 moves moving member 47 of latching / pivoting actuator 46 to perform such pivoting of latching lever 50. Movement of the moving member of latching / pivoting actuator 46 is transmitted to lever arm 58 of latching lever 50 via latching / pivoting cable 48. In the depicted embodiment, latching / pivoting actuator 46 is an electromechanical linear actuator. In other embodiments, latching / pivoting actuator 46 can be another type of actuator, such as, for example, hydraulic, pneumatic, rotary, etc. latching mechanism 26 need only to provide latching and unlatching functionality between first and second frame members 38 and 40 of squeegee assembly 22. Although in the depicted embodiment, latching / pivoting cable 48 provides mechanical transmission of movement of moving member 47 of latching / pivoting actuator 46 to latching lever 50, various other mechanical linkage configurations and assemblies can be used to perform such mechanical transmission, as are known in the art. Although in the depicted embodiment, latching / pivoting actuator 46 is depicted as a solenoid, various other electro-mechanical actuators can be used as are known in the art, such as, for example, a motor.

[0020] Latching lever 50 has latching slot 62 which pivotably engages and / or disengages latching pin 52, which is coupled to first frame member 38. When latching lever 50 is pivoted such that latching slot 62 engages latching pin 52, pivoting of second frame member 40 is prevented. When latching lever 50 is pivoted such that latching slot 62 disengages latching pin 52, pivoting of second frame member 40 is not prevented. Springs 66 are connected between latching lever 50 and second frame member 40, thereby providing a return force directing latching lever 50 to the latched position. Latching lever 50 also has pin engagement surface 68, which engages latching pin 52 in response to springs 66 attempting to return latching lever 50 to the latched position when second frame member 40 is tilted with respect to first frame member 38. Such pin engagement surface functions to guide latching lever 50 past latching pin 52 as second frame member is returning from the tilted position to the aligned position.

[0021] After latching mechanism 26 has pivoted latching lever to its unlatched position, second frame member 40 of squeegee assembly can be pivoted, with respect to first frame member 38, via pivoting mechanism 28. Pivoting mechanism 28 includes latching / pivoting actuator 46, latching / pi voting cable 48, and squeegee pivot(s) 42. Latching mechanism 26 and pivoting mechanism 28 thus share both latching / pivoting actuator 46 and latching / pivoting cable 48. Latching / pivoting actuator 46 moves a moving member of latching / lifting actuator 46, and such movement is transmitted to latching lever 50 so as to first pivot latching lever 50 to its unlatched position, where latching lever 50 engages lever stop 56. Then, further movement of the moving member of latching / pivoting actuator 46 is transmitted to latching lever 50 via latching / pivoting cable 48.

[0022] Further movement of latching lever 50, which is unable to further pivot about lever pivot 54 due to engagement of latching lever 50 with lever stop 56, causes latching lever 50 to impart its movement to second frame member 40. Such additional movement caused by latching / pivoting actuator 46 to be transmitted to second frame member 40 via such engagement of latching lever 50 with lever stop 48. Such further movement causes second frame member 40 with respect to first frame member 38. Such pivoting of second frame member 40 with respect to first frame member 38 defines a pivoting radius r between elastic wiper blade 44 and squeegee pivot(s) 42. The pivoting radius r (shown in FIG. 2B) of such a pivot operation is small with respect to a pivoting radius R (shown in FIG. 2A), defined as the distance between elastic wiper blade 44and lifting pivot 30. Pivoting radius R is relatively large because lifting of squeegee assembly 22 results in a movement of squeegee assembly 22 that is substantially vertical. As such, pivoting with a large pivoting radius R and through a small lifting angle 0 of pivoting results in movement that is approximately vertical. Pivoting of second frame member 40, however, is intended to be over a large pivot angle cp so that the underside of second frame member 40 can be readily viewed for inspection and / or cleaning. As space is limited underneath mobile floor-cleaning machine 10, a small pivoting radius r facilitates pivoting over a large pivot angle cp. Typically second frame member 40 is pivoted of pivot angle cp (shown in FIG. 4), which can be greater than 45, 60, or 75 degrees.

[0023] In some embodiments a ratio of pivoting radius R, defined as the distance between elastic wiper blade 44 and lifting pivot 30, and pivoting radius r, defined as the distance between elastic wiper blade 44 and squeegee pivot(s) 42, can be greater than 3:1, 5:1, or 10:1. Moreover, typically axes of lever pivot 54 and squeegee pivot 42 are not colinear. Such non-colinear arrangement can be used to tailor length of an effective lever arm for pivoting second frame member 40 with respect to first frame member 38.

[0024] While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment(s), it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment(s) disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A system for providing access to inspect and / or clean an underside of a squeegee assembly connected to a mobile floor-cleaning machine, the system comprising: a mounting assembly configured to fixedly attach to an underside of the mobile floor-cleaning machine; the squeegee assembly, which includes first and second frame members pivotably coupled with one another, the first frame member moveably coupled with the mounting assembly in such a manner that the first frame member is moveable between a raised position and a lowered position with respect to the mounting assembly, the second frame member pivotable between an aligned position and a tilted position with respect to the first frame member, the second frame member including an elastic wiper blade coupled thereto, the elastic wiper blade having an arcuate front surface and a planar lower surface, the arcuate front surface featuring a concavity oriented in a direction of forward movement of the mobile floor-cleaning machine, the planar lower surface configured to contiguously and slidably engage a floor surface across a lateral dimension transverse to the direction of forward movement, thereby the elastic wiper blade is configured to direct any liquid on the floor surface towards a middle portion of the arcuate front surface of the elastic wiper blade in response to forward movement of the mobile floor-cleaning machine; a lifting actuator configured to raise and lower the first frame member between the raised position and the lowered position; and a pivoting actuator configured to pivot the second frame member between the aligned position and the tilted position.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein pivoting of the second frame member from the aligned position to the tilted position pivots the second frame member greater than 60 degrees.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein pivoting of the second frame member from the aligned position to the tilted position pivots the squeegee assembly about a squeegee pivot.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a squeegee position controller communicatively coupled to and configured to control operation of the lifting and pivoting actuators, wherein the squeegee position controller is further configured to cause the pivoting actuator to pivot the second frame member from the aligned position to the tilted position in response to a command to move the squeegee assembly to a position for inspection.

5. The system of claiml, further comprising: a squeegee position controller communicatively coupled to and configured to control operation of the lifting and pivoting actuators, wherein the squeegee position controller is further configured to cause the lifting actuator to first lift the first frame member from the lowered position to the raised position and then to pivot the second frame member from the aligned position to the tilted position in response a command to move the squeegee assembly to a position for inspection.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein, if the first frame member is in the lowered position and the second frame member is in the aligned position thereby causing the elastic wiper blade to engage the floor surface, the squeegee position controller controls a downward force of the squeegee assembly to the floor surface by controlling electrical current supplied to the lifting actuator.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a linkage assembly coupled to the pivoting actuator, the linkage assembly mechanically transmitting the movement of the pivoting actuator to the second frame member of the squeegee assembly.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein a ratio of a pivoting radius R, defined as a distance between the elastic wiper blade and the lifting pivot, and pivoting radius r, defined as the distance between the elastic wiper blade and the squeegee pivot, is greater than 3:1.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising: a latching mechanism having a latched configuration and an unlatched configuration, wherein, in the latched configuration, pivoting of the second frame member is prevented by the latching mechanism, and in the unlatched configuration, pivoting of the second frame member is not prevented by the latching mechanism.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the latching mechanism comprises: a latching pin coupled to the first frame member of the squeegee assembly; a latching lever pivotably coupled to the second frame member of the squeegee assembly via a latching pivot, the latching lever having a lever arm coupled to the linkage assembly, the latching lever having a latching slot that engages the latching pin; and a spring connected between the latching lever and the second frame member of the squeegee assembly, the spring configured to provide a return force directing the latching lever to the latched position; wherein the latching lever further includes a pin engagement surface that engages the latching pin in response to the spring attempting to return the latching lever to the latched position as the second frame member is returning to the tilted position from the aligned position, and wherein axes of the lever pivot and the squeegee pivot are not colinear, such that a latching-slot path traversed by the latching slot as the latching lever pivots and a latching-slot path traversed by the latching slot as the second frame member pivots intersect at an intersecting angle greater than 30 degrees.

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