Floor cleaning machine, and method for controlling traveling speed of floor cleaning machine

Abstract

The present application provides a floor cleaning machine. The floor cleaning machine comprises a cleaning head assembly and a handle assembly. The cleaning head assembly comprises a first brush disc and a second brush disc, and the first brush disc and the second brush disc are configured to be inclined relative to a surface to be cleaned or parallel to said surface. The handle assembly is rotatably connected to the cleaning head assembly, and the rotation axis thereof is parallel to a second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to a first direction. The floor cleaning machine is configured such that: when the handle assembly rotates about the second direction to adjust a first inclination angle of the handle assembly relative to the surface to be cleaned, second inclination angles of the first brush disc and the second brush disc relative to said surface can be correspondingly and synchronously adjusted in a controlled manner. When the first inclination angle is a preset value between 0° and 90°, the second inclination angles are maximized; when the first inclination angle increases from the preset value, the second inclination angles decrease; and when the first inclination angle decreases from the preset value, the second inclination angles also decrease. Also provided is a method for controlling the traveling speed of a floor cleaning machine.

Description

Floor scrubbers and methods for controlling their travel speed Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of cleaning equipment technology, and in particular to floor scrubbers and methods for controlling the travel speed of floor scrubbers. Background Technology

[0002] The inventors understand a floor scrubber that includes two brush discs located at the bottom of the cleaning head. The two brush discs are tilted inwards and rotate in opposite directions during operation. The uneven friction between the brush discs and the floor generates a forward traction force, so that the user does not need to apply pushing force when the floor scrubber moves.

[0003] However, when operating a floor scrubber, users can only follow the machine's preset constant working speed, which makes operation inconvenient and results in a poor user experience; or, users need to apply additional force to force the floor scrubber to move at the speed they expect, which is quite strenuous.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a new floor scrubbing machine to solve these problems, improve operating comfort, and reduce labor intensity. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To solve or alleviate at least one of the problems mentioned in the background art, this application provides a floor scrubber and a method for controlling the travel speed of the floor scrubber.

[0006] The floor scrubbing machine provided in this application includes:

[0007] The cleaning head assembly includes a base, a first brush plate, and a second brush plate. The first brush plate and the second brush plate can be controlled to rotate to rub the surface to be cleaned. The first brush plate and the second brush plate can also be rotatably connected to the base, and the rotation axes are parallel to a first direction, so that the first brush plate and the second brush plate are configured to be tilted relative to the surface to be cleaned or parallel to the surface to be cleaned.

[0008] An operating lever assembly is rotatably connected to the cleaning head assembly, with its rotation axis parallel to a second direction and the second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0009] The floor scrubber is configured such that when the control lever assembly rotates about the second direction to adjust the first tilt angle of the control lever assembly relative to the surface to be cleaned, the second tilt angles of the first brush disc and the second brush disc relative to the surface to be cleaned can be correspondingly and synchronously adjusted in a controlled manner.

[0010] When the first tilt angle is a preset value between 0° and 90°, the second tilt angle is at its maximum; when the first tilt angle increases from the preset value, the second tilt angle decreases; when the first tilt angle decreases from the preset value, the second tilt angle decreases.

[0011] In at least one embodiment, the floor scrubber includes:

[0012] A first support, wherein the first brush disk is configured to be fixed relative to the first support in its axial and radial directions;

[0013] The second bracket, the second brush disk being configured to be fixed relative to the second bracket in its axial and radial directions, the first bracket and the second bracket being rotatably connected to the base, the first bracket being rotatably connected to the second bracket, and the axes of rotation being parallel to the first direction;

[0014] An angle adjustment device includes a drive rod configured to move in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions. The drive rod is controllably abutting against the other end of the first bracket and / or the other end of the second bracket to adjust the second tilt angle.

[0015] In at least one embodiment, the lever assembly includes a disc-shaped cam fixedly disposed at its end, the rotation axis of the disc-shaped cam being parallel to the second direction.

[0016] One end of the drive rod abuts against the curved contour of the disc cam, and the other end abuts against the other end of the first bracket and / or the other end of the second bracket.

[0017] This allows the drive rod to move under the influence of the disc cam as it rotates with the operating lever assembly in the second direction, thereby adjusting the second tilt angle.

[0018] In at least one embodiment, the disc cam includes a base circle and a protrusion, the profile of which is formed as an axisymmetric figure, the axis of symmetry passing through the apex of the protrusion along the radial direction of the disc cam.

[0019] In at least one embodiment, the floor scrubber further includes:

[0020] A limiting baffle is provided, and the other end of the first bracket and / or the other end of the second bracket can abut against the limiting baffle after rotation. The limiting baffle is provided with a baffle opening, and the driving rod passes through the baffle opening to abut against the other end of the first bracket and / or the other end of the second bracket.

[0021] An elastic element, sleeved on the drive rod, is used to apply an upward force to the drive rod.

[0022] In at least one embodiment, the joystick assembly includes an angle sensor, and the angle adjustment device includes a controller. The angle sensor is capable of detecting the first tilt angle and transmitting its angle data to the controller.

[0023] The angle adjustment device includes an electric rod mechanism, and the controller can control the movement of the drive rod of the electric rod mechanism based on the angle data it receives, thereby adjusting the second tilt angle.

[0024] In at least one embodiment, the angle sensor is replaced by a potentiometer capable of detecting the first tilt angle.

[0025] In at least one embodiment, when the first tilt angle is 45°, the second tilt angle is correspondingly set to the maximum tilt angle;

[0026] When the operating lever assembly is perpendicular or parallel to the surface to be cleaned, the first brush plate and the second brush plate are respectively set to be parallel to the surface to be cleaned.

[0027] The floor scrubber in the method for controlling the travel speed of the floor scrubber provided in this application is the floor scrubber as described above.

[0028] In at least one embodiment, the travel speed control method includes:

[0029] The second tilt angle is adjusted from the larger first angle to the smaller second angle to achieve deceleration;

[0030] The second tilt angle is adjusted from a smaller second angle to a larger first angle to achieve accelerated movement.

[0031] This application couples the first tilt angle α of the operating lever assembly relative to the surface to be cleaned with the second tilt angle of the brush plate relative to the surface to be cleaned. By swinging the operating lever assembly to different angles, the tilt angle of the brush plate is changed, thereby changing the traveling speed of the floor scrubber. This solves the problem that the traveling speed of traditional floor scrubbers cannot be adjusted, improves the comfort of user operation, and reduces labor intensity. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Figure 1 shows an isometric view of a floor scrubber according to an embodiment of this application.

[0033] Figure 2 shows a front view of the cleaning head assembly of a floor scrubber according to an embodiment of the present application, which conceals the housing of the cleaning head assembly.

[0034] Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of the brush of the floor scrubber according to an embodiment of the present application and the surface to be cleaned.

[0035] Figure 4 shows a side view of a floor scrubber according to an embodiment of the present application, wherein the first tilt angle α of the operating lever assembly relative to the surface to be cleaned is 90°.

[0036] Figure 5 shows a side view of a floor scrubber according to an embodiment of the present application, wherein the first tilt angle α of the operating lever assembly relative to the surface to be cleaned is 45°.

[0037] Figure 6 shows a side view of a floor scrubber according to an embodiment of the present application, with the first tilt angle α of the operating lever assembly relative to the surface to be cleaned being 0°.

[0038] Figure 7 shows a first-view cross-sectional view of the cleaning head assembly of a floor scrubber according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0039] Figure 8 shows an isometric view of a floor scrubber including a first support according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0040] Figure 9 shows an isometric view of a floor scrubber including a limiting baffle according to an embodiment of this application.

[0041] Figure 10 shows a second-view cross-sectional view of the cleaning head assembly of a floor scrubber according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0042] Figure 11 shows an enlarged view of the structure of the disc cam of the cleaning head assembly in Figure 10.

[0043] Figure 12 shows the relationship between the first tilt angle α of the operating lever assembly of the floor scrubber according to an embodiment of the present application and the traveling speed of the floor scrubber. Detailed Implementation

[0044] Exemplary embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that these specific descriptions are for teaching those skilled in the art how to implement this application only, and are not intended to exhaustively describe all possible methods of this application, nor to limit the scope of this application.

[0045] The embodiments of this application provide a floor scrubber and a method for controlling the travel speed of the floor scrubber.

[0046] Referring to Figure 1, the floor scrubber provided in this application embodiment may include a cleaning head assembly 100, a rotating support 300, and an operating lever assembly 400.

[0047] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the cleaning head assembly 100 may include a base 110, a first brush 121, and a second brush 122.

[0048] The first brush disc 121 and the second brush disc 122 can be driven by a motor to rotate, thereby rubbing the surface 200 to be cleaned. Their rotation direction is approximately perpendicular to the surface 200. The first brush disc 121 and the second brush disc 122 are also rotatably connected to the base 110, and their rotation axes are both parallel to the first direction A. Referring to Figure 3, the first brush disc 121 and the second brush disc 122 are configured to be tilted relative to the surface 200 to be cleaned, or parallel to the surface 200 to be cleaned.

[0049] Referring to Figure 1, the operating lever assembly 400 is rotatably connected to the cleaning head assembly 100, with its rotation axis parallel to the second direction B, and the second direction B perpendicular to the first direction A. Exemplarily, a rotating bracket 300 can be provided, and the operating lever assembly 400 can be rotatably connected to the rotating bracket 300 about the second direction B. The rotating bracket 300 can be fixed to the cleaning head assembly 100, so that the operating lever assembly 400 can only be rotatably connected to the cleaning head assembly 100 about the second direction B. The rotating bracket 300 can also rotate about a direction perpendicular to the surface to be cleaned 200, allowing the rotating bracket 300 to rotate relative to the cleaning head assembly 100 about a direction perpendicular to the surface to be cleaned 200, facilitating steering.

[0050] The floor scrubber can be configured such that when the lever assembly 400 rotates about the second direction B (see Figures 4 to 6) to adjust the first tilt angle α of the lever assembly 400 relative to the surface 200 to be cleaned, the second tilt angles of the first brush disk 121 and the second brush disk 122 relative to the surface 200 to be cleaned can be controlled and synchronously adjusted.

[0051] For example, the third direction C is perpendicular to the first direction A and the second direction B, and the second tilt angle of the two brushes can be symmetrical about the plane formed by the first direction A and the third direction C. When the floor scrubber is running normally on the ground, the third direction C is formed in a vertical direction. Of course, the second tilt angle of the two brushes also adjusts in the same direction, but the specific angles can differ to achieve steering.

[0052] As shown in Figure 12, when the first tilt angle α is a preset value between 0° and 90° (e.g., 45°, 60°, etc.), the second tilt angle is the largest (the second tilt angle is proportional to the speed of the floor scrubber, as explained later). When the first tilt angle α increases from the preset value, the second tilt angle decreases; when the first tilt angle α decreases from the preset value, the second tilt angle decreases.

[0053] The specific synchronization adjustment method will be explained later. Figures 4, 5, and 6 show the three cases where the first tilt angle α is 90°, 45°, and 0°, respectively.

[0054] It should be understood that when the two brush discs are tilted relative to the surface 200 to be cleaned, and the rotation directions of the two brush discs (around a direction approximately perpendicular to the surface 200 to be cleaned) are opposite, the resultant force of the frictional forces between the two brush discs and the surface 200 to be cleaned will generate a traction force that propels the floor scrubber forward. The larger the second tilt angle of the brush discs, the greater the frictional force, and the faster the floor scrubber travels. This application changes the tilt angle of the brush discs by swinging the operating lever assembly 400 to different angles, thereby changing the travel speed of the floor scrubber. This solves the problem of the inability to adjust the travel speed of traditional floor scrubbers, improves user comfort, and reduces labor intensity.

[0055] In one embodiment, referring to FIG7, the floor scrubber may include a first support 510, a second support 520, and an angle adjustment device.

[0056] The first brush plate 121 is configured to be fixed axially and radially relative to the first bracket 510, and the second brush plate 122 is configured to be fixed axially and radially relative to the second bracket 520. The first bracket 510 and the second bracket 520 are rotatably connected to the base 110, and the first bracket 510 is also rotatably connected to the second bracket 520, and their rotation axes are both parallel to the first direction A.

[0057] More specifically, referring to Figure 8, one end (right end, or outer end) of the first bracket 510 and one end of the second bracket 520 are annular. A motor is mounted on top of the annular structure, and the output shaft of the motor passes through the annular structure at one end of the bracket and is connected to the brush plate. The annular structure is rotatably connected to the base 110 via hinge 550. The other end (left end, or inner end) of the first bracket 510 can be rotatably connected to the other end of the second bracket 520 (see Figure 9), and the three rotation axes (the rotation axis between the first bracket 510 and the base 110, the rotation axis between the second bracket 520 and the base 110, and the rotation axis between the first bracket 510 and the second bracket 520) are all parallel to the first direction A (or the head-to-tail direction).

[0058] Referring to Figure 9, the angle adjustment device includes a drive rod 600, which is configured to move in a third direction C. The drive rod 600 can be controlled to press against the other end of the first bracket 510 and / or the other end of the second bracket 520 to adjust the second tilt angle. It should be understood that the other end of the first bracket 510 and the other end of the second bracket 520 may each have a connecting hole, in which a pin or other component can be installed to achieve a rotatable connection. The width of the hole may be greater than the diameter of the pin, so that when the first bracket 510 and the second bracket 520 rotate, the other end of the first bracket 510 and the other end of the second bracket 520 have a horizontal range of motion.

[0059] This application does not limit the specific implementation of the angle adjustment device. As examples, this application provides the following two embodiments.

[0060] Example 1

[0061] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 10 and 11, the lever assembly 400 includes a disc cam 410 fixedly disposed at its end, the axis of rotation of the disc cam 410 being parallel to the second direction B.

[0062] One end of the drive rod 600 abuts against the curved profile of the disc cam 410. A rotating wheel 610, capable of rotating about the second direction B, may be mounted on one end of the drive rod 600, and the rotating wheel 610 abuts against the profile of the disc cam 410. The other end of the drive rod 600 abuts against the other end of the first bracket 510 and / or the other end of the second bracket 520 (see Figure 9).

[0063] After the disc cam 410 rotates around the second direction B with the operating lever assembly 400, the drive lever 600 can move under the drive of the disc cam 410 to adjust the second tilt angle.

[0064] In one embodiment, referring to FIG11, the disc cam 410 includes a base circle portion 411 and a protrusion 412. The profile of the protrusion 412 is formed as an axisymmetric figure, and the axis of symmetry passes through the apex of the protrusion 412 along the radial direction of the disc cam 410. Accordingly, when the protrusion 412 abuts against the drive rod 600, the drive rod 600 can first descend and then rise. The relationship between the first tilt angle α of the operating lever assembly 400 and the traveling speed of the floor scrubber (the degree of tilt of the brush disc) is shown in FIG12.

[0065] In one embodiment, referring to FIG9, the floor scrubber also includes a limiting baffle 530 and an elastic element 540.

[0066] The limiting baffle 530 can be installed on the base 110. The other end of the first bracket 510 and / or the other end of the second bracket 520 can abut against the limiting baffle 530 after rotation. The limiting baffle 530 is provided with a baffle opening, and the drive rod 600 passes through the baffle opening to abut against the other end of the first bracket 510 and / or the other end of the second bracket 520.

[0067] The elastic element 540 can be sleeved on the drive rod 600 to apply an upward force to the drive rod 600. More specifically, the drive rod 600 is provided with a flange 620 that protrudes outward along the radial direction of the drive rod 600. In the axial direction of the drive rod 600, the elastic element 540 is located between the flange 620 and the limiting baffle 530. This allows the elastic force of the elastic element 540 to promptly lift the drive rod 600 when the downward pressure of the drive rod 600 is released (at which point the drive rod 600 corresponds to the base circle portion 411 of the disc cam 410). The elastic element 540 can be a spring.

[0068] In one embodiment, when the first tilt angle α is 45°, the second tilt angle is correspondingly set to the maximum tilt angle. When the operating lever assembly 400 is perpendicular or parallel to the surface to be cleaned 200, the first brush plate 121 and the second brush plate 122 are correspondingly set to be parallel to the surface to be cleaned 200. Accordingly, as shown in Figure 12, when the first tilt angle α is 45°, the floor scrubber's travel speed reaches its maximum; when the first tilt angle α approaches 0° or 90°, the floor scrubber's travel speed decreases accordingly. When using the floor scrubber, the user can change the brush plate tilt by pushing up or pulling down the operating lever assembly 400 based on the 45° tilt angle, thereby reducing the floor scrubber's travel speed. The speed adjustment is relatively intuitive and easy to use.

[0069] It should be understood that the preset angle value corresponding to the maximum speed can be 45°, 60°, etc., and this application does not limit its specific value. In addition to 0° to 90°, the angle adjustment range can also be set to a range such as 30° to 90°.

[0070] Example 2

[0071] Compared to Example 1, the form of the disc cam 410 controlling the drive lever 600 can be replaced with the following example.

[0072] The joystick assembly 400 includes an angle sensor, and the angle adjustment device includes a controller. The angle sensor is capable of detecting a first tilt angle α and transmitting its angle data to the controller.

[0073] The angle adjustment device includes an electric rod mechanism. The controller can control the movement of the drive rod 600 of the electric rod mechanism according to the angle data it receives, thereby adjusting the second tilt angle.

[0074] This application does not limit the type or installation location of the angle sensor. Those skilled in the art should understand the principle and setup of a general angle sensor, which will not be elaborated upon here.

[0075] Example 3

[0076] Furthermore, the angle sensor in Embodiment 2 can be replaced with a potentiometer capable of detecting the first tilt angle α. By correlating the rotation of the lever assembly 400 with the resistance value measured by the potentiometer, the rotation angle of the lever assembly 400 can be obtained from the measured resistance value.

[0077] The travel speed control method provided in this application uses the aforementioned floor scrubber. The travel speed control method may include: adjusting the second tilt angle from a larger first angle to a smaller second angle to achieve deceleration; and adjusting the second tilt angle from a smaller second angle to a larger first angle to achieve acceleration.

[0078] Additionally, referring to Figure 10, a squeegee 700 is also provided at the bottom of the cleaning head assembly 100. In the head-to-tail direction of the cleaning head assembly 100, the first brush plate 121 and the second brush plate 122 are located at the head end, and the squeegee 700 is located at the tail end.

[0079] The rotation of the operating lever assembly 400 does not need to be coupled with the tilt of the brush disc. For example, a speed control button can be provided on the operating lever assembly 400 to control the extension and retraction of the electric lever, thereby controlling the tilt of the brush disc and the travel speed of the floor scrubber.

[0080] Of course, drive wheels and a drive system can also be installed on the chassis of the cleaning head assembly 100, with the drive wheels driving the floor scrubber and the drive system controlling the speed of the drive wheels and the floor scrubber.

[0081] The above description is the preferred embodiment of this application. It should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of this application, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of this application.

[0082] Reference numerals: 100 Cleaning head assembly; 110 Base; 121 First brush disc; 122 Second brush disc; 200 Surface to be cleaned; 300 Rotating bracket; 400 Operating lever assembly; 410 Disc cam; 411 Base circle; 412 Protrusion; 510 First bracket; 520 Second bracket; 530 Limiting baffle; 540 Elastic element; 550 Hinge; 600 Drive rod; 610 Rotating wheel; 620 Flange; 700 Squeegee A (First direction); B (Second direction); C (Third direction).

Claims

1. A floor scrubbing machine, characterized in that, include: The cleaning head assembly (100) includes a base (110), a first brush plate (121) and a second brush plate (122). The first brush plate (121) and the second brush plate (122) can be controlled to rotate to rub the surface to be cleaned (200). The first brush plate (121) and the second brush plate (122) can also be rotatably connected to the base (110), and the rotation axes are parallel to a first direction (A), so that the first brush plate (121) and the second brush plate (122) are configured to be inclined relative to the surface to be cleaned (200) or parallel to the surface to be cleaned (200). An operating lever assembly (400) is rotatably connected to the cleaning head assembly (100), with its rotation axis parallel to a second direction (B), and the second direction (B) perpendicular to the first direction (A). The floor scrubber is configured such that when the lever assembly (400) rotates about the second direction (B) to adjust the first tilt angle (α) of the lever assembly (400) relative to the surface to be cleaned (200), the second tilt angles of the first brush disc (121) and the second brush disc (122) relative to the surface to be cleaned (200) can be correspondingly and synchronously adjusted in a controlled manner. When the first tilt angle (α) is a preset value between 0° and 90°, the second tilt angle is at its maximum; when the first tilt angle (α) increases from the preset value, the second tilt angle decreases; when the first tilt angle (α) decreases from the preset value, the second tilt angle decreases.

2. The floor scrubber according to claim 1, characterized in that, The floor scrubbing machine includes: The first bracket (510) and the first brush plate (121) are configured to be fixed relative to the first bracket (510) in their axial and radial directions; The second bracket (520) and the second brush plate (122) are configured to be fixed relative to the second bracket (520) in their axial and radial directions. The first bracket (510) and the second bracket (520) are respectively rotatably connected to the base (110). The first bracket (510) is also rotatably connected to the second bracket (520), and the axes of rotation are parallel to the first direction (A). An angle adjustment device includes a drive rod (600) configured to move in a third direction (C) perpendicular to the first direction (A) and the second direction (B), the drive rod (600) being controllably abutting against the other end of the first bracket (510) and / or the other end of the second bracket (520) to adjust the second tilt angle.

3. The floor scrubbing machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, The operating lever assembly (400) includes a disc cam (410) fixedly disposed at its end, the axis of rotation of the disc cam (410) being parallel to the second direction (B). One end of the drive rod (600) abuts against the curved profile of the disc cam (410), and the other end abuts against the other end of the first bracket (510) and / or the other end of the second bracket (520). After the disc cam (410) rotates with the operating lever assembly (400) about the second direction (B), the drive rod (600) can move under the drive of the disc cam (410) to adjust the second tilt angle.

4. The floor scrubbing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that, The disc cam (410) includes a base circle (411) and a protrusion (412). The profile of the protrusion (412) is formed as an axisymmetric figure, and the axis of symmetry passes through the vertex of the protrusion (412) along the radial direction of the disc cam (410).

5. The floor scrubber according to claim 3, characterized in that, The floor scrubber also includes: A limiting baffle (530) is provided, wherein the other end of the first bracket (510) and / or the other end of the second bracket (520) can abut against the limiting baffle (530) after rotation. The limiting baffle (530) is provided with a baffle opening, and the driving rod (600) passes through the baffle opening and abuts against the other end of the first bracket (510) and / or the other end of the second bracket (520). An elastic element (540) is sleeved on the drive rod (600) and is used to apply an upward force to the drive rod (600).

6. The floor scrubbing machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, The joystick assembly (400) includes an angle sensor, and the angle adjustment device includes a controller. The angle sensor is capable of detecting the first tilt angle (α) and transmitting its angle data to the controller. The angle adjustment device includes an electric rod mechanism, and the controller is able to control the movement of the drive rod (600) of the electric rod mechanism based on the angle data it receives, thereby adjusting the second tilt angle.

7. The floor scrubbing machine according to claim 6, characterized in that, The angle sensor is replaced with a potentiometer capable of detecting the first tilt angle (α).

8. The floor scrubber according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the first tilt angle (α) is 45°, the second tilt angle is set to the maximum tilt angle. When the operating lever assembly (400) is perpendicular or parallel to the surface to be cleaned (200), the first brush disk (121) and the second brush disk (122) are respectively set to be parallel to the surface to be cleaned (200).

9. A method for controlling the travel speed of a floor scrubber, characterized in that, The floor scrubber is the floor scrubber according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The method for controlling the travel speed of a floor scrubber according to claim 9, characterized in that, The travel speed control method includes: The second tilt angle is adjusted from the larger first angle to the smaller second angle to achieve deceleration; The second tilt angle is adjusted from a smaller second angle to a larger first angle to achieve accelerated movement.

Images