Brush assembly for a floor cleaning unit

A floor cleaning device having a base assembly for movement along a cleaning surface is provided. The base assembly comprises a brush assembly for engaging the surface of the floor being cleaned removably mounted to a base part. A nozzle assembly is removably mounted to the base part such that the nozzle assembly is positioned adjacent to the brush assembly to prevent the brush assembly from disengaging from the base part.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to floor cleaning unit having a brush assembly.

2. Background Information

It is known in the prior art to provide a floor cleaning unit having brushes to assist in scrubbing of the surface being cleaned. The brush assembly is generally affixed to the main body of the floor cleaning unit. However, after many times of use, a user may want to remove the brush assembly to clean the brushes or replace them due to the wear and tear of their bristles.

One example of a brush removal device is illustrated by commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,009,593 issued to Crouser. This patent generally comprises an elongate brush support beam having integrally molded, spaced apart, vertically aligned cylindrical bearings each receiving therein a vertically directed axle shaft of an associated rotary scrubbing brush. The brush assembly has outwardly projecting resilient tangs51depending from the lower end of gear guard32A. Each tab snaps into vertically elongated grooves or slots53and57respectively of lower housing in the base module10of the carpet extractor. Each tab has hook portions at its free end that will engage the bottom end of the vertical slot to support the guard and brush support beam. The resilient tabs are pressed inwardly by a user to disengage the hooks from the bottom end of the vertical slot and thus, allow removal of the brush block. However, due to the structure and arrangement of the tangs with respect to the brush block, a user has some difficulty in accessing, grasping, and pressing the tabs inwardly. Often, a tool such as a screwdriver has to be used by the user to press the tabs inwardly.

Hence, it is an object of the present invention to provide a brush assembly that is easily removed from a floor cleaning unit by a user.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a brush assembly of a floor cleaning unit with improved distribution of cleaning solution.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The foregoing and other objects of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following description and the attached drawings. In one embodiment of the present invention, an improved floor cleaning unit having a base assembly for movement along a cleaning surface is provided. The base assembly comprises a brush assembly for engaging the surface of the floor being cleaned mounted to a base part. A nozzle assembly is removably mounted to the base part such that the nozzle assembly is positioned adjacent to the brush assembly to prevent the brush assembly from disengaging from the base part.

In another aspect of the invention, an improved floor cleaning unit having a base assembly for movement along a cleaning surface is provided. The base assembly comprises a nozzle assembly and a brush assembly for engaging the surface of the floor being cleaned mounted to a base part. The brush assembly includes a support member having a plurality of rows of bristles extending downwardly. A dispensing bar is provided to the support member and includes a row of fluid distribution openings parallel to the rows of bristles. The row of fluid distribution openings is positioned between two rows of bristles.

In still another aspect of the invention, a method for removing a brush assembly from a floor cleaning unit having a nozzle assembly is disclosed. The method includes the steps of removing the nozzle assembly to allow access to the brush assembly and then removing the brush assembly from the brush assembly from the floor cleaning device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings,FIG. 1depicts a perspective view of an upright hard floor-cleaning unit40of one embodiment of the present invention. The hard floor cleaning unit40comprises an upright handle assembly42pivotally connected to the rear portion of a base assembly44that moves and cleans along a surface. The base assembly44includes a nozzle assembly62for recovering particles and/or fluid from the floor and a brush block assembly216(FIGS. 2,4–8) for scrubbing the floor. The base assembly44further includes a frame52(FIG. 2) which is generally unitary molded and includes two laterally displaced rear wheels54. The handle assembly42includes a recovery tank53for collecting the particles and/or fluid picked up by the nozzle assembly62and a solution tank43containing cleaning solution for distribution on the floor.

Generally, the hard floor cleaning unit40can be used for two modes of cleaning, the dry and wet mode as best illustrated in FIG. 18 in U.S. Pat. No. 6,297,409; the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. In the dry mode, the nozzle assembly62and brush block assembly216are raised to allow pick up of large loose particles. In the wet mode the nozzle assembly62is lowered to collect the fluid and pick it up. Also, in the wet mode, the brush block assembly216can be lowered by a lifting lever718(FIG. 2), if desired, to scrub the floor. Both the nozzle assembly62and brush block assembly216are removable from the base assembly44. As best shown inFIG. 3, a hood or cover172snap fits onto the frame52and includes dry mode and wet mode openings or windows174and176, respectively, to inform the user that the hard floor cleaner is in either the dry mode or wet mode.

As depicted inFIG. 2, the nozzle assembly62includes an elastomeric squeegee66attached around its inlet. The nozzle assembly62includes a pair of slide latches110on opposite sides of the nozzle assembly62for removably securing the nozzle assembly62to the frame52. When connecting the nozzle assembly62to the frame52, each slide latch110is first slid outwardly. The nozzle assembly62is then positioned forwardly adjacent the brush assembly216and the latches110are slid inwardly so that the tongue member112extends partially through a lateral channel130formed in the frame52thereby locking the nozzle assembly to the frame52. The brush block assembly216is removably secured to the base assembly44for agitating the surface to be cleaned.

In particular, as depicted inFIGS. 5 through 7, the brush block assembly216comprises a rectilinear brush support member218having two front and two rear rows of bristle bundles220compressively inserted into blind bores located in the support member218. The rows are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the brush support member218and also oriented transversely to the cleaning path. The bristle bundles220project downwardly from the support member218for engagement with the cleaning surface.

As best shown inFIG. 4, the support member218further includes a line of elongated slots222spaced longitudinally and disposed between the front and rear edges of the support member218. A dispensing bar224is integrally formed with the bottom of the support member218, underlying the bottom of slots222. The dispensing bar224includes a row of openings226for the passage of cleaning solution from the solution tank43. The openings226are aligned with the slots222for fluid communication therebetween. As shown inFIGS. 5 and 7, the outlets of the openings226define downwardly extending nipples228formed on the bottom of the dispensing bar224to direct the cleaning solution downward and prevent it from adhering and spreading on the bottom of the dispensing bar224. An additional scrub strip230is adhesively mounted on the bottom of the support member forwardly adjacent the openings226.

Together, the dispensing bar224and slots222define relatively deep compartments or troughs232(FIG. 6) in the support member218, which break up bubbles of cleaning solution that collects therein. The relatively wide troughs232also allow easy rinsing and cleaning of dirt in collected therein. As best depicted inFIG. 6, recessed channels240are disposed in the upper surface238of the support member218to direct the cleaning solution to flow into the troughs232. Integrally formed on the top surface246of the support member218are splash guards236that surround the channels240to prevent the cleaning solution from splashing out of the channels. Since the troughs232are spaced apart, the collecting of cleaning solution in one area is minimized in case of an error occurring in molding an uneven dispensing bar224. A pair of outwardly curved ribs254,256, which define a handgrip, is attached on the top surface246of the support member near the front end. A nub258is formed at the forward end of each of the ribs254,256for added grip support.

A pair of locating hooks242is attached to the top surface of the support member and extends rearwardly. As best depicted inFIG. 7, the lateral free leg244of each hook242is slidably received into a horizontal pocket or channel248formed in the frame52of the base assembly44. The height of the pocket248is larger than that of the free leg244to allow room for the free leg244to move vertically and thereby allow the brush block assembly to float over irregular or uneven surfaces. With the brush block assembly so positioned, the nozzle assembly62abuts the front of the brush assembly216to secure the brush block assembly216to the frame52, thereby preventing the brush assembly216from sliding out of the pockets248. The hooks242also slidably engage upon the top of the distributor plate250at a position in which the outlets of the distributor plate250are aligned with the recessed channels240, as shown inFIG. 8, to direct the cleaning solution to flow from the outlets of the distributor plate250into the trough232. Two coil springs252, inserted around their associated downwardly depending projections257of the frame52, are positioned securely between the distributor plate250and frame to bias the brush block assembly216on the cleaning surface. Other suitable springs or biasing devices could be used such as, for example, a leaf spring252provided between the distributor plate250and frame52as depicted inFIG. 9.

To remove the brush block assembly216from the floor cleaning unit40, a user slides the slide latches110of the nozzle assembly62outwardly and removes the nozzle assembly62to gain access to the brush block assembly216. The user then grasps the ribs254,256of the handgrip with his thumb and finger and pulls forward to slide the hooks out of the pockets248of the frame52, thereby removing the brush block assembly216from the floor cleaning unit40. Because of the removable feature of the brush block assembly216, different types of brush assemblies can be interchangeably mounted to the frame52, such as, for example, one having soft bristles to scrub wood surfaces. Further, the dispensing bar can also be a separate piece rather than being integrally formed with the support member246.

Further details of the floor cleaning unit40are disclosed in co-pending patent application Ser. No. 09/956,297; the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. The present invention has been described by way of example using the illustrated embodiment. Upon reviewing the detailed description and the appended drawings, various modifications and variations of the preferred embodiment will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. All such obvious modifications and variations are intended to be included in the scope of the present invention and of the claims appended hereto.

In view of the above, it is intended that the present invention not be limited by the preceding disclosure of a preferred embodiment, but rather be limited only by the appended claims.