Abstract:
A floor cleaning machine is provided that includes a chassis that supports at least one cleaning element. The chassis is supported by a plurality of wheels, one which is steerable via a steering wheel that is interconnected to a housing also associated with the chassis. The chassis provided includes a plurality of movable housing members, one of which is associated with the steering wheel. To access the internal components of the floor cleaning machine, the front housing is rotated or moved away from the other housings wherein the steering wheel does not require disconnection to allow this movement.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/511,704, filed Jul. 29, 2009, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention is generally related to floor cleaning machines. More specifically, one embodiment of the present invention is a floor cleaning machine that includes a steering mechanism with a flexible telescoping portion. The flexible telescoping portion accommodates movement of a housing to which it is associated to allow easy access to interior portions of the device. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Floor cleaning machines generally of the walk behind or ride on variety are comprised of a chassis supported by a plurality of wheels, one of which is steerable to control the path of the machine. The chassis also accommodates the cleaning apparatus, such as a brush(s), a squeegee, a burnisher, for example (hereinafter “cleaning apparatus”). The steerable wheel is interconnected to a steering wheel, or joy stick, by way of a steering mechanism comprised of various gears. The chassis also supports tanks used to hold water cleaning fluids and spent cleaning fluids suctioned from the floor. The majority of the components associated with the cleaning machine are surrounded by at least one housing which protects the internal components from the environment and protects individuals that are working around the machine from touching the often hot internal components. As floor cleaning machines are often used in tight spaces, such as bathrooms and hallways, it is desirable to make floor cleaning machines as compact as possible. 
         [0004]    It is also desirable to provide floor cleaning machines that allow for easy access to internal componentry for maintenance and repair thereof. Unfortunately, the desire for easy access is often at odds with the desire to provide a compact apparatus. Specifically, prior art machines are constructed in such a way that the internal volume thereof is minimized, providing a compact machine, but leaving virtually no easy access to internal componentry. In order to address this disadvantage, some prior art machines utilize removable segments to the housing that cover internal components. Often, however, external components, such as steering wheels, control panels, external storage tanks, etc., must be removed prior to removal of these housing segments. Removal of the external componentry as well as the housing segments technology is time consuming, costly, and increases the chance that the machine will be damaged or a component of the machine will be lost. 
         [0005]    Thus there is a long felt need to provide a floor cleaning machine that is compact yet allows easy access to the internal components thereof without requiring disassembly of portions of the floor cleaning machine. The following disclosure describes an improved floor cleaning machine that includes a plurality of movable housings that are associated with external components that do not require removal prior to removal or movement of the housings. Thus a highly compact, yet serviceable floor cleaning machine is provided, as will be described below. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is one aspect of the embodiment of the present invention to provide a floor cleaning machine that includes a chassis that is supported by a plurality of wheels, one of which is steerable. The steerable wheel is associated with a steering mechanism that is also associated with the chassis. The steering mechanism generally may employ a plurality of gears that transfer rotational inputs from a steering wheel to rotation of the gears that ultimately alter the angle of the steerable wheel or wheels. The chassis also supports floor cleaning apparatus, such as brushes, squeegees, spray nozzles, etc., all of which are described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,533,435 entitled “Floor Treatment Apparatus”, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. 
         [0007]    The internal components of the floor cleaning machine, such as pumps, vacuums, storage tanks, tubes, electrical hardware, batteries, etc. are stored within a housing, which generally defines the outer envelope of the floor cleaning device. The housing directs cooling air around certain components of the floor cleaning device, protects individuals from gaining accidental access to hazardous areas of the floor cleaning device and protects internal components of the floor cleaning device from environmental damage. In one embodiment of the present invention, the housing may be comprised of a primary housing directly interconnected to the chassis. The primary housing may have a plurality of removable segments that allow selective access to the interior of the floor cleaning device or may be of one piece construction that surrounds all internal components of the floor cleaning machine. The primary housing may be removable from the chassis in any number of ways known in the art. A front housing is rotatably interconnected to at least one of the primary housing or the chassis and is thus capable of transitioning away from the primary housing to allow access to internal components covered thereby, both from above and from the front of the floor cleaning machine. Finally, a rear housing is provided that may also be rotatably interconnected to the chassis and/or primary housing. The housing segment is also selectively rotatable from the primary housing to allow access to internal components covered thereby, both from the rear and top of the floor cleaning machine. 
         [0008]    The front housing of one embodiment of the present invention accommodates various controls associated with the floor cleaning machine. These controls may indicate the amount of cleaning and spent fluid in the tanks, control power, battery life, etc. The front housing also accommodates a steering wheel that allows the operator to selectively control the movement of the floor cleaning machine. The steering wheel is interconnected to a steering mechanism by a shaft. Rotation of the steering wheel causes the connected shaft to similarly rotate, ultimately causing a change to the angle of the steerable wheel. 
         [0009]    The steering shaft of one embodiment of the present invention is able to move as the housing rotates without requiring disconnection from the steering mechanism or removal of the steering wheel. The shaft of one embodiment includes a stationary rigid portion that is slidably interconnected to a flexible portion that selectively slides over the rigid portion and flexes when the front housing is rotated away from the primary housing. More specifically, in order to also accommodate the movement of the shaft, a slip fitting is preferably interconnected to the flexible portion to allow the steering shaft to separate from the chassis, by sliding over the rigid portion, while remaining interconnected to the steering mechanism. 
         [0010]    The rear housing of one embodiment of the present invention may accommodate a tank that stores at least one of clean water or waste water. In one embodiment, the tank is capped prior to rotating it away from the primary housing to avoid spillage of the tank contents. One advantage of some embodiments of the present invention described herein, is that a compact floor cleaning machine is provided that allows for easy and selective access to internal components of the machine without having to remove the machine housing, a timely and thus costly process. 
         [0011]    The Summary of the Invention is neither intended nor should it be construed as being representative of the full extent and scope of the present invention. Moreover, references made herein to “the present invention” or aspects thereof should be understood to mean certain embodiments of the present invention and should not necessarily be construed as limiting all embodiments to a particular description. The present invention is set forth in various levels of detail in the Summary of the Invention as well as in the attached drawings and the Detailed Description of the Invention and no limitation as to the scope of the present invention is intended by either the inclusion or non-inclusion of elements, components, etc. in this Summary of the Invention. Additional aspects of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the Detail Description, particularly when taken together with the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the general description of the invention given above and the detailed description of the drawings given below, serve to explain the principles of these inventions. 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of the floor cleaning machine of one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of  FIG. 1  wherein a front housing and a rear housing have been rotated from a primary housing of the floor cleaning machine; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a front elevation view of the floor cleaning device showing a chassis, a steering shaft and steering wheel, the aforementioned housing has been removed for clarity; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a front perspective view similar to that of  FIG. 3  wherein the steering wheel has been moved to a second position. 
       
    
    
       [0017]    To assist in the understanding of one embodiment of the present invention the following list of components and associated numbering found in the drawings is provided herein: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 # 
                 Components 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 2 
                 Floor cleaning machine 
               
               
                 6 
                 Chassis 
               
               
                 10 
                 Rear wheel 
               
               
                 14 
                 Front wheel 
               
               
                 18 
                 Steering mechanism 
               
               
                 22 
                 Steering shaft 
               
               
                 26 
                 Steering wheel 
               
               
                 30 
                 Cleaning apparatus 
               
               
                 34 
                 Front housing 
               
               
                 38 
                 Rear housing 
               
               
                 42 
                 Primary housing 
               
               
                 46 
                 Vacuum motor 
               
               
                 50 
                 Control panel 
               
               
                 54 
                 Front hinge 
               
               
                 58 
                 Rear hinge 
               
               
                 62 
                 Tank 
               
               
                 66 
                 Rigid portion 
               
               
                 70 
                 Slip fitting 
               
               
                 74 
                 Flexible portion 
               
               
                 78 
                 Shaft 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0018]    It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale. In certain instances, details that are not necessary for an understanding of the invention or that render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1-4 , a floor cleaning machine  2  of one embodiment of the present invention is shown that is generally comprised of a chassis  6  that is supported by two rear wheels  10  and a steerable front wheel  14 . The front wheel  14  is associated with a steering mechanism  18  that is also interconnected to the chassis  6 . A steering shaft  22  ( FIGS. 3 and 4  only) is interconnected to the steering mechanism  10  and terminates at a steering wheel  26 . The chassis  6  also supports at least one cleaning apparatus  30  ( FIG. 1 ) and a plurality of housings. Two of the housings, a front housing  34  and a rear housing  38 , are capable of rotating away from a primary housing  42  to provide access to interior components of the floor cleaning machine  2 , such as a vacuum motor  46  ( FIG. 2 ). The steering wheel  26  is also associated with the front housing  34  and remains interconnected thereto when the front housing  34  is rotated away from the primary housing  42  ( FIG. 2 ). The steering shaft  22  of one embodiment of the present invention is thus flexible and is capable of moving away from the chassis  6  while remaining interconnected to the steering mechanism  18 . 
         [0020]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , the floor cleaning machine  2  of one embodiment of the present invention is shown. Here, the front housing  34  is connected to a front portion of the primary housing ( 42 ) and accommodates a control panel  50  and the steering wheel  26 . The rear housing  38  is also interconnected to the primary housing  42  and encloses hoses, mechanical and electrical components of the machine. The front wheel  14 , which is steerable, and the rear wheel  10  (a second rear wheel is not shown but positioned on the opposite side of the machine) which generally is not steerable, is associated with the chassis. The cleaning apparatus  30 , such as a cleaning brush and a squeegee, is also associated with the chassis. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the cleaning apparatus may be a brush, a scrubber, a burnisher, a squeegee, a spray nozzle, spent fluid pick-up mechanism etc., some of which are described in detail in the patent described in previously incorporated U.S. Pat. No. 7,533,435. 
         [0021]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the floor cleaning machine  2  of one embodiment of the present invention is shown in a second configuration. Here, the front housing  34  and rear housing  38  have been rotated away from the primary housing  42  to expose internal components of the floor cleaning machine  2 . Here, the steering wheel  26  and control panel  50  are moved along with the front housing  34 . The connections associated with the control panel  50  and the steering wheel  26 , i.e. the steering shaft  22 , remain associated with the chassis  6 , which will be described in further detail with respect to  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The internal components, such as a vacuum motor  46  are thus exposed to be maintained or repaired. The front housing  34  of the embodiment shown is hingedly interconnected to the primary housing  42  by way of a front hinge  54 . One skilled in the art will appreciate, however, that the front housing  34  may rotatably interconnect directly to the chassis  6 . The rear housing  38  is rotatably interconnected to the chassis  6  by way of a rear hinge  58  and accommodates in one embodiment a storage tank  62 . Those in the art will also appreciate that the rotatable housings could be rotated in virtually any direction desired which would best facilitate the objects of the benefits of the disclosed inventive features. 
         [0022]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the nature of the steering shaft  22  is shown, with the remainder of the components shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  having been removed for clarity. The steering shaft  22  may be comprised of a rigid portion  66 , that is interconnected to the steering wheel  26  and a slip fitting  70 , with a flexible portion  74  therebetween. Rotation of the steering wheel  26  will thus rotate the rigid portion  66 , which will rotate the flexible portion  74  and the slip fitting  70 , which will ultimately rotate the front wheel  14  to allow steering of the floor cleaning machines. 
         [0023]    Referring specifically to  FIG. 4 , the steering wheel  26  is shown in a second position of use, where the front housing has been rotated away from the primary housing (see  FIG. 2 ). Here, one can quickly appreciate that when rotated, the flexible portion  74  will flex to allow the steering wheel to be maintained with the front housing. In addition, the slip fitting  70  will move upwardly away from the chassis  6 . The slip fitting  70  is slidingly interconnected to a shaft  78  that is interconnected to at least one mechanism, such as a gear or belt that rotates the steerable front wheel  14 . As those in the art will appreciate the shaft  8  could also be directly connected to the steering wheel assembly. 
         [0024]    In one embodiment, the shaft  78  is hexagonal and cooperates with a hexagonal opening in the slip fitting  70  to allow rotation of the steering wheel  26  to be translated to the steerable shaft  22  to allow the rotation of the steerable front wheel  14 . One skilled in the art will appreciate, however, that any configuration that provides rotational locking between the slip fitting  70  and the shaft  78  that would allow for rotation of the shaft  78  upon rotation of the slip fitting  70  is within the scope of the disclosure. 
         [0025]    The flexible portion  74  may be constructed of nylon impregnated rubber or any other compliant or flexible material. Alternatively, a wire overwrapped flexible bellows member may be used instead of a composite rubber member. Further, in order to facilitate rotational translation of the steering wheel  26  to the steering mechanism, the flexible portion  74  may be comprised of a rubber tube wrapped by a flexible metal coil. Additionally, one of skill in the art will appreciate that a bellows system may be used wherein the slip fitting  70  is omitted and the bellows would be directly interconnected to the steering mechanism  18  and thus would allow for bending of the steering shaft  22  and selective elongation thereof if needed. One skilled in the art will appreciate the various systems that may be used to achieve the goal of providing at least one of flexibility in the steering assembly and/or elongation thereof to accommodate the moving of the front housing. 
         [0026]    In one embodiment of the present invention the flexible portion  74  is made of steel reinforced rubber and is about 22 inches long. In addition, the steering shaft  78  is 9 inches long and has a hexagonal exterior configuration that fits into a hexagonal opening of the slip fitting  70 . One skilled in the art will also appreciate that the shaft  78  may be hollow such that the slip fitting  70  fits within the shaft  78 , for example. 
         [0027]    While various embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it is apparent that modifications and alterations of those embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and alterations are within the scope and spirit of the present invention, as set forth in the following claims.