Abstract:
A washing-drying machine including a scraping device including a reversible fastening system of scraping blades. The reversible fastening system makes it possible to apply the scraping blades to the scraping device in a simple and safe way and as simply to remove them to clean them or replace them when worn out through a flexible fastening mechanism including holes for engaging with support elements provided on the scraping device, and including at least an elastic end portion with a slot for engaging with the undercut of a corresponding locking element, formed in the proximity of end portions of the support.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a floor washing-drying machine comprising a scraping device provided with a reversible blade fastening system. In particular, the invention relates to a reversible fastening system of scraping blades which makes it possible to apply the scraping blades to the scraping device in a simple and safe way and as simply to remove them in order to clean them or replace them when worn out. 
       PRIOR ART TECHNIQUE 
       [0002]    Conventionally, floor washing-drying machines fundamentally comprise two different operating units: a head provided with brushes and with feeding of washing liquid for washing and a scraping device connected to a suction system for the collecting of dirty water and for the floor drying. 
         [0003]    In particular, the scraping device is a device which scrapes the floor following the machine, collecting the washing liquid by means of at least a blade mounted on a suitable support provided with a hole or suction passage. The blade is a strip of natural or synthetic rubber material which is pressed against the floor surface so as to scrape it in order to obtain the cleaning effect. 
         [0004]    Preferably, the blades are two, curved and parallel, spaced so as to form a suction chamber. In particular, a front blade and a rear blade are mounted onto the support, with respect to the cleaning direction, in order to delimit, together with the floor, said suction chamber. In fact, generally, the front blade is rubbery but more rigid and thinner than the rear blade and it has the function of collecting and conveying the washing liquid into the suction chamber. On the contrary, the rear blade is rubbery but thicker and softer as it has to perform the real drying function. 
         [0005]    The front and the rear blades are mechanically fastened to the support so as to be stuck to it in order to prevent air losses from the suction chamber. This fastening has to make it possible an adequate compression of the blades onto the floor and keep them in this position in order to ensure the scraping contact with the floor thereto. 
         [0006]    Due to the continuous scraping on the floor, the blades get dirty and are subjected to wearing out. Therefore they must often be removed to be cleaned or replaced. 
         [0007]    The floor washing machines currently on the market have different ways of fastening the blades usually made with rigid locking means, with shapes complementary to that of the support, mounted by means of screw-like mobile hooked devices. But these systems are complex to assemble and disassemble and require a long time to remove and place the blades. Moreover, the locking means are sometimes difficult to handle, and gloves and tools must be used. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The technical problem at the basis of the present invention is therefore that of devising a system for hooking and locking the blades to the corresponding support mounted on a scraping device of a floor washing-drying machine, capable of avoiding complex and difficult operations by the user for the normal usage of the same blades. 
         [0009]    Such problem is solved by means of a fastening system of the blades to the support provided with simple but efficient hooking/unhooking elements capable of making maintenance simple and quick by the user of the floor washing-drying machine. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES 
         [0010]    Further characteristics and advantages of the floor washing-drying machine comprising a scraping device provided with a reversible hooking system for the blades according to the invention will become more apparent from the following description of two not limiting forms of embodiment for exemplification only, with reference to the following figures, wherein: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  shows an axonometric view of a floor washing-drying machine; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  shows an axonometric and exploded view of a scraping device for the blades of a floor washing-drying machine according to the invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  shows the view of an end portion particular of the scraping device of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  shows an axonometric view of a particular of a first assembling stage of a blade according to a first embodiment; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  shows an axonometric view of the particular in  FIG. 4  in a second assembling stage; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  shows an axonometric view of the particular in  FIG. 4  in the final assembling stage; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  shows a view of a particular of a first assembling stage of a blade according to a second form of embodiment of the invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  shows an axonometric view of the particular in  FIG. 7  in a second assembling stage; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  shows an axonometric view of the particular in  FIG. 7  in the final assembling stage; 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  shows a rear axonometric view of the assembled scraping device in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  shows a front axonometric view of the scraping device in  FIG. 10 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    In  FIG. 1  with the reference number  10  it is shown an example of floor washing-drying machine. The floor washing-drying machines  10  are provided with a washing group  1  in the front and a scraping device  2  in the rear with respect to cleaning direction. The scraping device  2  is apt to cleanse, that is to collect and suck in, the washing water used by the washing group for the floor cleaning. 
         [0023]    The scraping device  2 , better shown in the exploded  FIG. 2 , conventionally comprises a support  3  whereon at least a scraping blade  4 ,  5  is mounted. Moreover, the support  3  delimits, by means of said at least one blade and the floor, a space or suction chamber (not shown) for the dirty washing water. In particular, the support  3  generally has a curved shape with a first concave surface  31  in the cleaning direction, that is at the front of the machine, and a second convex surface  32  in the direction opposite to that of the cleaning direction, that is at the rear of the machine. Both first  31  and second  32  surfaces are provided with support elements  33 A and  33 B, respectively, completely projecting and aligned along the longitudinal extension of support  3  with a preset pitch. Preferably, these elements, on one or both first  31  and second  32  surfaces, have a mushroom shape so as to form an engaging undercut with the edges of the holes of the respective blades  4  and  5 , as it will be later explained. 
         [0024]    Advantageously, as it will be better shown in  FIG. 3 , in correspondence with the end portions of the support  3  and on both first  31  and second  32  surfaces thereof a preferably hook-shaped fastening element  34 A and  34 B, respectively, projects. In particular, the fastening element  34 A projecting from the first surface  31  of the support  3  is generally L-shaped with a segment facing the longitudinal end of the support. On the contrary, the fastening element  34 B projecting from the second surface  32  of the support  3  is generally L-shaped too but with a segment facing the opposite end with respect to where it is situated. 
         [0025]    As previously mentioned, at least one scraping blade, preferably two, can be mounted on the support  3 . Said at least one blade can be a first blade  4  mounted on said first surface  31  of the support  3 , that is on the concave surface, and/or a second blade  5  mounted on the second surface  32  of the support  3 , that is on the convex surface. 
         [0026]    The first blade  4  is a longitudinal strip generally of rubbery material and provided with notches  41  to allow the passage of the liquid into the suction chamber. This blade therefore has the function of collecting the dirty washing liquid. Moreover, it is crossed by a plurality of holes  42  for engaging with the support elements  33 A formed on the first surface  31  of the support  3 , as it will be explained later. 
         [0027]    Similarly, the second blade is a longitudinal strip, notoriously, with the function of scraping the floor, that is drying, of rubbery material. Therefore, it has a basically uninterrupted contact edge with the floor and it is crossed by a plurality of holes  51  for engaging with the corresponding support elements  33 B. 
         [0028]    The scraping device  2  according to the present invention comprises, moreover, fastening or locking means apt to cooperate with said support elements  33 A and  33 B in order to keep the blades  4  and  5  pressed against the support  3  of the scraping device. Advantageously, said means comprise ( FIG. 2 ) at least a flexible belt, perforated and provided with at least an elastic end portion  61 ,  71  with a slot  62 ,  72  for engaging with the above said fastening element or hook  34 A and  34 B placed at the end portion of support  3 . 
         [0029]    In particular, the flexible belt  6 , according to a first embodiment of the invention, is constituted by a strip of hard plastic but flexible material whose the opposite ends are provided with an elastic end portion  61 , preferably having a serpentine shape providing the necessary elasticity for snap-engaging between the slot  62  and the corresponding hook  34 A, as later described in detail. Further, the belt  6  is crossed by a plurality of holes  63  apt to be engaged with the corresponding support elements  33 A. 
         [0030]    Preferably, the belt  6  acts as a locking or keeping means of the first blade  4  on the front surface  31  of the support  3  of the scraping device  2 . 
         [0031]    In accordance with a variation of the embodiment of the invention, the fastening means comprise a flexible belt  7  made of a strip of an elastic and soft polymeric material. The material can be natural rubber, India rubber, or synthetic rubber based on elastomeric polymers. In particular, the slot  72  formed in the elastic end portion  71  elastically engages with the hook  34 B. Similarly, the belt  7  is crossed by holes  73  having dimension and distance one from the other, or distance between centres, reduced with respect to the corresponding support elements  33 B arranged on the second surface  32  of the scraping device  2 . 
         [0032]    With reference to  FIGS. 4-8 , it is herewith described the assembling of the scraping device  2  in  FIG. 1 . Firstly, it is describe the locking of the first blade  4  and subsequently that of the second blade  5 , even though this is not a binding order. 
         [0033]    The locking of the first blade  4  is carried out mounting the first blade  4  on the surface  31  of the support  3 . In particular, the holes  42  are engaged in the respective support elements  33 A in the traditional way. Preferably, it is a snap engaging as the holes  42  are slightly smaller of the same support elements, such as when said elements have a mushroom-shape. 
         [0034]    Then, the first belt  6  is mounted on the first blade  4  engaging first the holes  63  with the same support elements  33 A. In this position ( FIG. 4 ), the elastic ends  61  of said belt are placed above the hook  34 A, but the respective slot  62  is not aligned with the hook. At this stage, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the elastic end  61  is compressed thanks to the serpentine portion so as to align the slot  62  with the hook  34 A. Now, it is possible to move this end towards the first blade so that the inner edge of the opening of the slot  62  crosses the undercut defined by the hook. Finally, it is sufficient to release the elastic end  61  to make it possible to engage the slot edge with said undercut, as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0035]    The unlocking and the removal of the first blade  4  are done in a simple and quick way carrying out the just described operations but in the reverse order. 
         [0036]    It is to note that the flexibility together with the elasticity of its ends makes it possible for the first belt  6  to engage the first concave surface  31  of the support  3  of the scraping device  2  compressing the blade  4  in a suitable way. Further, as the scraping device  2  is curved, such longitudinal compression gives a normal push to the belt  6  which winds up onto the blade keeping it actually adherent to the same scraping device. In fact, when belt  6  is mounted, its length between the end hooks  33 A is higher with respect to the length of the arch development of the first surface  31  of the same support  3 . In this configuration, the belt  6  is compressed against the first blade  4  ( FIG. 10 ). 
         [0037]    The locking of the second blade  5  ( FIGS. 7-9 ) is carried out first, mounting the blade  5  on the second surface  32  in exactly the same way as for the mounting of the first blade  4 . In fact, the holes  52  are engaged by the support elements  33 B projecting from the second surface  32 , preferably providing a snap engaging thanks to the mushroom shape of the same elements. Subsequently, as shown in  FIG. 8 , the second belt  7  is fastened on the second blade  5  engaging the holes  73  with the support elements  33 B. Advantageously, as the distances between the holes  73 , or the distances between centres of the second belt  7  are reduced with respect to those of the respective support elements  33 B, this operation occurs by stretching the same belt thanks to its elastic nature in order to lengthen it enough so as to centre said holes with said support elements  33 B. Once the centring has been carried out, in order to obtain the desired engagement, it is enough to push the belt against the support elements and release the belt. Similarly, the undercut of the hook  34 B is engaged by the slot  72  pulling the belt and releasing it after the slot has passed said undercut. 
         [0038]    It is to note that the elastic traction the belt undergoes in the locking position ensures an adequate compression of the blade along its entire longitudinal extension. 
         [0039]    Advantageously, moreover, the mushroom shape of the support elements  33 B further ensure the snap-engaging with belt  7 , again in order to ensure the necessary compression of the blade against the support  3  of the scraping device  2 . The hook  34 B, on each end of the belt  7 , in addition ensures an optimal endurance also in case of frontal shocks/bumps that tend to tear the blade in its rear part ( FIG. 9 ). 
         [0040]    As previously, the removal is very easy and quick as, thanks to the elasticity of the same belt, it is sufficient to unhook each hole from the locking elements acting in the reverse way with respect to the foregoing. 
         [0041]    Preferably, the belt  7  can be provided with a gripping means (not shown), for example tongue shaped projecting from the plane of the same belt and placed in correspondence of the slot  73 , so as to facilitate gripping and handling in the assembling and disassembling stages. 
         [0042]    From the foregoing, it can be understood that the inconveniences described in the introductory part of the present invention have been overcome. 
         [0043]    In particular, the fastening system according to the present invention avoids using hooking elements made of screws or mobile hooks. 
         [0044]    It is not necessary for the user to use any tools and to waste a lot of time assembling the scraping device. 
         [0045]    Consequently, the fastening system has been simplified reducing, on the one hand, the number of components to handle and on the other, simplifying the operations needed when assembling the scraping device. 
         [0046]    Nevertheless, the system reliability has not been hindered at all as the blades are efficiently compressed against the support of the scraping device. 
         [0047]    A lot of modifications can be carried out by the skilled in the field without exiting the protection field of the present invention according to the appended claims. 
         [0048]    For example, the support elements  33 A and  33 B of the support  3  and the corresponding holes  63  and  73 , respectively of the first  6  and second  7  fastening belt can be replaced by pressure snap fasteners. 
         [0049]    The support elements can be formed on the fastening means  6  and  7  so as to engage the corresponding seats on the surfaces  31 ,  32  of the support  3 . 
         [0050]    Similarly, the locking hooks  34 A and  34 B can be formed on the fastening means  6 ,  7  and the corresponding slots on the surfaces  31  and  32  of the support  3 . 
         [0051]    The support  3  of the scraping device  2  can be provided with a fastening system of the blades comprising one of the two belts  6  and  7  previously described in order to block the respective blade  4  and  5 , while the other blade can be blocked by means of a traditional locking means. 
         [0052]    The materials used to make the fastening elements can be traditional hard but flexible plastic materials for the first fastening element  6 , such as polyamide polymers, polypropylenes, polyethylene and elastomeric polymers for the second fastening means  7 , such as natural rubber, synthetic rubber such as butadiene-styrene, polyurethane, silicone rubber. 
         [0053]    The elastic serpentine in correspondence of the ends  61  of the first belt  6  or fastening means can be replaced by a similar elastic means such as a traditional spring suitably fixed to the same belt.