Patent Publication Number: US-6904638-B2

Title: Drying apparatus

Description:
This invention relates to a drying apparatus, and in particular to a drying apparatus for floors, worktop surfaces and the like. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   In restaurants and public areas generally floor surfaces have to be cleaned on a regular basis. This typically involves mopping the floor and then leaving the floor to dry prior to use of the cleaned floor area. Usually, the newly cleaned floor area is cordoned off until it dries to prevent persons walking on the floor whilst wet and possibly slipping on the wet floor. It will be appreciated that this is very inconvenient, particularly in a restaurant for example, in that portions of the premises are unavailable for use for extended periods. Similarly, where spillages occur these have to be cleaned up and the floor left to dry over a period, again with the wet floor area cordoned off which interrupts the smooth flow of customers about the premises. 
   In the prior art WO 01/82766 disclosed a robotic floor mopping apparatus with motorised scrolling of a cleaning web between a feed roller and a take-up roller. In WO 97/03598 there is disclosed a dryer in which a drying web is scrolled between a supply roller and a take-up roller. Pawls engage rachette wheels at an end of each roller to prevent rotation of the rollers. Selective disengagement of the pawls is possible by manipulation of the handle of the apparatus and by tilting the apparatus so that an operative can advance the web between the supply roller and the take-up roller when desired. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,699 a floor cleaning device is disclosed having a removable cleaning cassette. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,609 a floor cleaner is disclosed having a cleaning cloth which is scrolled between two rollers by a drive motor continuously at low speed while operating the floor cleaner. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   According to the invention there is provided a drying apparatus including:
         a support frame,   means for rotatably mounting a drying spool on the support frame, said drying spool having a web of liquid absorbent material wound about the spool,   a take-up roller rotatably mounted on the support frame, the take-up roller being associated with the drying spool for reception of the web of liquid absorbent material form the drying spool, and   means for scrolling the web of liquid absorbent material from the drying spool onto the take-up roller in a controlled manner.       

   In a particularly preferred embodiment indexing means is provided for incrementally feeding the web from the drying spool to the take-up roller in response to engagement and movement of the drying apparatus over a surface. 
   Advantageously the drying apparatus can be used to immediately dry a wet floor surface or indeed any other wet surface by moving the drying web over the surface to absorb moisture from the surface. The web is subsequently scrolled on when the portion in contact with the floor becomes wet. Thus conveniently floor areas subjected to cleaning can be readily easily and quickly dried so they are available for immediate use. The web is automatically scrolled on during operation of the apparatus. 
   In a preferred embodiment of the invention a complementary pair of scrolling rollers are rotatably mounted spaced-apart on the support frame, the scrolling rollers including the take-up roller and an associated supply roller adapted for reception of the drying spool. 
   In another embodiment the indexing means is operably connected to the take-up roller for incrementally turning the take-up roller through a desired angular rotation. 
   Preferably the indexing means provides for unidirectional rotation of the take-up roller. 
   In a further embodiment the indexing means includes a stepped endless track and an associated pawl which is moveable along the track to allow stepped rotation of the take-up roller in one direction and to brake the take-up roller against rotation in the opposite direction, one of the pawl and the track being on the roller and the other of the pawl and the track being on the support frame. 
   In another embodiment the take-up roller is arranged for engagement with the wet surface for drying said wet surface with the web wound about the take-up roller, the indexing means having means for locking the take-up roller on the support frame during a forward drying stroke of the apparatus in which the take-up roller is pushed across the wet surface and means for temporarily releasing the locking means to allow an incremental turn of the take-up roller to advance the web on the take-up roller before or at the start of each forward drying stroke of the apparatus. 
   In another embodiment the indexing means includes a stepped endless track and associated pawl which is moveable along the track to allow stepped rotation of the take-up roller in one direction and to brake the take-up roller against rotation in the opposite direction, one of the pawl and the track being on the take-up roller and the other of the pawl and the track being on the support frame. Conveniently the endless track may comprise a stepped circular groove in an end face of the take-up roller and the pawl is pivotally mounted on the support frame and has a follower pin which travels along said groove. 
   In another embodiment a web attachment means is provided on the take-up roller for releasable attachment of a leading edge of the web to the take-up roller. 
   In one embodiment the web attachment means comprises a web mounting slot extending substantially parallel to a rotational axis of the take-up roller along the outer surface of the take-up roller and a complementary clamp bar which is releasably engagable with the web mounting slot to clamp the web at the web mounting slot. 
   Conveniently the clamp bar may be adapted for snap engagement with the web mounting slot. In another embodiment the clamp bar is sideably engagable with the web mounting slot. 
   In a further embodiment complementary interengagable locking formations are provided on the web mounting slot and on the clamp bar. 
   In another embodiment the web attachment means includes a gripper flap which is pivotally mounted at an exterior of the take-up roller intermediate the ends of the take-up roller for pivotal movement about a pivot axis substantially parallel to the rotational axis of the take-up roller, said gripper flap having an outer free end which overlies an outer surface of the take-up roller for engaging and retaining the web between said outer free end and the outer surface of the take-up roller, biasing means for the gripper flap which urges the outer free end of the gripper flap towards the outer surface of the take-up roller. 
   In another embodiment brake means is provided to resists rotation of the drying spool on the drying spool mounting means. The brake means may include complementary interengagable formations on the drying spool and the mounting means for the drying spool, said formations co-operating to resist rotation of the drying spool on the drying spool mounting means. Said formations may comprise interengaging teeth on the drying spool and on the drying spool mounting means. In another embodiment the drying spool includes a tubular core about which the web is wound, an end cap mounted at an outer end of said core, a brake arm extending inwardly on said end cap and having a rib forming a tooth on the brake arm, an associated brake element on the support frame has a set of circumferentially spaced-apart teeth for co-operating interengagement with the rib on the brake arm, the rib on the brake arm of the end cap being engagable between adjacent teeth on the brake element, said brake arm being movable outwardly sufficiently to force the rib over the teeth on the brake element in response to the puling force applied to the web by the take-up roller when winding the web on the take-up roller. 
   In another embodiment the take-up roller has a grooved outer surface. Preferably a number of spaced-apart radial ribs project outwardly on the surface of the take-up roller. The ribs may extend between opposite ends of the roller. 
   In another embodiment the clamp bar is attached to a leading edge of the liquid absorbent web. 
   In a further embodiment means may be provided on the spool which co-operates with the spool mounting means to only allow mounting of the spool on the support frame in a desired orientation. In one embodiment where the spool has an axial bore which is slideably engagable with the supply roller said orienting means comprises a cap or cover extending across one end of the bore. 
   In another embodiment an inside face of the liquid absorbent web is coated with a water resistant material. This advantageously prevents wetting of a dry portion of the web by the used wet web portion previously scrolled onto the take-up roller when a new dry web portion is scrolled onto the take-up roller ready for use. This may be achieved in any suitable fashion. For example a liquid absorbent web may be formed as a laminate comprising a liquid absorbent web backed by a water impermeable web such as cellophane. Alternatively the inside face of the web may be sprayed or otherwise coated with a film of a water impermeable material. 
   In another embodiment a stand arm is provided on the support frame spaced away from the take-up roller for supporting the drying apparatus on the ground in a free standing position with the stand arm and take-up roller resting on the ground. 
   Conveniently the stand arm may be located at a front side of the take-up roller thus ensuring that the roller only engages the ground in a desired orientation associated with indexing of the take-up roller. 
   In another aspect of the invention there is provided a drying spool comprising a core about which a web of liquid absorbent material is wound, the core having means for mounting the spool on the drying apparatus. 
   In one embodiment a clamp bar for attachment to the take-up roller is mounted at a leading edge of the web of liquid absorbent material. 
   Conveniently means is provided at one end of the core which co-operates with the drying apparatus so that the drying spool can only be mounted in one desired orientation on the drying apparatus. 
   In a further aspect of the invention there is provided a drying web having a layer of liquid absorbent material a rear face of which is overlaid or coated with a layer or film of water impermeable material. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be more clearly understood by the following description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which; 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a drying apparatus according to the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is another perspective view of the drying apparatus; 
       FIG. 3  is a front elevational view of the drying apparatus; 
       FIG. 4  is a detail sectional end elevational view of a take-up roller forming portion of the drying apparatus; 
       FIG. 5  is a view similar to  FIG. 4  showing a liquid absorbing web wound about the roller; 
       FIG. 6  is a detail exploded sectional end elevation view showing a web clamping portion of the take-up roller; 
       FIG. 7  is a detail end elevational view of the take-up roller showing an indexing system used with the take-up roller; 
       FIG. 8  is a detail elevational view showing portion of the indexing system in a first position of use; 
       FIG. 9  is a view similar to  FIG. 7  showing the indexing system in a second position of use; 
       FIG. 10  is a view similar to  FIG. 8  showing the indexing system in the second position of use; 
       FIG. 11  is a view similar to  FIG. 7  showing the indexing system in a third position of use; 
       FIG. 12  is a view similar to  FIG. 8  showing the indexing system in the third position of use; 
       FIG. 13  is a detail perspective view illustrating part of a track portion of the indexing system; 
       FIG. 14  is a detail perspective view showing a pawl of the indexing system; 
       FIG. 15  is a detail elevational view of a drying web supply roller of the apparatus; 
       FIG. 16  is a perspective view of a drying apparatus according to a second embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 17  is an underneath perspective view of the drying apparatus of  FIG. 16 ; 
       FIG. 18  is a front elevational view of the drying apparatus of  FIG. 16 ; 
       FIG. 19  is a partially exploded perspective view of the drying apparatus of  FIG. 16 ; and 
       FIG. 20  is another partially exploded perspective view of the drying apparatus of  FIG. 16 ; and 
       FIGS. 21 and 22  are detail end views of the drying spool and take-up roller respectively of the drying apparatus of FIG.  16 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to the drawings and initially  FIGS. 1  to  15  thereof, there is illustrated a drying apparatus according to the invention indicated generally by the reference numeral  1 . The drying apparatus  1  has a support frame  2  with a handle  3 . A complementary pair of scrolling rollers are rotatably mounted vertically spaced-apart on the support frame  2  and include a supply roller  5  and an associated take-up roller  6 . A drying spool (not shown) having a web of liquid absorbent material wound about the spool, can be mounted on the supply roller  5  and scrolled incrementally onto the take-up roller  6  whilst pushing the take-up roller over a wet surface to absorb moisture from the wet surface thus drying the wet surface. A drying web  4  is shown fully wound up on the take-up roller  6  in  FIGS. 1  to  3 . 
   The supply roller  5  comprises an outer sleeve  7  which is rotatably mounted upon a spindle (not shown) secured to the support frame  2  and extending outwardly there from in cantilevered fashion. A removable end cap  8  at a free end of the sleeve  7  retains a spool with a web of liquid absorbent material wound about the spool on the sleeve  7  in use. Some form of friction resistance or braking may be applied to the sleeve  7  to resist pulling off the web from the spool so that the web will not freely run off the spool but must be pulled from the spool by the take-up roller  6 . 
   The take-up roller  6  has a cylindrical drum  10  (FIG.  4 ). Circular bearing plates  11  engage in opposite ends of the drum  10 , a spindle  13  ( FIG. 7 ) on the support frame  2  rotatably engaging the bearing plates  11  to rotatably mount the drum  10  on the spindle for rotation of the take-up roller  6 . 
   Web attachment means indicated generally by the reference numeral  12  is provided on the take-up roller  6  for attachment of a leading edge of a drying web  4  to the take-up roller  6 . Said web attachment means comprises a web mounting slot  14  extending substantially parallel to a rotational axis of the take-up roller  6  along an outer surface of the drum  10  and a complementary clamp bar  15  which is releasably engagable with the web mounting slot  14  to clamp the web at the slot  14 . While the drying web could simply be inserted into the slot  14  and then clamped in place by the clamp bar  15  it is envisaged that the clamp bar  15  will be attached to a free end of the web. This will ensure that engagement of the web with the take-up roller  6  can be easily and quickly achieved. It will also ensure that the web is correctly aligned with the take-up roller  6  so that it is scrolled onto the take-up roller  6  evenly. 
   It will be noted that complementary interengagable locking formations are provided on the web mounting slot  14  and on the clamp bar  15 . In this case the locking formations comprise female sockets  17 ,  18  of the slot  14  which receive complementary male projections  19 ,  20  on the clamp bar  15 . Thus the clamp bar  15  can be snapped into engagement with the slot  14  for quick loading. 
   It will be noted also that the clamp bar  15  can be slid longitudinally in an axial direction to remove the clamp bar  15  and the associated used web which is wound up on the take-up roller  6  to remove the used roll of web from the take-up roller  6 . In this regard, although not illustrated in the drawings it is desirable that the drum  10  of the take-up roller  6  has a grooved outer surface which may be formed by a number of spaced-apart radial ribs projecting outwardly from the surface of the drum  10 . This advantageously reduces the surface area of the drum  10  in contact with the web of drying material sufficiently to allow the used web wound on the take-up roller  6  to be readily easily removed. 
   From a manufacturing point of view it will be noted that the drum  10  can be conveniently formed as an aluminium extrusion for example. Thus it is relatively easy and cheap to manufacture. 
   Indexing means is provided for incrementally feeding the drying web from the drying spool mounted on the supply roller  5  to the take-up roller  6 . In this case the indexing means comprises a stepped endless track  30  ( FIG. 7 ) on an end cover  11  supporting the drum  10  rotatably on the spindle  13  attached to the support frame  2 . A pawl  31  associated with the track  30  is slideably moveable along the track  30  to allow stepped rotation of the take-up roller in one direction only. The pawl  31  is mounted on a carrier arm  32  which is pivotally mounted by a pivot pin  33  on a support frame  2  or inner end of spindle  13  adjacent the end cover  11 . 
     FIGS. 7 and 8  show a first position of the pawl  31  in which the pawl  31  engages against an inner land  35  of the track  30  to prevent rotation of the take-up roller  6  as the take-up roller  6  is pushed forwardly across a wet surface. Thus the portion of the web in contact with the wet surface absorbs moisture from the wet surface drying the wet surface. 
     FIGS. 9 and 10  show a second position of use for the indexing mechanism. When the take-up roller  6  has been pushed fully forward and its direction is reversed, pulling back the take-up roller  6  the pawl  31  rides upwardly and outwardly through a radial portion  36  of the track  30 . A spring (not shown) which engages the carrier arm  32  urges the carrier arm  32  and hence the pawl  31  outwardly through the radial portion  36 . 
     FIGS. 11 and 12  show a third operating position of the indexing system. In this case as the take-up roller  6  is pushed forward the pawl  31  slides inwardly through a curved portion  37  of the track  30  to engage against the next land  35  at which it locks the take-up roller  6  which continues forward on the push stroke pushing the web in contact with the ground over the wet surface to absorb moisture from the wet surface. Thus at the start of each forward stroke the take-up roller  6  is indexed forward to bring a dry portion of the web into contact with the wet surface and then this is slid across the wet surface absorbing moisture from the wet surface to dry the wet surface. 
   A stand arm  40  is mounted on the support frame  2  and projects forwardly therefrom and laterally across in front of the take-up roller  6 . This stand arm  40  allows the drying apparatus  1  to be stood in a generally upright free-standing position with the stand arm  40  and take-up roller  6  resting on the ground. The stand arm  40  further ensures the drying apparatus  1  is pushed forward and back during use in the right orientation for properly indexing the drying web onto the take-up roller  6 . 
   Referring now in particular to  FIG. 15  one possible construction of supply roller  45  is shown. In this case the supply roller  45  comprises a cylindrical body  46  which is attached to the support frame  2 . An O-ring  47  is mounted within an associated circumferential groove  48  located adjacent an inner end of the body  46 . A drying spool  49  comprises a web  50  of liquid absorbent material wound about a tubular core  51 . To mount the drying spool  49  on the body  46  of the supply roller  45  the core  51  is pushed onto the body  46  in the direction of the arrows in the drawing compressing the O-ring  47  within the groove  48  to frictionally engage the supply spool  49  and preventing free rotation of the spool  49  on the body  46 . Thus the spool  49  will only turn on the body  46  when the take-up roller is indexed forward pulling the web  50  from the spool  49 . The O-ring  47  rolls between opposite ends of the groove  48  to facilitate loading and unloading of the drying spool  49 . 
   In use, a drying spool having a web of liquid absorbent material wound about the spool is slid onto the collar  7  of the supply roller  5  and retained on the supply roller  5  by the end cap  8 . A leading edge of the web with the clamp bar  15  attached is secured to the take-up roller  6 , the clamp-bar  15  snapping into engagement with the slot  14  in the take-up roller  6 . A user then grips the handle  3  and works the take-up roller  6  back and forth across a wet surface to dry the wet surface. As the drying apparatus  1  is pushed back and forth over the wet surface the web incrementally scrolls from the supply roller  5  onto the take-up roller  6 . At the start of each forward stroke the take-up roller  6  indexes on bringing a dry piece of web into contact with the floor and then continued pushing slides the dry web over the wet floor to soak up moisture from the floor as the apparatus  1  is pushed forward and back. When the drying web has been fully scrolled onto the take-up roller  6  the wet roll can be slid off the take-up roller axially and discarded and then a fresh drying spool mounted on the supply roller  5  and connected to the take-up roller  6 . 
   In  FIGS. 1  to  3  a drying web  4  is shown fully wound up on the take-up roller  6  after use. The drying web may be of any suitable material. An unwoven paper web has been found to be particularly good at absorbing moisture, however various other absorbent materials may alternatively be used for the web. It is envisaged that the drying web may conveniently be formed with a layer of liquid absorbent material a rear face of which is overlaid or coated with a layer or film of water impermeable material. This will prevent or minimise dampening of a dry portion of the web when it is indexed onto the take-up roller by the already wet used web on the take-up roller. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 16  to  20  there is shown another drying apparatus according to a second embodiment of the invention indicated generally by the reference numeral  60 . Parts similar to those described previously are assigned the same reference numerals. A drying spool  61  is mounted on the support frame  2  above, vertically spaced-apart from and substantially parallel to an associated take-up roller  62 . In use the take-up roller  62  is moved back and forth over a wet floor surface to dry the floor surface by means of a drying web which is scrolled from the drying spool  61  and wound up on the take-up roller  62 . 
   The support frame  2  comprises an inner metal skeleton  64  of L-shaped construction having an upright side bar  65  bent over at its upper end to form a top crossbar  66 . A pair of spaced-apart substantially parallel support spindles, namely a top spindle  67  and a bottom spindle  68  project laterally outwardly from an inner side face of the side bar  65  below and substantially parallel to the top crossbar  66 . The stand arm  40  projects forwardly at a bottom end of the side bar  65 . 
   The metal skeleton  64  is encased within a plastics housing having four parts arranged in two pairs of parts which clamp about the side bar  65  and the top crossbar  66 . These parts include an inner side casing  70  and associated outer side casing  71  which fit about and enclose the side bar  65 . An inner top casing  72  and an outer top casing  73  encase the top crossbar  66 . The side casing parts  70 ,  71  and the top casing parts  72 ,  73  are screwed together by screw fasteners  74  which pass through associated holes in the side bar  65  and top crossbar  66  respectively. A handle mount  75  with a socket  76  is provided in the top casing  73  for reception of a lower end of the handle  3 . 
   The supply spool  61  is of tubular construction and typically will be of cardboard material. The drying web  4  is wound about the supply spool  61  (shown in broken outline in FIG.  18 ). An inner end  80  of the supply spool  61  rotatably engages a bearing mount  82  which projects inwardly from and is integrally formed with the inner side casing  70  and seats over the top spindle  67  which projects through the bearing mount  82 . A conical tapered lead-in  83  to a cylindrical bearing surface  84  is provided on the bearing mount  82 . In use the inner end  80  of the supply spool rotates on the bearing surface  84 . 
   An end cap  86  is a push fit into an outer end  87  of the supply spool  61 . The end cap  86  has a dished flange  88  which projects radially outwardly of the supply spool  61 . Projecting inwardly from an inner concave face  89  of the flange  88  is a tubular mounting spigot  90  ( FIG. 19 ) having circumferentially spaced-apart ribs  91  which engage in an interference fit within a bore  88  of the supply spool  61  at the outer end  87  to rigidly mount the end cap  86  at the outer end  87  of the supply spool  61 . In this way, it will be appreciated that the supply spool  61  can only be mounted in one (correct) orientation on the top spindle  67 . A set of four juxtaposed retaining arms  92  located within the spigot  90  extend inwardly from the inner face  69  of the flange  88  to engage and grip an outer end of the top spindle  67  which has a circumferential groove adjacent the outer end of the spindle  67  which is gripped by the end cap  86  to retain the end cap  86  with supply spool  61  on the top spindle  67 . Inboard of the groove and adjacent the outer end of the top spindle  67  a brake element  94  is provided. This brake element  94  has a tubular body  97  set of circumferentially spaced-apart teeth  95  on an outer surface thereof. An associated brake arm  96  extends inwardly from the inner face  89  of the end cap  86  and hat a rib for engagement with the teeth  95  on the brake element  94 . This prevents free rotation of the supply spool  61 . The brake arm  96  will deflect outwardly sufficiently to force the rib over the teeth  95  on the brake element  94  allowing the supply spool  61  to rotate in response to the pulling force applied to the web  4  by the take-up roller  62  when winding the web  4  on the take-up roller  62 . An inner bore  98  of the brake element  94  engages and holds the brake element  94  on the top spindle  67 . An annular bearing flange  99  at an inner end of the brake element  94  has an outer rim which rotatably supports the outer end  87  of the drying spool  6   e   1  within which it is housed. 
   The take-up roller  62  comprises a tubular body  100  mounted between end pieces, namely an inner end piece  101  and an outer end piece  102  each of which as a central through hole  103  for rotatably engaging the bottom spindle  68 . Longitudinal ribs  105  extend between opposite ends of the body  100  to prevent excessive gripping of the wet web about the take-up roller  62  thus allowing a used web  4  to be slid axially off the take-up roller  62 . A gripper flap  106  is centrally mounted at an exterior of the take-up roller  62  for pivotal movement about a pivot axis substantially parallel to the rotational axis of the take-up roller  62 . The gripper flap  106  has an outer free end  107  which overlies an outer surface of the take-up roller  62  for engaging and retaining the web  4  between said outer tree end  107  and the outer surface of the take-up roller  62 . Biasing means urges the outer end  107  of the gripper flap  106  against the outer face of the take-up roller  62 . The outer end  107  locates within an axial groove  112  which extends between opposite ends of the tubular body  100  and through the outer end piece  102 , which receives a leading end  114  of the web  4  (FIG.  18 ). 
   The stepped endless track  30  is provided on the inner end piece  101 . The pawl  61  and carrier arm  32  is pivotally mounted within a recess  108  in the inner side casing  70 . A pawl biasing spring  115  is also mounted in the recess  108 . A circlip  109  engages in a complementary circumferential groove at an outer end of the bottom spindle  68  to retain the take-up roller  62  on the bottom spindle  68 . A cap  110  closes off the outer end of the take-up roller  62 . 
   In use, the drying apparatus  60  is operated in similar fashion to the previously described drying apparatus. The drying spool  61  with a web  4  of drying material wound about it is mounted on the top spindle  67 . A leading edge of the web is then fed between the drying spool  61  an the take-up roller  62  and clamped under the flap  106  on the take-up roller  62  and the take-up roller  62  is rotated once or twice to firmly grip the web  4 . As the apparatus  60  is advanced with the take-up roller  62  engaging the floor the web  4  extending about the exterior of the take-up roller  62  dries the floor. As the apparatus  60  is pulled back the pawl  31  releases the take-up roller  62  so that it can advance through an angle sufficiently to bring up dry web  4  onto the take-up roller  62  for the next forward stroke of the apparatus  60 . At the start of the forward stroke the pawl  31  will again engage and lock in the track  30  to prevent rotation of the take-up roller  62  on the forward stroke. 
   The invention is not limited to the embodiments here and before described which may be varied in both construction and detail within the scope of the appended claims.