Patent ID: 8528142

Claim:
A floor treatment apparatus comprising: a chassis having a front and a back and with a lower surface, a front surface adjacent the front, an upper surface, a rear surface adjacent the back, a left surface, and a right surface; a first wheel operably interconnected to the lower surface adjacent to the left surface and located closer to the rear surface than the front surface; a second wheel operably interconnected to the lower surface adjacent the right surface and located closer to the rear surface than the front surface; a platform located substantially between at least a portion of the right surface and at least a portion of the left surface, and closer to the lower surface than the upper surface, wherein the platform extends rearwardly from a portion of the rear surface, wherein a portion of the platform is positioned between the first wheel and the second wheel such that a portion of the platform penetrates a three-dimensional cylindrical volume that is defined by the outer surface of the first wheel and the second wheel, and wherein the platform includes a throttle and an operator presence device, which is operatively connected to and which selectively interrupts operation of the throttle; a power source positioned substantially within the chassis; an electric monowheel drive motor associated with the power source; a third wheel associated with the electric monowheel drive motor and operably connected adjacent the lower surface of the chassis; a steering mechanism associated with the third wheel; a floor treating device connected adjacent to the lower surface of the chassis; and wherein the chassis includes a rear cowling that is capable of selective rotation about an axis parallel to the axis extending between the center of the first wheel and the center of the second wheel.