Patent ID: 8028365

Claim:
A floor cleaning machine comprising: a mobile body configured for travel over a surface; a cleaning tool supported on the mobile body configured to scrub the surface, the cleaning tool comprising: a hub having a longitudinal axis; and a plurality of cleaning members connected to the hub and distributed along the longitudinal axis, the cleaning members comprising a fibrous material; a waste container supported on the mobile body and positioned on a rear side of the cleaning tool that is opposite a front side of the cleaning tool; a housing having a bottom opening through which a portion of the cleaning tool extends, a surround portion substantially conforming to a top side of the cleaning tool, and an opening to the waste container, wherein the cleaning tool is configured to directly release collected debris into the waste container through the opening to the waste container; and a motor supported on the mobile body configured to drive rotation of the hub and the cleaning members about the longitudinal axis such that distal ends of the cleaning members engaging the surface move in a forward direction, which points from the rear side to the front side; wherein debris, driven from the surface responsive to the rotation of the hub, travels between the hub and the surround portion and is flung in a rearward direction, which is opposite the forward direction, through the opening into the waste container.