Patents Assigned to Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co.
  • Patent number: 8490241
    Abstract: The invention relates to an adapter device for arranging a container on the housing of a portable cleaning appliance. The adapter device comprises an adapter plate which is adapted to be fitted on the cover surface of the housing and has on its top side a placement surface for placement of the container, and a locking device for releasably locking the adapter plate to the housing of the cleaning appliance without a tool. The invention also relates to a cleaning apparatus with a cleaning appliance and such an adapter device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Dirk Ricklefsen, Stefan Hess, Maic Hensel
  • Patent number: 8485228
    Abstract: A plug-in part in the form of a piece of tubing and having a sealing portion, the sealing portion comprising a sealing element enclosing the piece of tubing in a circumferential direction, and a locking portion with at least one undercut. The plug-in part is adapted to be plugged into the receptacle of a coupling part of the plug connector arrangement in order to produce a fluid-tight connection. At least one locking element of the coupling part engages behind the plug-in part in the region of the undercut. In order to develop the plug-in part so as to reduce the risk of the sealing element being adversely affected, the undercut is formed by a protrusion which projects from the outside of the piece of tubing and extends circumferentially merely over a sub-region of the piece of tubing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Juergen Binder, Joerg Schmid
  • Patent number: 8474093
    Abstract: Suction appliance for cleaning purposes, comprising a dirt collecting container with a suction outlet on which a filter is held, a suction unit for acting upon the dirt collecting container with negative pressure, a suction chamber between the suction unit and the filter with an external air inlet, via which external air can flow into the suction chamber to act upon the filter on the clean-space side, a valve device with a valve seat forming the external air inlet, a movable valve body to seal and release the valve seat, and an actuating member to cause the valve body to be transferred from a closed position to an open position. The appliance can comprise an energy storage device, to which energy to be stored can be supplied by actuating the actuating member. Stored energy can be released for transferring the valve body from the closed position to the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Felix Treitz
  • Patent number: 8464385
    Abstract: A vehicle washing installation is provided having a first and a second support on which at least one treatment tool is mounted in a height-adjustable manner by means of a first and a second carrying means, and having a carrying means drive device from which the carrying means extend to the treatment tool via deflection elements situated on the top of the supports, one carrying means extending above the treatment tool from at least one deflection element situated on the first support to at least one deflection element situated on the second support. To improve the vehicle washing installation in such a way that it may be easily adapted to the height of a washing bay, it is proposed that the deflection elements are mounted on intermediate parts which are fixable to the supports at different vertical positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Alfred Kärcher GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Claus Heid, Andre Speckmaier, Yann Veitz, Ingo Feistkorn, Bernd Knisel
  • Publication number: 20130141211
    Abstract: The invention relates to a cleaning appliance, wherein in order to access same, an access authorization stored on an authorization carrier is required, the appliance including two or more authorization carriers with access authorizations stored thereon which are linked to different authorization profiles, and a detection unit for detecting the access authorization of an authorization carrier, wherein a range of functions dependent on the authorization profile linked to the access authorization can be provided to an operator by the cleaning appliance. In order to provide such a cleaning appliance which is more user-friendly in operation, it is proposed that each authorization carrier comprises an identification device for providing an identifier which is associated with the particular authorization profile of the authorization carrier and which is perceivable by the operator using a sensory organ, wherein identifiers associated with different authorization profiles are different from one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: Alfred Kärcher GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Alfred Kärcher GmbH & Co. KG
  • Publication number: 20130139347
    Abstract: A floor cleaning apparatus is provided, including a dirt collection device for picking up dirty liquid from a floor surface to be cleaned as well as a dirty liquid tank, into which the dirty liquid can be transferred. In order to provide a floor cleaning apparatus of this type, which can be handled in a more user-friendly manner, it is proposed that the floor cleaning apparatus has a tank rinsing mechanism with at least one rinsing line, which includes at least one inlet opening for rinsing liquid, which can be provided for the tank rinsing mechanism, as well as at least one outlet opening for delivering rinsing liquid into an interior of the dirty liquid tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: Alfred Kärcher GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Alfred Kärcher GmbH & Co. KG
  • Patent number: 8439653
    Abstract: A pump for a high-pressure cleaning apparatus for delivering cleaning liquid is provided. The pump has at least one pump chamber into which at least one reciprocally movable piston plunges. The pump chamber is connected via at least one inlet valve to a suction conduit and via at least one outlet valve to a pressure conduit. A bypass conduit leads from the pressure conduit to the suction conduit. A bypass valve is arranged in the bypass conduit. The valve body of the bypass valve is connected to a control member which displaces the valve body to a closed or an open position and displaces a switch plunger which is coupled to the valve body to a first or a second switch position. The valve body opens a passage upstream of the valve seat which becomes wider when the valve body is at a predetermined distance from the valve seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Robert Nathan, Juergen Erdmann, Sven Dirnberger
  • Publication number: 20130074884
    Abstract: The invention relates to a high-pressure cleaning appliance, comprising a heatable heat exchanger for heating a liquid that is dischargeable by the high-pressure cleaning appliance, a motor having a drive shaft that defines a drive axis, a pump unit for increasing the liquid pressure, a blower wheel for generating a combustion air flow, and a fuel pump for delivering a fuel to the heat exchanger, wherein the pump unit, the blower wheel, and the fuel pump are disposed along the drive axis and are drivable by means of the drive shaft and form an assembly together with the motor. In order to fit the assembly to the appliance in a simplified manner while achieving a more compact design for appliance, the appliance comprises a half-shell housing having a first half-shell and a second half-shell which between them define an accommodating chamber in which the assembly is at least partially accommodated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Werner Schwab, Peter Pfaff
  • Publication number: 20130074883
    Abstract: The invention relates to a high-pressure cleaning appliance comprising a first functional device required for operation in the form of a heatable heat exchanger for heating a liquid that is dischargeable from the high pressure cleaning appliance, and at least one further, second functional device required for operation which is arranged below the heat exchanger. In order to develop such a high-pressure cleaning appliance such that it is more user friendly to maintain, the invention proposes that the high-pressure cleaning appliance comprise a first appliance unit having a carrying device on which the heat exchanger is held, and a second appliance unit having a support device on which the at least one second functional device is held, and that the carrying device be releasably connectable to the support device in a force-locked and/or positively-locked manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Werner Schwab, Johannes Goetz
  • Patent number: 8393048
    Abstract: A method for cleaning first and second filters of a suction device for cleaning purposes is provided. The suction device has a dirt collection container with a suction inlet. The dirt collection container is subjected to negative pressure via first and second suction lines, respectively, following the first and second filters. First and second closing valves close first and second external air inlets, respectively, into the first and second suction lines. For cleaning the filters, the closing valves are opened, subjecting the filters to external air on the clean space side. The dirt collection container is subjected to negative pressure via the first suction line and first filter by a first suction unit and via the second suction line and second filter by a second suction unit. The suction lines are sealed off relative to each other on the clean space side at least during the cleaning of the filters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Werner Rentschler, Rainer Engelhardt, Juergen Frank, Daniel Eckstein
  • Publication number: 20130019911
    Abstract: A surface cleaning head is provided comprising a dome-shaped, downwardly open housing, in which at least one spray arm is mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation, wherein the spray arm bears at a distance from the axis of rotation a nozzle which can be acted upon with cleaning fluid subject to pressure and revolves around the axis of rotation together with the spray arm, and comprising a protective disk which covers the at least one spray arm towards the open underside of the housing and defines a ring-shaped fluid passage for a stream of fluid to pass through, said fluid passage being penetrated by retaining bars, wherein the at least one spray arm is rotatable relative to the protective disk. The retaining bars are arranged so as to be distributed unevenly in circumferential direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Juergen Binder, Vitali Fischer
  • Publication number: 20130014788
    Abstract: The invention relates to a high-pressure cleaning appliance, comprising a heatable heat exchanger for heating a liquid that can be discharged by the high-pressure cleaning appliance, a motor having a drive shaft that defines a drive axis, a pump unit for increasing the liquid pressure, a blower wheel for generating a combustion air flow, and a fuel pump for delivering a fuel to the heat exchanger, wherein the pump unit, the blower wheel, and the fuel pump are disposed along the drive axis and can be driven by means of the drive shaft and form an assembly together with the motor. In order to improve such a high-pressure cleaning appliance in such a manner that it has a more compact construction and a smaller space requirement, the assembly of the high-pressure cleaning appliance according to the invention, with regard to a height direction thereof, is disposed below the heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Werner Schwab
  • Patent number: 8302254
    Abstract: The invention relates to a dirt-collecting device for a floor-cleaning machine, for picking up a liquid from a floor surface which is to be cleaned, having a carrier and at least one wiping member for wiping the floor surface, the carrier and the at least one wiping member bounding a suction channel which opens out into a suction mouth and of which the free cross-sectional area, through which a suction stream can pass, decreases, at least in one channel portion, in a direction away from the suction mouth. In order to produce such a dirt-collecting device in a more cost-effective manner, it is proposed according to the invention that the suction channel has disposed in it at least one channel-narrowing member, which is produced separately from the carrier. The invention also relates to a floor-cleaning machine having such a dirt-collecting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Schuetz, Florian Kolbeck, Ruwantha De Silva
  • Publication number: 20120234365
    Abstract: The invention relates to a high-pressure cleaning appliance, comprising a heatable heat exchanger for heating up a liquid dispensable by the high-pressure cleaning appliance, a blower with a flow channel connected thereto for supplying combustion air to the heat exchanger, and a setting member for setting the amount of combustion air suppliable to the heat exchanger, the setting member having a channel constriction section which is positionable in the flow channel and movable relative thereto for changing the free cross-sectional area of the flow channel. In order to develop a generic high-pressure cleaning appliance further so that the amount of combustion air suppliable to the heat exchanger can be better adjusted, it is proposed that the channel constriction section be configured so as to be slidingly displaceable relative to the flow channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Boehm, Peter Pfaff, Werner Schwab
  • Patent number: 8261759
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus, in particular a high-pressure cleaning apparatus, is provided, on which at least one fastening device for fastening the cleaning apparatus to a carrier is disposed. The at least one fastening device comprising at least one tensioning section on which a tensile force, which is directed at the carrier, acts when the cleaning apparatus is fastened to the carrier by means of a tensioning element. At least one retaining section is connected to the at least one tensioning section, for retaining the at least one fastening device on the cleaning apparatus. The at least one fastening device has at least one support section in order to be supported on the cleaning apparatus. The support section is connected to the at least one tensioning section by at least one connecting section, the at least one connecting section yielding if the tensile force exceeds a maximum permissible tensile force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Stefan Kelle, Ralph Seitter
  • Publication number: 20120216890
    Abstract: A pump for a high-pressure cleaning apparatus for delivering cleaning liquid is provided. The pump has at least one pump chamber into which at least one reciprocally movable piston plunges. The pump chamber is connected via at least one inlet valve to a suction conduit and via at least one outlet valve to a pressure conduit. A bypass conduit leads from the pressure conduit to the suction conduit. A bypass valve is arranged in the bypass conduit. The valve body of the bypass valve is connected to a control member which displaces the valve body to a closed or an open position and displaces a switch plunger which is coupled to the valve body to a first or a second switch position. The valve body opens a passage upstream of the valve seat which becomes wider when the valve body is at a predetermined distance from the valve seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Robert Nathan, Juergen Erdmann, Sven Dirnberger
  • Patent number: D667597
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co., KG
    Inventor: Denis Dammkoehler
  • Patent number: D670875
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Michael Meyer
  • Patent number: D675795
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Zheyi Jin
  • Patent number: D679784
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Michael Meyer