SURFACE TREATING MACHINE WITH DIRECT CONNECTION

Abstract

The present invention is a machine for treating a surface lying in an XY plane. The machine includes a body having a body plate, a working plate, a working pad, a drive assembly and an attachment assembly. The attachment assembly includes a plurality of flexible connectors directly connecting the body plate to the working plate. The working plate is located between the body plate and the XY plane. The drive assembly is connected to the working plate to drive the working plate with a working vibration in an oscillating pattern parallel to the XY plane.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a machine for cleaning or otherwise treating floors and other work surfaces formed of carpet, tile, wood and other materials. The most efficient and effective surface treatments employ a vibration, “scrubbing”, motion to loosen materials on the work surface and within any permeable material, such as a rug or other fabric, under or part of the work surface. On floors and other work surfaces, a machine typically uses a cleaning towel, “pad”, in combination with a solvent, including water or steam, and/or a cleaning agent. Removal of some stains or other material is sometimes better achieved without a solvent or cleaning agent. When the cleaning towel scrubs the floor and becomes dirty, the towel is replaced with a clean one. The surface treating machine can be used for sanders where the pad is sand paper, can be used for tile scrubbing where the pad is especially suited for scrubbing tile. Many different surfaces can employ surface treating machines.

Important attributes of surface treating machines are cleaning or working effectiveness, ease of use, convenience, stability, light weight, low machine wear, long life and ease of maintenance. These attributes are import for machines used by professionals in heavy duty environments or used by other consumers in home or other light duty environments.

Cleaning and working effectiveness require that machines include a small oscillation that creates a local vibration in a working plate and working pad to impart a “scrubbing” movement to the surface being treated. For cleaning floors, the local vibration is preferably in a range of several millimeters. Cleaning effectiveness and convenience frequently requires that the shape of the working plate be rectangular so as to be readily used along straight edges and easily moved into rectangular corners. In order to satisfy these attributes, machines with round bottom plates are often undesirable.

Ease of use and convenience require stability, appropriate size and weight and ease of operator control. Designs that position the motor and drive assembly high above the working plate are undesirable since such configurations tend to excessively accentuate vertical instability. Vertical instability results in unwanted oscillation of the working plate up and down in a mode that is in and out of the plane of the work surface. The plane of the work surface is referred to, for example, as the floor surface plane or the XY-plane. Excessive vertical instability is distinguished from horizontal oscillations providing local vibration to impart a “scrubbing” movement to the working plate. The horizontal oscillations are parallel to the plane of the work surface, that is, parallel to the XY-plane. Vertical instability is additionally undesirable because it uses excessive amounts of energy, reduces the energy efficiency of the machine and causes increased wear on the motor, the drive shafts, the drivers and the drive bushings. The increased wear increases maintenance and decreases the life of the machine. User fatigue is dramatic when unwanted vertical oscillations occur.

High energy efficiency is an important attribute. For machines powered by an AC electrical service through an AC-to-DC converter or powered by a battery, the size and cost of the motor is a function of the energy requirements needed to drive the transmission and the working plate. For DC motors, the energy requirements are important for the motor and for the AC-to-DC converter used to convert the AC electrical service to DC. The more energy efficient the machines, the smaller and less expensive are the AC-to-DC converters, batteries and motors required to power the machines.

In light of the above background, it is desirable to have improved surface treatment machines for treating carpets, tiles, wood and other surface materials.

SUMMARY

The present invention a machine for treating a surface lying in an XY plane comprising a body having a body plate and a working plate located between the body plate and the XY plane. A working pad is attached to the working plate. A drive assembly is connected to the working plate to drive the working plate and working pad with a working vibration in an oscillating pattern parallel to the XY plane. An attachment assembly flexibly attaches the working plate to the body plate to permit the working plate to vibrate relative to the body plate and to isolate the working vibration from the body. The attachment assembly includes a plurality of flexible connectors directly connecting the body plate to the working plate.

In one embodiment, the attachment assembly includes four flexible connectors directly connecting the body plate to the working plate.

In one embodiment, the one or more of the flexible connectors is a U-shaped connector including a main portion along an axis substantially normal to the XY plane and between the body plate and the working plate. A U-shaped portion connected in the main portion has first and second legs formed substantially parallel to the XY plane whereby the U-shaped connector has increased movability in the XY direction

In one embodiment, all of the flexible connectors are U-shaped connectors.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be ap-parent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a side view of one embodiment of a surface treating machine.

FIG. 2 depicts a side view of the surface treating machine of FIG. 1 with the handle parallel to the surface to be treated.

FIG. 3 depicts details of the surface treating machine of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 depicts a front view of another embodiment of a surface treating machine.

FIG. 5 a perspective view of the core components of the surface treating machine of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 depicts the core components associated with the working plate of the surface treating machine of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 depicts an expanded view of a portion of the core components of the surface treating machine of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 depicts a front perspective view of the core components of the surface treating machine of FIG. 4 in greater detail.

FIG. 9 depicts further details of the motor assembly and motor.

FIG. 10 depicts an exploded view of the motor with the stator removed from the rotor.

FIG. 11 depicts an alternate design for the attachment assembly.

FIG. 12 depicts a front perspective view of the core components of the surface treating machine with the attachment assembly of FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In FIG. 1, a side view of a surface treating machine 1 includes a body 9 for cleaning, polishing or other treating of the floor or other surface 18 lying in a plane denominated as the XY-plane. The machine 1 includes a handle assembly 15 affixed to the body 9 for enabling a user to guide machine 1 over a floor surface 18 lying in the XY-plane. The handle assembly 15 has a length extending from the body 9 at a variable angle with the XY-plane and connected to the body by a connector 15-1. The handle assembly 15 includes connector 15-1, a lower extension 15-4, a connector 15-3, an upper extension 15-2 and a curved handle 15-5. The handle assembly 15 is rotation-ally attached to body 9 and adjusts to acute angles with the cleaning surface 18 when in use for cleaning. The handle assembly 15 includes a latch (not shown) for latching the handle assembly 15 for transport and storage of the machine 1 when not in operation. The connector 15-1 is located near the rear and close to an edge of the body 9, well behind the center of gravity of the machine 1.

In FIG. 2, a side view of the surface treating machine 1 of FIG. 1 is shown with the handle 15 parallel to the surface 18 to be treated. The parts of the handle 15 including the connector 15-1, the lower extension 15-4, the connector 15-3 and the upper extension 15-2 typically do not extend above the height of the body 9 in the Z-axis direction when the handle 15 is lowered to the surface 18. Accordingly, the surface treating machine 1 while operating easily fits underneath many pieces of furniture when the handle 15 is lowered as shown in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 3, further details of the body 9 of FIG. 1 are shown. The body 9 includes a drive assembly 10, a body plate 16, a working plate assembly 12 and a cleaning head in the form of working pad 6. The body plate 16 is attached to the body 9 and the working plate assembly 12. The working plate assembly 12 is attached to the body plate 16 by a flexible vibration-isolating attachment assembly 7 that permits the working plate assembly 12 to oscillate relative to the body plate 16 and the body 9. The attachment assembly 7 includes separators for separating the working plate 5 and the body plate 16. The working plate assembly 12 includes a working plate 5 and a working pad 6. The drive assembly 10 drives the working plate and working pad with a cleaning vibration in an oscillating pattern parallel to the XY plane.

Details of one embodiment of the surface treating machine 1 are shown in further detail in U.S. Pat. No. 10,702,115. U.S. Pat. No. 10,702,115 is hereby incorporated by reference in this specification for describing details of one embodiment of a surface treating machine 1.

In FIG. 4, a front view of another embodiment of a surface treating machine 20 is shown. In FIG. 4, the surface treating machine 20 includes a body frame 19, including battery 19-1, and core components 21. The body frame 19 includes a battery and other electrical equipment for powering the surface treating machine 20. The core components include a working plate 32 attached to the body plate 36 by an attachment assembly 37 including connectors 37-1, 37-2, 37-3 and 37-4. The attachment assembly 37 including the connectors 37-3 and 37-4. The connectors 37-3 and 37-4 are connected by epoxy or other means to the working plate 32 in the receptors 38-3 and 38-4, respectively. The receptors 38-3 and 38-4 are located in height adjusting blocks 35-3 and 35-4 formed of polycarbonate, metal or other materials and rigidly attached to working plate 32. The motor drive assembly 30 is rigidly attached to working plate 32.

In FIG. 5, a perspective view of the core components 21 of the surface treating machine 20 of FIG. 4 are shown in greater detail. The body plate 36 is rigidly attached to the body 21 and handle 25 of the surface treating machine 20 of FIG. 4. The working plate 32 is attached to the body plate 36 by an attachment assembly 37 including connectors 37-3 and 37-4 and connectors 37-1 and 37-2 (not shown). The attachment assembly 37, including the connectors 37-1 and 37-2 (not shown) and the connectors 37-3 and 37-4 are connected by epoxy or other means to the body plate 36 in the receptors 39-1, 39-2, 39-3 and 39-4, respectively. The attachment assembly 37, including the connectors 37-1 and 37-2 (not shown) and the connectors 37-3 and 37-4 are connected by epoxy or other means to the working plate 32 in the receptors 38-1, 38-2 (not shown) and 39-3 and 39-4, respectively.

In FIG. 6, the core components 21 associated with the working plate 32 of the surface treating machine 20 of FIG. 4 are shown in greater detail. The working plate 32 is attached to the body plate 36 by an attachment assembly 37 including connectors 37-1, 37-2, 37-3 and 37-4. The attachment assembly 37, including the connectors 37-1, 37-2, 37-3 and 37-4, is connected by epoxy or other means to the working plate 32 in the receptors 38-1, 38-2, 38-3 and 38-4, respectively. The receptors 38-1, 38-2, 38-3 and 38-4 are located in height adjusting blocks 35-1, 35-2, 35-3 and 35-4 formed of polycarbonate, metal or other materials and attached to working plate 32. The core components in FIG. 6 include the support 41 including support members 41-1, 41-2, 41-3 and 41-4. The support 41 is formed of polycarbonate, metal or other materials for supporting the motor drive assembly 30. The motor drive assembly 30 is attached by bolts 42-1, 42-2, 42-3 and 42-4 or other means to the support 41. The motor (not shown) is attached by bolts 43-1, 43-2, 43-3 and 43-4 or other means to the motor drive assembly 30. The support members 41-1, 41-2, 41-3 and 41-4, for supporting the drive assembly 30 and the working plate 32 are preferably formed from light weight composite sheet honeycomb core sandwich material. The honeycomb core sandwich in one embodiment is made with aramid fiber paper (DUPONT Nomex or equivalent) coated with heat resistant phenolic resin to provide excellent resiliency, low density and high strength to weight ratio.

In FIG. 7, an expanded view of a portion of the core components 21 of the surface treating machine 20 of FIG. 6 is shown in greater detail. The working plate 32 is attached to the body plate 36 by the attachment assembly 37 connector 37-4. The attachment assembly 37 connector 37-4 in block 35-4 is connected by epoxy or other means to the working plate 32 in the receptor 38-4. The core components in FIG. 7 include the support 41 including support members 41-1 and 41-3. The support 41 is formed of polycarbonate, metal or other material for supporting the motor drive assembly 30. The motor drive assembly 30 includes components 31 for controlling the surface treating machine 20 of FIG. 4.

In FIG. 8, a front perspective view of the core components 21 of the surface treating machine 20 of FIG. 4 are shown in greater detail. The working plate 32 is attached to the body plate 36 by an attachment assembly 37 including a plurality of flexible connectors directly connecting the body plate to the working plate, specifically includes connectors 37-1, 37-2, 37-3 and 37-4. While four connectors 37 are shown, fewer than four flexible connectors can be employed. The attachment assembly 37, including the connectors 37-1, 37-2, 37-3 and 37-4, is connected by epoxy or other means to the working plate 32 in the receptors 38-1, 38-2 (not shown), 38-3 and 38-4, respectively. The receptors 38-1, 38-2, 38-3 and 38-4 are located in height adjusting blocks 35-1, 35-2 (not shown), 35-3 and 35-4 formed of polycarbonate, metal or other materials and attached to working plate 32. The core components in FIG. 8 include the support 41 including support members 41-1 (not shown), 41-2 (not shown), 41-3 and 41-4. The support 41 is formed of polycarbonate, metal or other materials for supporting the motor drive assembly 30.

In FIG. 9, further details of the motor drive assembly 30 and motor 55 are shown. The motor drive assembly 30 includes a frame 50 that is rigidly attached to the support members 41 in FIG. 8. The motor 55 has a stator 51 rigidly attached to the frame 50 and the frame 50 is in turn rigidly attached to the working plate 32 of FIG. 8.

In FIG. 10, an exploded view of the motor 55 is shown with the stator 51 removed from the rotor 52. The motor 55 is a DC motor obtaining power from a battery in the The rotor 52 has an offset member 53 rigidly attached to the rotor 52. The offset member 53 includes a weight 54 which causes the motor 55 to vibrate as the rotor 52 and offset member 53 rotate. The off-set 53 causes the working plate 5 and the attached working pad 6 to oscillate in the XY-plane, that is, in the plane parallel to the working surface. In general, the working vibration is in a range from 1 mm to 5 mm.

In one embodiment, the rotation speed of the motor is approximately 16,000 rpm when the surface treating machine 20 of FIG. 4 is a sander for sanding wood and other materials. In other embodiments the speed is lower and in still other embodiments the speed is higher. The vibration caused by the motor assembly of FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 causes the working plate 32 of FIG. 4 and FIG. 8 to vibrate. In one embodiment when the surface treating machine 20 of FIG. 4 is a sander for sanding wood and other materials, the working plate 32 has an oscillation travel of approximately 1 mm. The motor 55 diameter is 33 mm and the motor 55 height is 25 mm. The custom KV is 700. This sander motor 55 runs from a 24 volt battery giving the motor 55 nominally a no-load speed of 17,280 rpm and an approximate in-use speed of 16,000 rpm. The motor 55 is obtained from the Shenzhen Brotherhobby Co., Limited of Shenzhen, China that does business on the WEB as the BrotherHobby store. In one example, the motor 55 is a custom motor built by BrotherHobby based on the motor: https://www.brotherhobbystore.com/avenger-2810-motor-p0100.html.

In another embodiment for a handheld cleaner for upholstery, showers and similar work, the motor 55 has a diameter of 29 mm and a height of 21 mm. The custom KV number is 450 so that motor 55 runs at 450 rpm for every volt applied to the motor with no-load. For run-ning at 12 volts, the motor 55 has a nominal no-load speed of 5,400 rpm and an approximate in-use speed of 5,000 rpm. This motor is also from BrotherHobby and is the following motor with a custom KV of 450: https://www.brotherhobbystore.com/avenger-2507-v2-motor-p0082.html.

In FIG. 11, an alternate design for the core component view of FIG. 7 is shown. The working plate 32 is attached to the body plate 36 by the attachment assembly 47 including connector 47-4. The connector 47-4 in FIG. 11 has a right angle U-shape including arms 47-41 and 47-42 that extend at right angles normal to the primary axis 47-0 of connect 47-4. The arms 47-41 and 47-42 are connected by arm 47-43 parallel to the axis 47-0. The attachment assembly 47 connector 47-4 in block 35-4 is connected by epoxy or other means to the working plate 32 in the receptor 38-4. The block 35-4 is rigidly connected to the working plate 32. The core components in FIG. 11 include the support 41 including support members 41-1 and 41-3. The support 41 is formed of polycarbonate, metal or other material for supporting the motor drive assembly 30. In FIG. 11, the flexible connector 47-4 incudes a main portion that extends along the axis 47-0 substantially normal to the XY plane and between the body plate 36 and the working plate 32, a U-shaped portion connected to the main portion having first leg 47-1 and second leg 47-2 formed substantially parallel to the XY plane. The U-shaped connector 47-4 provides greater freedom for the connector 47-4 to move in the XY direction allowing smoother operation of the connection between the body plate 36 and the working plate 32.

In FIG. 12, a front perspective view of the core components 21 of the surface treating machine 20 of FIG. 4 are shown in greater detail with the attachment assembly 37 including connectors 37-1, 37-2, 37-3 and 37-4 of FIG. 8 replaced by the attachment assembly 47 including connectors 47-1, 47-2, 47-3 and 47-4 of the type shown by connector 47-4 in FIG. 11. The working plate 32 is attached to the body plate 36 by an attachment assembly 47 including connectors 47-1, 47-2, 47-3 and 47-4. The attachment assembly 37, including the connectors 47-1, 47-2, 47-3 and 47-4, is connected by epoxy or other means to the working plate 32 in the receptors 38-1, 38-2 (not shown), 38-3 and 38-4, respectively. The receptors 38-1, 38-2, 38-3 and 38-4 are located in height adjusting blocks 35-1, 35-2 (not shown), 35-3 and 35-4 formed of polycarbonate, metal or other materials and attached to working plate 32. The core components in FIG. 8 include the support 41 including support members 41-1 (not shown), 41-2 (not shown), 41-3 and 41-4. The support 41 is formed of polycarbonate, metal or other materials for supporting the motor drive assembly 30.

In the surface treating machine of U.S. Pat. No. 10,702,115, the drive assembly included two motors. In accordance with the present specification, the two motors can be of the type described in the present specification. In the surface treating machine of U.S. Pat. No. 10,702,115, the body plate is separated from the working (cleaning) plate by an attachment assembly including ball bearings and compression devices. The compression devices urge the body plate and the working (cleaning) plate toward each other while the ball bearings hold the body plate and the working (cleaning) plate 5 apart. The ball bearings allow the body plate and the working (cleaning) plate to slide parallel to each other and parallel to the XY-plane thereby allowing the working (cleaning) plate to oscillate parallel to the XY-plane. In the present specification the attachment assembly of U.S. Pat. No. 10,702,115 is replaced by an attachment assembly of the present specification. For example, the an attachment assembly 37 including connectors 37-1, 37-2, 37-3 and 37-4 of FIG. 8 or the attachment assembly 47 including connectors 47-1, 47-2, 47-3 and 47-4 of FIG. 12 are used to replace the ball bearing and compression attachment assembly of U.S. Pat. No. 10,702,115.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A machine for treating a surface lying in an XY plane comprising,

a body having a body plate,

a working plate located between the body plate and the XY plane,

a working pad attached to the working plate,

a drive assembly connected to the working plate to drive the working plate and working pad with a working vibration in an oscillating pattern parallel to the XY plane,

an attachment assembly for flexibly attaching the working plate to the body plate to permit the working plate to vibrate relative to the body plate and to isolate the working vibration from the body, the attachment assembly including a plurality of flexible connectors directly connecting the body plate to the working plate.

2. The machine of claim 1 wherein the working vibration is in a range from 1 mm to 5 mm.

3. The machine of claim 1 wherein the attachment assembly includes four flexible connectors directly connecting the body plate to the working plate.

4. The machine of claim 1 wherein one or more of the flexible connectors is a U-shaped connector including a main portion along an axis substantially normal to the XY plane and between the body plate and the working plate, a U-shaped portion connected in the main portion having first and second legs formed substantially parallel to the XY plane whereby the U-shaped connector has increased movability in the XY direction.

5. The machine of claim 4 wherein all of the flexible connectors are U-shaped connectors.

6. The machine of claim 1 wherein the drive assembly includes a motor having,

a stator fixed to the working plate,

a rotor for rotating on a motor axis about the stator,

an offset weight rotated asymmetrically by the rotor around the motor axis whereby the working plate is driven with a vibration in an oscillating pattern parallel to the XY plane.

7. The machine of claim 6 wherein the motor is a DC motor.

8. The machine of claim 7 further including a battery for supplying power to the DC motor.

9. A machine for treating a surface lying in an XY plane comprising,

a body having a body plate,

a working plate located between the body plate and the XY plane,

a working pad attached to the working plate,

a drive assembly connected to the working plate to drive the working plate and working pad with a working vibration in an oscillating pattern parallel to the XY plane,

an attachment assembly for flexibly attaching the working plate to the body plate to permit the working plate to vibrate relative to the body plate and to isolate the working vibration from the body, the attachment assembly including four a U-shaped connectors each including a main portion along an axis substantially normal to the XY plane and between the body plate and the working plate, a U-shaped portion connected in the main portion having first and second legs formed substantially parallel to the XY plane whereby the U-shaped connectors have increased movability in the XY direction.

11. The machine of claim 9 including a carbon honeycomb core sandwich for the working plate.

12. The machine of claim 9 including a carbon honeycomb core sandwich for supporting the drive assembly.