FLOOR CLEANER DOCK

Abstract

A dock for a floor cleaner, particularly a dock for cleaning a floor cleaner, is provided. The dock includes a receiving unit for receiving the floor cleaner, and a reservoir for containing liquid. The dock is arranged to feed liquid from the reservoir into the floor cleaner and receive the same liquid from the floor cleaner, the liquid having been flushed through the floor cleaner.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a dock for a floor cleaner. More particularly, but not exclusively, this invention relates to a dock for cleaning a floor cleaner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various types of floor cleaner are available. They include “dry” floor cleaners such as vacuum cleaners, and “wet” floor cleaners. Wet floor cleaners apply a cleaning fluid to the floor as part of the cleaning process. Wet floor cleaners often include a reservoir for holding cleaning fluid, means by which to apply the cleaning fluid to the floor, cleaning pads arranged to be in contact with the floor and for agitating the cleaning fluid once applied to the floor, and potentially a waste liquid reservoir for receiving waste liquid, i.e. the cleaning fluid once it has been in contact with the floor and agitated by the cleaning pads. The wet floor cleaner may also comprise at least one flexible blade, or squeegee, to help contain the cleaning fluid in the cleaning area during the cleaning process. The wet floor cleaner will also often contain a power source, for example a rechargeable battery, which powers some or all of: the application of cleaning fluid to the floor; driving the cleaning pads to agitate the cleaning fluid in contact with the floor; and removing the waste liquid into the waste liquid reservoir as required.

As such, floor cleaners, and in particular wet floor cleaners, may have several service requirements, including but not limited to: refilling cleaning fluid; emptying waste fluid; recharging the power source; conditioning the cleaning pads; and general cleaning and sanitising of the floor cleaner. The present invention seeks to address at least some of these service requirements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A dock for receiving a floor cleaner, the dock comprising: a receiving unit for receiving the floor cleaner, and a reservoir for containing liquid, whereby the dock is arranged to feed liquid from the reservoir into the floor cleaner and receive the same liquid from the floor cleaner, the liquid having been flushed through the floor cleaner. The invention provides a convenient way to clean a floor cleaner during or after use. By providing a convenient way to clean a floor cleaner, hygiene may be improved and the potential for bad odours to develop over time may be reduced or removed. Additionally, by cleaning the floor cleaner during or after use, it may reduce or remove the need to replace floor cleaner components that would otherwise become contaminated during use, to a point where they needed replacement.

The dock may comprise a pump associated with the reservoir for containing liquid, and be arranged to actively pump the liquid into the floor cleaner. The dock may comprise a feed nozzle which connects to the floor cleaner in order to facilitate the passage of liquid from the reservoir for containing liquid into the floor cleaner. The dock may provide a pool of liquid into which the floor cleaner is placed, and the floor cleaner may suck up the liquid using suction apparatus already present on the floor cleaner.

The dock may comprise suction apparatus to actively suck liquid from the floor cleaner. The dock may comprise a suction nozzle which connects to the floor cleaner in order to facilitate the passage of liquid out of the floor cleaner. The dock may be arranged to passively receive liquid that has been flushed through the floor cleaner, the liquid draining from the floor cleaner under gravity.

The dock may be arranged such that the liquid flushed through the floor cleaner returns to the reservoir for containing liquid.

The dock may comprise a waste liquid reservoir for receiving the liquid flushed through the floor cleaner. The waste liquid reservoir may also receive waste liquid that is stored in the floor cleaner prior to docking.

The dock may comprise an agitation unit, the agitation unit arranged to agitate the liquid being fed into the floor cleaner via the inlet. Agitating the liquid may improve the cleaning effect of the liquid. The agitation unit is arranged to introduce bubbles into the liquid. The agitation unit may be arranged to introduce ultrasonic vibrations into the liquid.

The dock may comprise a heater, the heater arranged to heat the liquid being fed into the floor cleaner.

The dock may comprise a filter, the filter arranged to filter liquid extracted from the floor cleaner.

The dock may comprise a charging unit, the charging unit arranged to charge a battery of a floor cleaner received in the receiving unit.

The dock may comprise a cleaning fluid reservoir for supplying cleaning fluid to a floor cleaner received in the receiving unit.

According to a second aspect, the invention provides a dock as described with reference to the first aspect of the invention, and a floor cleaner. The floor cleaner may be received in the receiving unit of the floor cleaner. The floor cleaner may comprise any of the features described with respect to the floor cleaner which may be received in the receiving unit of the dock of the first aspect of the invention.

According to a third aspect, the invention provides a method of cleaning a floor cleaner comprising the steps of: docking the floor cleaner with the dock as claimed in any preceding claim such that the floor cleaner is received in the receiving unit of the dock, feeding liquid from the reservoir for containing liquid into the floor cleaner, and extracting liquid from the floor cleaner, such that the liquid flushes through the floor cleaner.

It will of course be appreciated that features described in relation to one aspect of the present invention may be incorporated into other aspects of the present invention. For example, the method of the invention may incorporate any of the features described with reference to the apparatus of the invention and vice versa.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings of which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a floor cleaner;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a floor cleaner and dock;

FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of components of the dock shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a dock and floor cleaner

FIG. 5 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a dock.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a floor cleaner 10, which comprises a cleaning head 12, a body 14 pivotally attached to the cleaning head 12, and a handle 16 extending away from the body 14. The cleaning head 12 comprises two cleaning pads 18, which are arranged to contact a floor and oscillate during use, and a front squeegee 20 and rear squeegee 22, respectively positioned in front of and behind the cleaning pads 18. The terms “front” and “rear” will be understood by the skilled person to mean the front and rear of the cleaning head 12 when the floor cleaner 10 is being used by a user. In FIG. 1, the front squeegee 20 is shown in a retracted position, and may also be folded down into a deployed position, in which the front squeegee 20 makes contact with the floor. The body 14 comprises a cleaning fluid reservoir, a waste fluid reservoir, and a battery (not shown). The cleaning fluid reservoir is arranged to hold cleaning fluid and apply the cleaning fluid to the floor during use of the floor cleaner 10. The cleaning pads 18 oscillate during use of the floor cleaner, thereby agitating the cleaning fluid on the floor, providing a cleaning effect. The cleaning fluid becomes dirty during agitation, and the waste liquid reservoir is arranged to suck up and store the waste liquid during use of the floor cleaner. The battery is arranged to power the application of cleaning fluid to the floor, the oscillation of the cleaning pads 20, and the sucking up of the waste liquid. The handle 16 comprises a user interface 24 which turns on and off the floor cleaner functions.

FIG. 2 shows a floor cleaner 10 and a dock 30. The dock 30 comprises a receiving unit 32 which receives the cleaning head 12 of the floor cleaner 10, and a support arm 34 against which the handle 16 of the floor cleaner 10 rests. The dock 30 further comprises a power connection 36 to mains electricity.

FIG. 3 shows some additional components of the dock 30. In particular, the dock 30 comprises a charging unit 24 connected to mains electricity via the power connection 36. The charging unit 24 is arranged to supply charge to battery of the floor cleaner 10, either by wireless charging or by wired charging. The dock 30 also comprises a waste liquid tank 25, a cleaning fluid tank 26, and a control unit 27. The waste liquid tank 25 is arranged to receive waste liquid from the waste liquid reservoir of the floor cleaner 10. The cleaning fluid tank 26 is arranged to feed cleaning fluid into the cleaning fluid reservoir of the floor cleaner 10. The control unit 27 is arranged to control any active service functions of the dock 30, including the charging of the floor cleaner 10. Therefore, the dock 30 is able to perform several service functions on the floor cleaner 10, including charging the floor cleaner 10, emptying waste liquid from the floor cleaner 10, and refilling the floor cleaner 10 with cleaning fluid.

FIG. 4 shows a dock 30 and a floor cleaner 10. The cleaning head 12 of the floor cleaner 10 is received in a receiving unit 32 of the dock 30. A reservoir 34 of cleaning fluid is provided to the side of the receiving unit 32, and a fluid passage 36 connects the reservoir 34 with the receiving unit 32, such that cleaning fluid may be provided to the receiving unit 32. This allows a pool of cleaning fluid to be provided in the bottom of the receiving unit 32 as shown. The floor cleaner 10 includes squeegees 42 which are arranged to suck up liquid. When the floor cleaner 10 is being used, the squeegees may suck up waste liquid from the floor. When the floor cleaner 10 is received by the dock 30 and a cleaning cycle is initiated, the squeegees suck up cleaning fluid to clean the parts of the floor cleaner 10 which come into contact with waste liquid during use of the floor cleaner 10. The cleaning fluid which is flushed through the floor cleaner 10 is returned to the reservoir 34 via a fluid passage 44. The fluid passage 44 includes a filter (not shown) which removes any contaminant particles from the cleaning fluid before it returns to the reservoir 34.

FIG. 5 shows a dock 30 without the floor cleaner 10 being shown. The reservoir 34 is able to be linked to the floor cleaner via a nozzle 40. A pump 38 is arranged to pump cleaning fluid from the reservoir 34 into the floor cleaner via the nozzle 40. The cleaning fluid pumped into the floor cleaner 10 is allowed to drain from the floor cleaner 10 into the receiving unit 32, such that the cleaning fluid flushes through the floor cleaner. In this arrangement, the cleaning fluid that has been flushed through the floor cleaner 10 is kept separate from the reservoir 34 and treated as waste liquid to be removed from the dock. The pump 38 may be arranged to agitate the liquid being fed into the floor cleaner 10, for example by creating bubbles and/or ultrasonic vibrations within the liquid. This may improve the cleaning effect of the cleaning fluid. The pump 38 may also be linked to a heater which heats the cleaning fluid being fed into the floor cleaner 10.

Whilst the present invention has been described and illustrated with reference to particular embodiments, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention lends itself to many different variations not specifically illustrated herein. The dock 30 may comprise a scraper or compression device, the scraper arranged to be scraped against the cleaning pads to remove liquid from the cleaning pads, and the compression device arranged to compress the cleaning pads to remove liquid from the cleaning pads. A heater may be associated with the cleaning fluid tank 26 and arranged to heat the cleaning fluid in the cleaning fluid tank 26 prior to refilling a floor cleaner. The heater 38 may be arranged to increase the ambient temperature around the dock 30, such that the dock 30 may be used as a room heater.

Where in the foregoing description, integers or elements are mentioned which have known, obvious or foreseeable equivalents, then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth. Reference should be made to the claims for determining the true scope of the present invention, which should be construed so as to encompass any such equivalents. It will also be appreciated by the reader that integers or features of the invention that are described as preferable, advantageous, convenient or the like are optional and do not limit the scope of the independent claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that such optional integers or features, whilst of possible benefit in some embodiments of the invention, may not be desirable, and may therefore be absent, in other embodiments.

Claims

1. A dock for receiving a floor cleaner, the dock comprising:

a receiving unit for receiving the floor cleaner,

a reservoir for containing liquid,

an agitation unit,

wherein the dock is arranged to feed liquid from the reservoir into the floor cleaner and receive the same liquid from the floor cleaner, the liquid having been flushed through the floor cleaner, and wherein the agitation unit is arranged to agitate the liquid being fed into the floor cleaner.

2. The dock as claimed in claim 1, arranged such that the liquid flushed through the floor cleaner returns to the reservoir for containing liquid.

3. The dock as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a waste liquid reservoir for receiving the liquid flushed through the floor cleaner.

4. (canceled)

5. The dock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the agitation unit is arranged to introduce bubbles into the liquid.

6. The dock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the agitation unit is arranged to introduce ultrasonic vibrations into the liquid.

7. The dock as claimed claim 1, further comprising a heater, the heater arranged to heat the liquid being fed into the floor cleaner.

8. The dock as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a filter, the filter arranged to filter liquid extracted from the floor cleaner.

9. The dock as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a charging unit, the charging unit arranged to charge a battery of a floor cleaner received in the receiving unit.

10. The dock as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a cleaning fluid reservoir for supplying cleaning fluid to a floor cleaner received in the receiving unit.

11. A method of cleaning a floor cleaner comprising the steps of:

docking the floor cleaner with the dock as claimed in claim 1 such that the floor cleaner is received in the receiving unit of the dock,

feeding liquid from the reservoir for containing liquid into the floor cleaner,

extracting liquid from the floor cleaner,

such that the liquid flushes through the floor cleaner.

12. A dock for receiving a floor cleaner, the dock comprising:

a receiving unit for receiving the floor cleaner,

a reservoir for containing liquid, and

suction apparatus to actively suck liquid from the floor cleaner;

wherein the dock is arranged to feed liquid from the reservoir into the floor cleaner and receive the same liquid from the floor cleaner, the liquid having been flushed through the floor cleaner.

13. The dock as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a suction nozzle which connects to the floor cleaner in order to facilitate the passage of liquid out of the floor cleaner.

14. The dock as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a waste liquid reservoir for receiving the liquid flushed through the floor cleaner.

15. A dock as claimed in claim 12, further comprising an agitation unit, the agitation unit arranged to agitate the liquid being fed into the floor cleaner via the inlet.

16. The dock as claimed in claim 15, wherein the agitation unit is arranged to introduce bubbles into the liquid.

17. The dock as claimed in claim 15, wherein the agitation unit is arranged to introduce ultrasonic vibrations into the liquid.

18. The dock as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a heater, the heater arranged to heat the liquid being fed into the floor cleaner.

19. The dock as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a filter, the filter arranged to filter liquid extracted from the floor cleaner.

20. The dock as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a charging unit, the charging unit arranged to charge a battery of a floor cleaner received in the receiving unit.

21. The dock as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a cleaning fluid reservoir for supplying cleaning fluid to a floor cleaner received in the receiving unit.