Cleaning Apparatus With A Protective Structure

Abstract

A floor cleaning appliance has a main body including a case at least partially by delimited an external wall, a fluid inlet configured to receive a fluid flow from outside the case, at least one means, disposed in the case, configured to act on the fluid flow received through the fluid inlet. The cleaning appliance comprises includes at least two main wheels mounted movable in rotation on the main body, and a protective structure configured to protect the main wheels, the protective structure being disposed outside the case and extending at a distance from the outer wall and covering a portion of the tread of each main wheel.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the field of floor cleaning apparatuses comprising a main body having a fluid inlet intended to receive a fluid flow, at least one means disposed in the main body intended to act on the fluid flow received through the fluid inlet and wheels mounted movable in rotation on the main body and allowing moving the cleaning appliance over the floor to be cleaned.

More particularly, the present invention relates to sled-type domestic vacuum cleaners allowing sucking up dust and waste with a fine grain size present on a surface to be cleaned, which can for example be tiles, parquet, laminate, rug or a carpet.

By sled-type suction assembly or vacuum cleaner, reference is made to a vacuum cleaner or suction assembly that can move by rolling on the ground, for example using wheels or rollers when the vacuum cleaner is in use. In a sled-type vacuum cleaner, a suction nozzle is connected to the suction assembly via a suction tube generally comprising a rigid portion and a flexible portion. During a cleaning operation, the user of a sled-type vacuum cleaner generally holds the nozzle via a handle provided on the rigid portion of the tube or attached to the tube. A sled-type vacuum cleaner is generally pulled by the user via the handle and the flexible portion of the tube, this movement mode is at the origin of the name “sled-type vacuum cleaner”. The name sled-type vacuum cleaner or sled-type suction assembly also covers vacuum cleaners with motor-driven wheels or castors capable of following the movements of the suction nozzle, the handle or the user.

A sled-type vacuum cleaner allows sucking up dust and waste with a fine grain size present on a surface to be cleaned, which can for example be tiles, parquet, laminate, rug or a carpet.

PRIOR ART

It is known, in particular from the document JP2002345693, to equip the above-described cleaning appliances and more particularly the sled-type vacuum cleaners with at least two main wheels disposed on either side of the main body and whose external diameters, corresponding to the diameters of the treads of the main wheels, are relatively large compared to the external dimensions of the main body. Such main wheels may have an external diameter which is, for example, larger than ⅔ of the height of the main body measured from a horizontal surface on which the main wheels are placed. Such main wheel diameters facilitate crossing of obstacles such as door thresholds or carpet edges.

However, although very practical for overcoming some obstacles, such large-diameter main wheels are more exposed to shocks, more particularly to frontal shocks, i.e. when the cleaning appliance, following a forward movement encounters a frontal obstacle, such as a corner of the wall, a table leg or the lower edge of a legged piece of furniture (sideboard, coffee table, etc.). Hence, it is not uncommon for one of the main wheels to hit a frontal obstacle during such a forward movement, i.e. an obstacle in front of the cleaning appliance. When repeated, these shocks can damage one of the main wheels and cause at least discomfort for the user. The inconvenience caused to the user may be due to vibrations transmitted from the damaged wheel or to an impossibility for the main body to maintain a trajectory in a straight line due, for example, to a lack of parallelism of the main wheels resulting from one or several frontal shocks on at least one of the main wheels. In the event of more severe damage, the cleaning appliance may be rendered unusable when, for example, following one or several repeated frontal shocks, one of the main wheels jams or is broken.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks.

The technical problem at the origin of the invention consists in increasing the service life of the main wheels, in particular of main wheels with large diameters, of a floor cleaning appliance taking into account the obstacles that a cleaning appliance might encounter when moving on a floor to be cleaned.

To this end, the invention relates to a floor cleaning appliance comprising a main body including:

• • a case delimited at least partially by an external wall,
  • a fluid inlet for receiving a fluid flow from outside the case,
  • at least one means, disposed in the case, intended to act on the fluid flow received through the fluid inlet.

The cleaning appliance comprises at least two main wheels mounted movable in rotation on the main body, each main wheel having a tread so that the cleaning appliance could rest and roll on the floor to be cleaned, the main wheels being disposed on either side of the main body. The cleaning appliance further comprises a protective structure configured to protect the main wheels. The protective structure is disposed outside the case and extends at a distance from the external wall. Said protective structure covers a portion of the tread of each main wheel.

By covering a portion of the tread of each main wheel, the protective structure allows protecting all or part of each main wheel by being interposing between a main wheel and any obstacle encountered by the cleaning appliance during its movements on the floor to be cleaned. According to the invention, the protective structure is disposed outside the case and extends at a distance from the external wall. Thus, the protective structure is not integrated into the external wall of the main body case. By being disposed outside the case and extending at a distance from the external wall, the protective structure allows at least partially protecting wheels with large diameters without having to oversize the case.

The expression “tread” refers to a circular surface or a set of surfaces forming a generally circular outer periphery of each main wheel and which is brought to roll on the floor to be cleaned during the movements of the cleaning apparatus. Hence, the protective structure covers a circular or generally circular portion of each tread.

The apparatus may further have one or more of the following features, considered alone or in combination.

Advantageously, the protective structure covers an angular sector of each tread which is larger than 90° and advantageously comprised between 90° and 130°. This angular amplitude of protection allows protecting the wheels against most of the shocks occurring during the movements of the cleaning appliance.

According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the protective structure is connected to the main body by connecting means such as connecting walls, connecting arms or intermediate connecting parts.

According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the protective structure forms a handle assembly which can be gripped by the user. According to this feature, the protective structure is therefore in the form of one or several gripping handles that can be gripped by the user to grip and move the main body. Thus, the protective structure allows both protecting all or part of the main wheels and offering at least one gripping surface for the user.

According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the handle assembly consists of one single handle of substantially annular shape or in the shape of a “U” or in the shape of an open ring. With this substantially annular or “U”-shaped or open ring-shaped handle shape, the protective structure offers multiple gripping zones for the user who wishes to grasp and move the main body. The protective structure then forms a particularly ergonomic handle for the user.

According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the handle assembly is composed of at least two separate handles, substantially parallel and each covering a portion of the tread of one of the main wheels. In other words, according to this feature, the protective structure of the main wheels is advantageously formed of two handles which extend at a distance from each other and at a distance from the external wall of the main case. Each grip covers the tread portion of one main wheel.

According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the protective structure covers the top of the main wheels. In other words, the protective structure covers a tread portion that is located in the upper portion of each main wheel. Indeed, the top of the main wheels is exposed to shocks when the cleaning appliance partially engages under a low obstacle such as a coffee table or a sideboard on legs having a lower edge at the height of the top of the main wheels and that could come into contact with an upper portion of the main wheels. The fact that the protective structure covers the top of the main wheels allows protecting the main wheels from this type of collision with a low obstacle.

According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the fluid inlet is disposed on a front portion of the main body, i.e. a portion of the main body which corresponds to the front of the main body. Advantageously, the front portion is a front end of the main body. The fluid inlet is also referred to as the air inlet endpiece when the cleaner is a suction assembly. The protective structure covers the top of the main wheels and extends forward of the main body to at least partially cover the front of the main wheels. Thanks to this arrangement, the protective structure allows protecting the main wheels from impacts against low obstacles, such as a coffee table or the lower edge of a legged sideboard, but also against frontal obstacles, such as table legs or wall corners, coming in front of the cleaning appliance.

According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the protective structure has at least two external surfaces which extend in front of and above the main wheels, the two external surfaces extend in the direction of the axes of rotation of the main wheels and are inclined so that when extending in the direction of the axes of rotation they progressively deviate from each other. These inclined external surfaces make it easier to circumvent an obstacle. Indeed, by coming into contact with an inclined external surface of the protective structure, an obstacle is brought to slide on the inclined external surface as the cleaning appliance continues its forward movement.

According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the main wheels are annular wheels rotating around a fixed hub secured to the main body. This type of main wheels in the form of an annular wheel makes it easier to make main wheels with large diameters while clearing an internal space inside the main wheels. Advantageously, the internal space is provided inside each fixed hub. This configuration is conducive to optimising the volumes inside the fixed hubs and/or the main body to be able to advantageously dispose functional parts of the cleaning appliance such as, for example, a filter or an air duct of the cleaning appliance. However, this type of annular wheel is also more fragile than a solid main wheel mounted for example on a rotary axis. The protective structure according to the present invention, which is arranged outside the case and which extends at a distance from the external wall, is particularly well-suited for annular main wheels rotating around a fixed hub because the protective structure can effectively protect this type of annular wheel-shaped main wheels.

According to an advantageous feature of the invention, each fixed hub has an external surface in the form of a spherical cap. A spherical cap shape is also known as a domed shape. The external surface in the shape of a spherical cap of each fixed hub enables frontal obstacles coming into contact with the protective structure to slide on the protective structure and then to slide on the spherical cap of a fixed hub. The cleaning appliance is then deviated from its trajectory, thereby preventing the obstacle from hitting the annular wheel attached to this same fixed hub.

According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the main body, the annular wheels and the fixed hubs form an assembly with a generally spherical shape. According to this configuration, the protective structure extends partially around and at a distance from the generally spherical shape.

According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the main wheels are wheels of the omnidirectional type. This type of wheel enables the main body to move laterally by rolling to better circumvent an obstacle coming into contact with the protective structure. This type of wheels is also known as holonomic wheels. However, these main wheels of the omnidirectional type are more fragile than conventional non-omnidirectional wheels. The protective structure as described before is particularly suitable for effectively protecting this type of main wheels.

According to an advantageous feature of the invention, each main wheel comprises a plurality of rotating rollers distributed over the periphery of each main wheel. The plurality of rotating rollers distributed over the periphery of each wheel forms the tread of each main wheel. According to this configuration, the protective structure covers several rotating rollers.

According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the rotating rollers of an annular wheel can rotate freely and have axes of rotation that are not parallel, preferably perpendicular, to the axis of rotation of the main wheel carrying the rotating rollers.

According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the main wheels have inclined axes of rotation which preferably converge towards the top of the main body.

According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the main wheels have an external diameter which is larger than ⅔ of the height of the main body measured from a horizontal surface on which the main wheels are placed. The external diameter corresponds to the diameter of the tread. The height of the main body is measured without counting the additional height that the protective structure might represent. These large-diameter main wheels make it easier to overcome low obstacles such as door thresholds or carpet edges.

According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the main wheels are lateral wheels of the cleaning appliance.

According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the protective structure comprises at least one internal protective surface which directly faces the portion of the tread of each main wheel. In other words, the internal protective surface, and therefore the protective structure, covers and faces a portion of the tread of each main wheel without there being a part or a portion of the main body that is interposed or positioned between the protective surface and said portion of the tread.

According to an advantageous feature of the invention, each internal protective surface is concave and curved around the portion of the tread of each main wheel. This concave and curved inner protection surface better follows the circular shape of the tread to better protect the portion of tread covered by the inner protection surface.

According to an advantageous feature of the invention, each internal protective surface extends proximate to a main wheel such that the minimum distance between the tread of a main wheel and the internal protective surface, measured in a radial direction with respect to the axis of rotation of each main wheel, is smaller than 5 cm, preferably smaller than 2 cm. This proximity between the tread of a main wheel and the internal protective surface allows better protecting the tread portion covered by the internal protective surface.

According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the cleaning appliance is a sled-type suction assembly comprising, inside the main body, an aeraulic circuit which extends between the fluid inlet and a fluid outlet of the suction assembly. Said at least one means intended to act on the flow comprises:

• • a waste separation device such as a cyclonic separator or a filter disposed on the aeraulic circuit, and
  • a motor-fan unit disposed on the aeraulic circuit comprising an electric motor and a fan coupled to the electric motor to generate an air flow in the aeraulic circuit when the vacuum cleaner is in operation.

BRIEF 25

The aims, aspects and advantages of the present invention will be better understood from the description given hereinafter of a particular embodiment of the invention disclosed as a non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front three-quarter view of a suction assembly;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the suction assembly of FIG. 1

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the suction assembly of FIG. 1

FIG. 4 is a front view of the suction assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the suction assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a rear view of the suction assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7a is a top view of the suction assembly of FIG. 1 showing an obstacle avoidance situation according to a first step;

FIG. 7b is a top view of the suction assembly of FIG. 1 showing an obstacle avoidance situation according to a second step;

FIG. 7c is a top view of the suction assembly of FIG. 1 showing an obstacle avoidance situation according to a third step;

FIG. 7d is a top view of the suction assembly of FIG. 1 showing an obstacle avoidance situation according to a fourth step.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Only the elements necessary for understanding the invention are represented. To facilitate reading of the drawings, the same elements bear the same references from one figure to another.

It should be noted that in this document, the terms “horizontal”, “vertical”, “lower”, “upper”, “height”, “top”, “bottom” used to describe the cleaning appliance or the suction assembly or the main body refer to the cleaning appliance or the suction assembly in use when it rests by its wheels on a floor to be cleaned which is flat and horizontal.

FIG. 1 represents in three dimensions and in a three-quarter front view a floor cleaning appliance 1 comprising a main body 2 including:

• • a case 3 delimited at least partially by an external wall 4,
  • a fluid inlet 5 intended to receive a fluid flow from outside the case 3,
  • at least one means, arranged in the case 3, intended to act on the fluid flow received through the fluid inlet 5.

The cleaning appliance 1 further comprises at least two main wheels 10, 11 mounted movable in rotation on the main body 2. Each main wheel comprises a tread 12, 13 so that the main body 2 could rest and roll on the floor to be cleaned. The main wheels 10, 11 are disposed on either side of the main body 2. More specifically, the main wheels 10, 11 are lateral wheels with respect to the main body 2. The main wheels 10, 11 have axes of rotation A10 and A11.

More specifically, the cleaning appliance 1 represented in FIGS. 1 to 7 is a sled-type suction assembly 100.

The suction assembly 100 comprises a main body 2 and the main body 2 comprises an aeraulic circuit 7 which extends between the fluid inlet 5 and a fluid outlet 6 of the suction assembly 100. In a sled-type suction assembly 100, the fluid inlet 5 is also known as the connection endpiece or the air inlet endpiece and the fluid outlet 6 is also known as the exhaust outlet and may comprise one or several holes.

In general, the main body 2 comprises several means intended to act on the fluid flow. In a sled-type suction assembly 100, these means comprise in particular (cf. FIG. 3) a waste separation device 8, such as a cyclonic separator or a filter, and a motor-fan unit 9 comprising an electric motor and a fan coupled to the electric motor to generate an air flow in the aeraulic circuit 7 when the suction assembly is in operation. The waste separation device 8 and the motor-fan unit 9 are disposed on the aeraulic circuit 7, such that they are crossed by the air flow sucked when the suction assembly 100 is in operation. In general, the waste separation device 8 is disposed on the aeraulic circuit 7 upstream of the motor-fan unit 9. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 7, the waste separation device 8 is placed in a waste collection bowl 14. The waste collection bowl 14 is removable so as to be pulled off the main body 2 in order to more easily discharge the waste accumulated in the waste collection bowl 14 and in order to clean the waste separation device 8. In order to be able to be removed more easily, the waste collection bowl 14 comprises a central handle 15.

In working condition, a suction nozzle (not represented), also known as a suction head, is normally connected to the fluid inlet 5 by a suction tube (not represented) generally comprising a rigid portion and a flexible portion. The suction assembly 100, the suction nozzle and the suction tube form a sled-type vacuum cleaner. During a floor cleaning operation, the user of a sled-type vacuum cleaner holds the nozzle via a handle provided on the rigid portion of the suction tube or attached to the suction tube. When the main wheels of the sled-type vacuum cleaner are not motor-driven, the handle and the suction tube enable the user to pull the suction assembly 1 which, thanks to the main wheels 10, 11, rolls over the floor to be cleaned.

The suction nozzle and the suction tube are parts of a sled-type vacuum cleaner that are known to a person skilled in the art. This is why the suction nozzle and the suction tube are not represented in the figures and are not described in more detail in this description.

The suction assembly 100 further comprises a protective structure 20 for protecting the main wheels 10, 11 which is disposed outside the case 3 of the main body 2 and which extends at a distance from the external wall 4 of the case 3. The protective structure 20 covers a portion 12a, 13a of the tread 12, 13 of each main wheel.

The main body 2, the main wheels 10, 11 and the protective structure 20 form the suction assembly 100.

More specifically, the protective structure 20 covers a portion 12a, 13a, having a circular shape, of each tread 12, 13. Preferably, the protective structure 20 covers an angular sector S1 of each tread which is larger than 90° and advantageously comprised between 90° and 130°. In the example of FIG. 2, the covered angular sector is about 115°. Hence, the protective structure 20 allows protecting the main wheels 10, 11 from part of the shocks that they could suffer when encountering obstacles during the movements of the suction assembly 100 of the floors to be cleaned. Hence, the protective structure 20 allows protecting the main wheels 10, 11 and increasing the service life of the main wheels 10, 11. The protective structure 20 is particularly suitable when the main wheels 10, 11 are large diameter wheels as represented in the figures. Indeed, main wheels 10, 11 with large diameters are more exposed to shocks when the suction assembly moves over a floor to be cleaned. Moreover, by being disposed outside the case 3 and extending at a distance from the external wall 4, the protective structure 20 allows protecting at least partially the main wheels 10, 11 with large diameters without having to oversize the case 3 of the main body 2.

In the context of the present invention, main wheels 10, 11 are considered to have large diameters when their external diameter, corresponding to the diameter of the tread 12, 13 of each main wheel 10, 11, is larger than ⅔ the height H of the main body 1 measured from a horizontal surface on which the main wheels 10, 11 rest. The height H of the main body 2 is measured from a horizontal ground on which the main wheels 10, 11 are placed. The height H of the main body 2 is measured without counting the additional height that the protective structure 20 might represent.

As represented in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6, the protective structure 20 is connected to the main body 2 by connecting arms 21. In variant that are not represented, the connecting arms may be replaced by any other means allowing connecting the protective structure to the main body, in particular to its case. In some variants, the connection may be achieved by connecting walls or by intermediate connecting parts. The protective structure may be attached to the main body, for example, to the case of the main body. In one variant, the protective structure may be entirely or partially manufactured, for example by injection under pressure of plastic material, with at least one portion of the case.

Advantageously, the protective structure 20 forms a handle assembly which can be grasped by the user. Hence, the protective structure 20 is in the form of a handle assembly that can be gripped by the user for lifting and moving the suction assembly 100. Thus, the protective structure allows both protecting all or part of the main wheels 10, 11 and offering at least one gripping surface for the user.

The fluid inlet 5, also called an air inlet nozzle in a suction assembly, is disposed over a portion of the main body 2, advantageously an end of the main body 2, which corresponds to the front of the main body 2.

As represented in the figures, the handle assembly formed by the protective structure 20 may consist of one single handle with a substantially annular shape which extends from the top of the main body 2 to the front of the main body 2 where the fluid inlet is located. Thus, the protective structure 20 offers multiple gripping areas for the user who wishes to grasp and move the main body 2. The protective structure 20 then forms one single handle that is particularly ergonomic for the user.

Moreover, the substantially annular shape of the handle allows forming a central opening 200 in the centre of the handle. This central opening, delimited by a radially inner periphery 201 of the annular handle, is large enough to enable the waste collection bowl 14 to be pulled off through the central opening 200. Thus the waste collection bowl 14 can be grasped and easily pulled off the main body 2 by the user through the central opening 200 formed in the centre of the annular shape of the handle.

As represented in the figures, the shape of the handle and therefore of the protective structure 20 is not necessarily perfectly annular, it may be substantially ovalised or stretched from the top of the main body 2 towards the front of the main body 2. Preferably, the protective handle has a substantially curved shape around the main wheels 10, 11.

Moreover, at the front of the main body 2, the protective structure 20 with a substantially annular shape advantageously extends as far as the air inlet nozzle 5 and the protective structure 20 extends on either side of the air inlet nozzle 5.

In some variants that are not represented, the handle formed by the protective structure could have other shapes, for example a “U” shape or an open ring like shape.

More specifically and as represented in the figures, the protective structure 20 covers the top of the main wheels 10, 11 and extends towards the front of the main body 2 so as to at least partially cover the front of the main wheels 10, 11. In other words, the angular sector S1 of each tread 12, 13 that is covered by the protective structure extends from above the main wheels 10, 11 up to the front of the main wheels 10, 11 (cf. FIG. 2). Thanks to this arrangement, the protective structure 20 allows protecting the main wheels 10, 11 from shocks against low obstacles, such as a coffee table or the lower portion of a sideboard resting on legs and having a lower edge at height from the top of the main wheels 10, 11 which could collide with the upper portion of the main wheels 10, 11. The protective structure 20 also allows protecting the main wheels 10, 11 from shocks with frontal obstacles, such as table legs or wall angles, which might be encountered by the suction assembly 1 during forward movement. Forward movements of the suction assembly 100 correspond to movements when the suction assembly 100 is for example pulled by the user to clean the floors.

As shown in particular in FIGS. 1 and 4, the protective structure 20 has at least two external surfaces 22, 23 which extend in front of and above the main wheels 10, 11. The two external surfaces 22, 23 extend in the direction of the axes of rotation A10, A11 of the main wheels 10, 11 and are inclined such that by extending in the direction of the axes of rotation A10, A11 they progressively deviate from each other. The angle of inclination α (cf. FIG. 4) between the external surfaces 22, 23 may be variable along the protective structure. Advantageously, the angle of inclination α is comprised between 100 and 170 degrees. The external surfaces 22, 23 which are inclined allow circumventing an obstacle. Indeed, during a forward movement of the suction assembly, an obstacle coming into contact with an external surface 22 (23) which is inclined will, as the of the suction assembly 100 moves forwards AV (FIGS. 7a to 7d), slide on the external surface 22 (23) which is inclined causing a lateral displacement L of the suction assembly 100. Thus, the external surface 22, 23, which are inclined, enable the suction assembly 100 to clear itself more easily from an obstacle and prevent the suction assembly 100 from remaining blocked behind this obstacle.

Advantageously, the main wheels 10, 11 are annular wheels rotating around a fixed hub 18, 19 secured to the main body 2. There is one fixed hub 18, 19 per main wheel 10, 11 with an annular shape. The annular-shaped wheels allow making main wheels 10, 11 with a large diameter while clearing an internal space, i.e. radially inside the main wheels 10, 11, which is significant. Advantageously, the internal space is formed inside each fixed hub 18, 19. In at least one of the two internal spaces, it is possible to arrange functional members of the suction assembly 100 such as for example a filter (not represented) or all or part of an air intake pipe.

However, this type of annular wheel is more fragile than a conventional solid wheel mounted for example on a rotary axis. The protective structure 20 according to the present invention, which is disposed outside the case 3 and which extends at a distance from the external wall 4 of the case 3, is particularly well suited to effectively protect the main wheels 10, 11 with annular shapes rotating around a fixed hub 18, 19.

In the embodiment represented in the figures, each fixed hub 18, 19 has an external surface 18a, 19a shaped as a spherical cap, in other words shaped as a dome. The external surface 18a, 19a in the form of a spherical cap of each fixed hub 18, 19 enables frontal obstacles coming into contact with an external surface 22, 23 of the protective structure 20 to slide first on the external surface 22, 23 then slide along and in contact with the external surface 18a (19a) of a fixed hub 18 (19). While continuing to move forwards AV, the suction assembly 100 is deviated from its trajectory by a lateral displacement L thereby preventing the obstacle from colliding with the main wheel 10 (11) attached to this same fixed hub 18 (19). A frontal obstacle is an obstacle meeting and coming into contact with the suction assembly 100 when the suction assembly 100 moves forwards AV.

FIGS. 7a to 7d illustrate obstacle circumvention according 4 steps. For example, this consists in circumventing a table leg placed in front of the suction assembly 100. According to a first step represented in FIG. 7a, the suction assembly 100 moves forwards AV. An obstacle 30 is in the path of the suction assembly 1 and lies in front of one of the main wheels 10, 11.

According to a second step represented in FIG. 7b, the suction assembly 100 continues its forward movement AV and comes into contact with the obstacle 30. More specifically, an external surface 22 of the protective structure 20 first comes into contact with the obstacle 30. Hence, the protective structure 2 is interposed between the obstacle 30 and the main wheel 10, thereby preventing the obstacle 30 from colliding with a main wheel 10.

According to a third step represented in FIG. 7c, the suction assembly 100 continues its forward movement AV, the external surface 22 slides over the obstacle 20. Thanks to the inclination of the external surface 22, as the suction assembly 100 moves forwards AV, the rolling suction assembly also moves laterally L.

According to a fourth step represented in FIG. 7d, the suction assembly 100 continues its forward movement AV, the external surface 22 is cleared of the obstacle 30. After sliding on the external surface 22, the obstacle 30 goes beyond the external surface 22 to come into contact with the external surface 18a of the fixed hub 18. The external surface 18a of the fixed hub 18 is in top view of the suction assembly 100 substantially in the extension of the external surface 22. Because the external surface 18a of the fixed hub projects from the main wheel 10 with an annular shape and projects from the rest of the main body 2, and because the external surface 18a is shaped as a spherical cap, the relative sliding of the obstacle 30 on the external surface 18a has the effect, on the one hand, of continuing to move the suction assembly 100 laterally L as it moves forwards AV and, on the other hand, to clear the obstacle 30 from the main wheel 10 to prevent the obstacle 30 from hitting the main wheel 10, in particular a rear portion of the main wheel 10 with an annular shape. Circumventing obstacle according to the four steps above is first achieved thanks to the protective structure 20 and the obstacle circumvention is improved by a combined effect of the protective structure 20 and the fixed hubs 18, 19 shaped as spherical caps to effectively protect the main wheels 10, 11 with annular shapes.

As represented in the figures, the main body 2, the annular wheels 10, 11 and the fixed hubs 18, 19 advantageously form an assembly with a generally spherical shape. According to this configuration, the protective structure 20 extends partially around and at a distance from the generally spherical shape. This configuration enables the suction assembly 100 to more easily circumvent encountered obstacles.

As represented in the figures, the main wheels 10, 11 are omnidirectional type wheels. This type of wheel enables the suction assembly 100 to move laterally L by rolling to better circumvent an obstacle 30 coming into contact with the protective structure (cf. FIGS. 7a to 7b). This type of wheels is also known as holonomic wheels. However, these main wheels 10, 11 of the omnidirectional type are more fragile than conventional wheels, i.e. wheels that are not of the omnidirectional type. The protective structure 20 as previously described is particularly suitable to effectively protect this type of main wheels 10, 11.

Each main wheel 10, 11 of the omnidirectional type comprises a plurality of rotating rollers 10a, 11a distributed over the periphery of each main wheel 10, 11. The plurality of rotating rollers 10a, 11a distributed over the periphery of each main wheel 10, 11 form the tread 12, 13 of each main wheel. According to this configuration, the protective structure 20 covers several rotating rollers 10a, 11a.

Advantageously, the rotating rollers 10a, 11a of a main wheel 10, 11 can rotate freely and have axes of rotation that are not parallel to the axis of rotation A10, A11 of the main wheel 10, 11 on which they depend. Advantageously and as represented in the figures, the axes of rotation of the rotating rollers 10a, 11a are perpendicular to the axis of rotation A10, A11 of the main wheel 10, 11 carrying the rotating rollers 10a, 11a.

As represented in FIG. 5, the main wheels 10, 11 have axes of rotation A10, A11 inclined with respect to each other. Preferably, the axes of rotation A10, A11 converge towards the top of the main body to form at the top an angle P smaller than 180° (cf. FIG. 4).

According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the protective structure 20 comprises an internal protective surface 24, 25 (cf. FIG. 6) for each main wheel 10, 11. Each internal protective surface 24, 25 directly faces a portion 12a, 13a of the tread 12, 13 of each main wheel 10, 11.

In other words, the internal protective surface 24, 25, and consequently the protective structure 20, covers a portion 12a, 13a of the tread 12, 13 of each main wheel 10, 11 without there being any part or a portion of the main body 2 that is interposed or positioned between the internal protective surface 24, 25 and said portion 12a, 13a of the tread 12, 13.

Each internal protective surface 24, 25 is concave and curved around a portion 12a, 13a of the tread 12, 13 of each main wheel 10, 11. This concave and curved internal protective surface 24, 25 allows better following the circular shape of the tread 12, 13 to better protect the portion of tread 12, 13 covered by the internal protective surface 24, 25.

Advantageously, each external surface 22, 23 is an extrados surface and each internal protective surface 24, 25 is an intrados surface. Preferably, the intrados and extrados surfaces are parallel so that they form therebetween portions of the protective structure 20 in the form of protective strips or bands (FIGS. 2, 3).

As shown in the figures, each internal protective surface 24, 25 extends proximate to a main wheel 10, 11 such that the minimum distance D between the tread 12, 13 of a main wheel 10, 11 and the internal protective surface 24, 25, measured in a radial direction with respect to the axis of rotation A10, A11 of each main wheel, is smaller than 5 cm, preferably smaller than 2 cm (cf. FIG. 2). This proximity between the tread of a main wheel 10, 11 and the internal protective surface 24, 25 allows better protecting the portion 12a, 13a of the tread 12, 13 covered by the internal protective surface 24, 25.

Of course, the invention is in no way limited to the described and illustrated embodiment which has been given only as example. Modifications are still possible, in particular with regards to the constitution of the various elements or by substitution with technical equivalents, yet without departing from the scope of the invention.

Thus, in a non-represented variant, instead of being a vacuum cleaner, the cleaning appliance is a washing appliance capable of wetting and scrubbing floors to be washed or is a vaporising appliance capable of sending steam to floors to be cleaned.

In another non-represented variant, instead of the main wheels being of the annular type, the main wheels are solid and each comprises a central shaft mounted movable in rotation relative to the main body.

In another non-represented variant, the protective structure forms a handle assembly which is composed of at least two separate handles, substantially parallel and each covering a portion of the tread of each main wheel. In other words, according to this variant, the protective structure of the main wheels is advantageously formed of two handles which extend at a distance from the external wall of the main case and each covers a portion of the tread of a main wheel.

Claims

1. A floor cleaning appliance comprising:

a main body including:

a case delimited at least partially by an external wall,

a fluid inlet configured to receive a fluid flow from outside the case, and

at least one means, disposed in the case, configured to act on the fluid flow received through the fluid inlet;

first and second main wheels rotatably mounted on the main body and disposed on either side of the main body, the first and second main wheels including a first and second tread, respectively; and

a protective structure configured to protect the first and second main wheels, the protective structure disposed outside the case and extending at a distance from the external wall, the protective structure covering a first and a second portion of the first and second treads, respectively.

2. The cleaning appliance according to claim 1, wherein the protective structure is connected to the main body by connecting means.

3. The cleaning appliance according to claim 1, wherein the protective structure forms a handle assembly configured to be gripped by the user.

4. The cleaning appliance according to claim 3, wherein the handle assembly comprises one single handle with a substantially annular shape or U-like shape or an open ring like shape.

5. The cleaning appliance according to claim 1, wherein the protective structure covers the top of first and second main wheels.

6. The cleaning appliance according to claim 5, wherein the fluid inlet is disposed on a front portion of the main body and the protective structure covers the top of the first and second main wheels and extends forward of the main body to at least partially cover the front of the first and second main wheels.

7. The cleaning appliance according to claim 1, wherein the protective structure comprises first and second external surfaces extending in front of and above the first and second main wheels, respectively, the first and second external surfaces extending in direction of first and second axes of rotation of the at least first and second main wheels, respectively, and are inclined such that the first and second external surfaces progressively deviate from each other.

8. The cleaning appliance according to claim 1, wherein the first and second main wheels are annular wheels rotating about a first and second fixed hub, respectively, secured to the main body.

9. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 8, wherein each of the first and second fixed hubs has an external surface forming a spherical cap.

10. The cleaning appliance according to claim 9, wherein the main body, the first and second annular wheels and the first and second fixed hubs form an assembly with a generally spherical shape and the protective structure extends partially around and at a distance from the generally spherical shape.

11. The cleaning appliance according to claim 1, wherein the first and second main wheels are omnidirectional type wheels.

12. The cleaning appliance according to claim 11, wherein each of the first and second main wheels comprises a plurality of rotating rollers distributed over the periphery of corresponding one of the first and second main wheels and forming the first and second treads, the protective structure covering several of the plurality of rotating rollers.

13. The cleaning appliance according to claim 1, wherein each of the two first and second main wheels has an external diameter which is larger than ⅔ of height of the main body measured from a horizontal surface on which the first and second main wheels are placed.

14. The cleaning appliance according to claim 1, wherein the protective structure comprises first and second internal protective surfaces which directly faces the portions of the first and second treads, respectively.

15. The cleaning appliance according to claim 14, wherein each of the one first and second internal protective surface is concave and curved around the corresponding one of the first and second portions.

16. The cleaning appliance according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning appliance is a sled-type suction assembly, the main body comprising an aeraulic circuit which extends between the fluid inlet and a fluid outlet of the suction assembly, said at least one means configured to act on the flow comprising:

a waste separation device disposed on the aeraulic circuit, and

a motor-fan unit disposed on the aeraulic circuit comprising an electric motor and a fan coupled to the electric motor to generate an air flow in the aeraulic circuit when the suction assembly is in operation.

17. The cleaning appliance according to claim 2, wherein the connecting means comprises connecting walls, connecting arms or intermediate connecting parts.

18. The cleaning appliance according to claim 16, wherein the waste separation device comprises a cyclonic separator or a filter.