Cleaning trolley

DESCRIPTION

CLEANING CAR

The present invention relates to a cleaning trolley having a base, at least three wheels positioned laterally next to or below the base, as well as a superstructure mounted above the base for receiving cleaning utensils as well as a handle .

Cleaning wagons of this kind have long been known in various embodiments (see for example DE-A-10010852). The base, which is generally in the shape of a carrier platform or frame, may consist of a metal or synthetic plate or a metal tube construction.

The structure for fixing the cleaning utensils is in most cases formed by a column-based construction or a steel tube frame which, depending on the purpose of use, may have a variable configuration and often has a structure of the kind of a modular system.

In particular in offices or hospitals it is necessary to carry in the cleaning trolley, in addition to cleaning utensils, also larger containers for liquids such as buckets or tubs containing cleaning water or one-piece mop presses. mop.

Thus equipped cleaning cars are very heavy and, when it comes to a hospital, they must also be moved along very long journeys. This requires a not inconsiderable expenditure of force and causes the wearer to become tired, as a result of which it is necessary to foresee more time for cleaning work.

Therefore the object of the present invention is to create a cleaning trolley which, even when heavily loaded, can be moved effortlessly and without fatigue, yet has a simple structure.

According to the invention this object is achieved by having at least one electric motor mounted on the underside of the base having a functional connection with a reduction gear acting on at least one of the wheels.

Freight trolleys that are powered by an electric motor are basic equipment for industrial companies. They are however quite technically complex and have very large drives. Such constructions are not suitable for use in cleaning cars, since these cars have a configuration which can be considered as a filigree for comparison purposes, making it necessary to have, for non-tired use, the utensils according to ergonomic views, so that there is no room for commonly used drives.

Admittedly, in hand-driven cars such as golf carts, baby strollers or shopping carts, it is well known to provide for the use of electric drives (see for example DE 19909020). For reasons of space, however, such electric drives are in most cases mounted on the central axis of the drive wheel, thus the configuration of a so-called integrated hub drive which, due to the small footprint required in the hub area of ​​the drive wheel. it runs complex constructions and in particular gears that are quite costly and therefore also not suitable for use in cleaning cars.

The invention is based on the idea that instead of the traditional heavy industrial drives or the complex drives integrated in the hub of a wheel create a kind of construction mounted under the base that takes advantage of the floor height of the cleaning trolley, which either Modes are required below the base, which requires as little space as possible in the area of ​​the structure provided above the base.

It will be advantageous that in addition to the electric motor (s) and gearboxes connected to each of these motors also the set of accumulators required to serve as the energy accumulator is also fixed to the underside of the base. Depending on the intended use and duration of service the battery pack may however also be housed in the upper part of the base and arranged between the cleaning utensils.

Fundamentally, it is possible to provide any appropriate type of control to control the electric motor (s). Thus, for example, it is also possible to provide an impulse sensor that supplies the electric motor (s) with energy from the battery pack as soon as the cleaner exerts an impulse force on the handle or About the car. Especially simple and economical construction is however achieved when the control device connected to the electric motor (s) and the battery pack is made up of a simple actuation mechanism positioned in the handle area which can be include, for use as a control element, for example a slider, a rotary handle, a joystick or a similar element.

In principle, three wheels are enough to slide a cleaning car of the type in question. It will, however, be advantageous to have four wheels arranged below the base of which two wheels are fixed and two wheels have the configuration of swiveling wheels.

Fundamentally such wheels may have any arrangement. It will be advantageous, however, that - viewed in the direction of travel - the fixed wheels are disposed approximately midway along the lateral edges of the base, and each movable wheel is disposed approximately midway between the base edge, one near the front edge and the other near the rear edge.

An especially simple construction arrangement is obtained and is the best possible solution with regard to the center of gravity when the heavy drive elements such as the electric motor, the gearbox and the accumulator assembly are disposed approximately. below the base, ie the frame platform. Depending on the chosen system, the most varied constellations are offered. A particularly flat arrangement 4 is obtained which only slightly reduces ground clearance by mounting two electric motors approximately midway from the base, each of which has a functional geared connection with one of the two motors. fixed wheels.

However, it is also possible to mount only one electric motor approximately midway from the base and to couple this motor by means of a differential gear provided to the fixed wheels.

In order to simplify recharging of the battery pack after cleaning and running, a so-called docking strip should be provided in the peripheral area of ​​the base, ie platform or frame. 0 The cleaning officer will then only have to connect the docking strap on the cleaning car parking station to a loading strip arranged in a fixed position on that station's wall or to another suitable fixture, which by means of contacts connects the battery pack. with a stationary charger.

When the cleaning car according to the invention is used in buildings where there are large spaces, such as at airports, railway stations and hospitals, the route between the parking station and the place of use is often several. hundreds of meters, in special cases even several kilometers.

In such cases it will be advantageous to equip the cleaning car base with a stirrup which allows the cleaning worker to move standing with the car.

In principle the stirrup can be configured in many different ways. Thus, for example, it is possible to integrate the stirrup into the base.

However, it will be especially advantageous to configure the stirrup as a standing platform which can be attached to the base and which is in turn equipped with wheels.

The following is further described and explained for further clarification and understanding an exemplary embodiment of the invention by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 shows in perspective view a cleaning trolley with a platform-shaped base as well as a structure for fixing the cleaning utensils,

Figure 2 shows the platform of the cleaning trolley (without superstructure) in plan view, with the elements and arrangement of the drive represented by dashed lines,

Figure 3 shows a side elevational view of the platform (without superstructure), perspective view from the ground and

Figure 4 shows a perspective view equivalent to Figure 1 of a cleaning cart provided with a stirrup for the cleaning worker.

As shown in Figure 1, the cleaning trolley consists of a platform-shaped base 1, wheels 2 attached to the underside of platform 1 as well as a superstructure 3 mounted above platform 1 This structure, which for the sake of clarity is only partly represented and unloaded, ie devoid of cleaning utensils.

In the present embodiment the superstructure 3 is provided with a handle 4 in the form of a handle.

As shown in particular from Figure 2, the cleaning car shown has a total of four wheels 2, of which, viewed in the direction of travel F, two fixed wheels 2 are disposed in the center of the car, in the area of ​​the side edges 5. while the movable wheels are each arranged centrally near the front edge 6 and rear edge 7 of the platform 1.

The exemplary embodiment has a drive consisting of two electric motors 8, each of which has a gear 9 with a functional connection with the respective fixed wheel 2 in the area of ​​the side edges 5. The wheels 2 arranged in the area of ​​the front edge 6 or the rear edge 7 are swivelable.

In the present embodiment the accumulator assembly consisting of two accumulators 10 is also mounted on the underside of the platform 1.

In the exemplary embodiment shown the electric motors are connected to the accumulators 10 by means of an electronic control 7 (not shown). The control is connected with an actuation device 11 (figure 1) which is positioned in the area of ​​the handle 4 and which has a joystick 12, whereby the rotation speed of the two electric motors can be independently adjusted for both motors, and this in a well-known manner.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the cleaning cart according to the invention is provided with a stirrup 13 for a cleaning worker 14.

In the present embodiment the stirrup 13 is formed by a platform 15 for a standing cleaning worker 14, said platform being coupled by a suitable coupling device (not shown) with the base 1 of the cleaning carriage.

Platform 15 is equipped with separate wheels 16 which carry most of the weight of the cleaner 14 to the floor.

The arrangement shown in Figure 4 has the advantage that the cleaning trolley can be transformed relatively quickly and simply for the type of service in question.