Apparatus for treating a floor surface

Abstract

Apparatus for treating a floor surface has a drive motor with a drive shaft rotatable on a rotation axis, and, a drive assembly drivingly connected to the drive shaft for conjoint rotation therewith. A floor surface treatment device is releasably connected to the drive assembly for conjoint rotation therewith about the rotation axis of the drive shaft. The floor surface treatment device is adapted for engagement with the floor surface to treat the floor surface upon rotation off the device relative to the floor surface. In a preferred embodiment, the drive assembly has a set of gear teeth and the floor surface treatment device has a corresponding set of gear teeth and is sized relative to the drive assembly to permit driving interengagement of the drive assembly gear teeth with the gear teeth of the floor surface treatment device.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . Apparatus for treating a floor surface, said apparatus comprising: 
 a drive motor having a drive shaft rotatable on a rotation axis;    a drive assembly drivingly connected to the drive shaft for conjoint rotation therewith about the rotation axis of the drive shaft; and.    a floor surface treatment device releasably connected to the drive assembly for conjoint rotation therewith about the rotation axis of the drive shaft relative to the floor surface, the floor surface treatment device being adapted for engagement with the floor surface to treat the floor surface upon rotation of the device relative to the floor surface.    
     
     
         2 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the floor surface treatment device comprises a generally circular plate and bristles depending from the plate for engagement with the floor surface to thereby scrub the floor surface upon rotation of the floor surface treatment device relative to the floor surface.  
     
     
         3 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the drive assembly has a set of gear teeth, the floor surface treatment device having corresponding set of gear teeth and being sized relative to the drive assembly to permit driving interengagement of the drive assembly gear teeth with the gear teeth of the floor surface treatment device.  
     
     
         4 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the gear teeth of the drive assembly and the gear teeth of the floor surface treatment device are arranged to permit interengagement of the floor surface treatment device and the drive assembly upon rotation of the floor surface treatment device and the drive assembly relative to each other through an angle of less than or equal to about 30°.  
     
     
         5 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the gear teeth of the drive assembly and the gear teeth of the floor surface treatment device are arranged to permit interengagement of the floor surface treatment device and the drive assembly upon rotation of the floor surface treatment device and the drive assembly relative to each other through an angle of less than or equal to about 1°.  
     
     
         6 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the drive assembly and the floor surface treatment device each have about 180 gear teeth.  
     
     
         7 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the drive assembly comprises a generally circular plate adapted for driving connection with the drive shaft and an annular ring connected to the plate, the drive ring having a central opening and gear teeth formed therein to extend radially inward of the central opening, the floor surface treatment device having a gear sized for being received within the central opening of the drive ring, the gear including radially outward extending gear teeth formed therein for driving interengagement with the radially inward extending gear teeth of the drive ring.  
     
     
         8 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the drive ring is connected to the plate in generally parallel, spaced relationship therewith, the drive assembly further comprising at least one magnet secured to the plate generally radially inward of the drive ring, the gear of the floor surface treatment device being at least partially constructed of a magnetically attractive metal such that upon interengagement of the gear teeth of the gear with the gear teeth of the drive ring the at least one magnet engages the gear to releasably retain the floor surface treatment device in driving interengagement with the drive assembly.  
     
     
         9 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the drive assembly comprises a gear adapted for driving connection with the drive shaft and having radially outward extending gear teeth formed therein, the floor surface treatment device comprising a plate and an annular ring connected to the plate, the ring having a central opening and gear teeth formed therein to extend radially inward of the central opening, the central opening of the ring being sized for receiving the drive assembly gear therein for driving interengagement of the radially outward extending gear teeth of the drive assembly gear with the radially inward extending gear teeth of the ring.  
     
     
         10 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the floor surface treatment device further comprises at least one magnet secured to the plate generally radially inward of the drive ring, the drive assembly gear being at least partially constructed of a magnetically attractive metal such that upon interengagement of the gear teeth of the drive assembly gear with the gear teeth of the ring the at least one magnet engages the gear to releasably retain the floor surface treatment device in driving interengagement with the drive assembly.  
     
     
         11 . A head assembly for a floor surface treatment apparatus, the apparatus being of the type having a motor and a drive shaft rotatably driven by the motor about a rotation axis of the drive shaft, the head assembly comprising: 
 a drive assembly adapted for driving connection to the drive shaft for rotation about the rotation axis of the drive shaft; and    a floor surface treatment device releasably connected to the drive assembly for conjoint rotation therewith about the rotation axis of the drive shaft relative to the floor surface, the floor surface treatment device being adapted for engagement with the floor surface to treat the floor surface upon rotation of the device relative to the floor surface.    
     
     
         12 . A head assembly as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the drive assembly has a set of gear teeth, the floor surface treatment device having corresponding gear teeth adapted for driving interengagement with the gear teeth of the drive assembly.  
     
     
         13 . A head assembly as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the drive assembly comprises a generally circular plate adapted for driving connection with the drive shaft and, an annular ring connected to the plate, the ring having a central opening and gear teeth formed therein to extend radially inward of the central opening, the floor surface treatment device having a gear sized for being received within the central opening of the ring, the gear including radially outward extending gear teeth formed therein for driving interengagement with the radially inward extending gear teeth of the ring.  
     
     
         14 . A head assembly as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the drive assembly comprises a gear adapted for driving connection with the drive shaft and having radially outward extending gear teeth formed therein, the floor surface treatment device comprising a plate and an annular ring connected to the plate, the ring having a central opening and gear teeth formed therein to extend radially inward of the central opening, the central opening of the ring being sized for receiving the drive assembly gear therein for driving interengagement of the radially outward extending gear teeth of the drive assembly gear with the radially inward extending gear teeth of the ring.  
     
     
         15 . A floor surface treatment device for a floor scrubber of the type having a motor and a drive shaft rotatably driven by the motor about a rotation axis of the drive shaft, the floor surface treatment device comprising: 
 a plate;    bristles connected to the plate and depending therefrom for engagement with a floor surface to be scrubbed; and    gear teeth for drivingly connecting the floor surface treatment device to the drive shaft of the floor scrubber.    
     
     
         16 . A floor surface treatment device as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the floor scrubber is further of the type having a drive assembly connected to the drive shaft, the drive assembly having radially inward extending gear teeth, the gear teeth of the floor surface treatment device extending radially outward for interengagement with the gear teeth of the drive assembly.