Floor care machine with counter acting force

Abstract

A floor care machine that includes a deck having a motor, a rotatable floor care element for engaging a floor surface, and a handle apparatus pivotally mounted to the deck is provided. Additionally, there are first and second sets of wheels toward the rear of the deck and on opposite sides of handle apparatus pivot attachment points. In addition to the attachment points, the handle apparatus and the deck are coupled together by a rigid handle link which is pivotally attached to the deck at one end and pivotally attached to the handle apparatus at the other end. The handle link communicates deck pivot forces between the deck and the handle apparatus, and in particular, communicates such forces resulting from a compressing or decompressing of a compressible component provided along the length of the handle apparatus. A tension applied to the compressible component is communicated to the deck as a pivot force that counters deck gravitational and floor suction effects induced by the rotation of the floor care element.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A floor care machine, comprising: 
 a deck;    a floor care element operably joined to said deck;    a handle having a longitudinal center axis and being operably attached to said deck; and    a force system having force generating portions extending in a direction along said longitudinal center axis of said handle for use in applying a force to said deck.    
     
     
         2 . A floor machine, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said force system includes a handle link joined to said deck and said handle link applies said force to said deck.    
     
     
         3 . A floor machine, as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein: 
 said handle link has first and second portions and with said first portion being joined to said deck and said second portion being joined to at least one of said handle and said force generating portions.    
     
     
         4 . A floor machine, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said force system is part of a counter force assembly that includes a mount extending from said force system and being joined to said deck.    
     
     
         5 . A floor machine, as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein: 
 said counter force assembly, said force generating portions and said handle are part of a handle apparatus.    
     
     
         6 . A floor machine, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said force generating portions generate a force in a substantially linear direction.    
     
     
         7 . A floor machine, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said force generating portions include at least one of the following: a resilient component, a compression spring, a wave spring, and a moving part.    
     
     
         8 . A floor machine, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said handle has a stored position and at least first and second operating positions, wherein when said handle is in said stored position, said handle is substantially vertical and the floor care element is inactivated, and when said handle is in each of a selected one of said first and second operating positions, said handle is different from vertical and said floor care element is activated and in which the force produced by said force generating portions is different between said first and second unstored positions.    
     
     
         9 . A floor machine, as claimed in  claim 1 , further including: 
 a latch mechanism for holding said handle in a stored position, said latch mechanism including a torsion spring used to maintain said handle in an unstored position and which is overcome when said handle is in said stored position.    
     
     
         10 . A floor machine, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said handle pivots about a horizontal axis and said force generating portions also pivot about said horizontal axis.    
     
     
         11 . A floor machine, as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein: 
 said force generating portions includes at least one of a compression spring and a wave spring.    
     
     
         12 . A floor machine, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said force system includes a handle link joined to said deck adjacent to one end of said handle link and joined in a slot in said handle adjacent an opposite end of said handle link and with said opposite end of said handle link being used to move said force generating portions.    
     
     
         13 . A floor care machine, comprising: 
 a deck;    a floor care element operably joined to said deck;    a handle apparatus including a handle that is pivotal about a horizontal axis; and    a floor system having force generating portions for use in applying a force to said deck, said force generating portions also pivotal about said horizontal axis.    
     
     
         14 . A floor care machine, as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein: 
 said deck is connected to a first set of wheels and a second set of wheels and in which said second set of wheels is located closer to said handle apparatus than is said first set of wheels and in which said second set of wheels is joined to said deck along said horizontal axis.    
     
     
         15 . A floor care machine, as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein: 
 said handle has a longitudinal center axis and said force generating portions include a spring that can be compressed and in which said spring is positioned along said longitudinal center axis.    
     
     
         16 . A floor care machine, as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein: 
 said handle has a slot and said floor system includes a handle link with first and second ends, said handle link being joined to said deck adjacent said first end and said handle link being joined to said handle slot adjacent to said second end.    
     
     
         17 . A floor care machine, as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein: 
 said handle link extends offset from said longitudinal center axis.    
     
     
         18 . A method for controlling position of a floor element, comprising: 
 providing a floor care machine including a deck, a floor care element, a handle apparatus having a slot and force generating portions joined to said handle apparatus;    generating at least a first force using said force generating portions; and    applying at least portions of said first force to said deck using a handle link that is offset from said force generating portions in order to counter a suction force when said floor care element is activated, wherein said handle link is joined to said force generating portions using said slot.    
     
     
         19 . A method, as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein: 
 said force generating portions include a spring that can be compressed and said generating step includes compressing said spring when said handle apparatus is moved to at least a first operating position.    
     
     
         20 . A method, as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein: 
 said force generating portions include one of a compression spring and a wave spring and said generating step includes compressing said one of said compression spring and said wave spring by movement of said handle apparatus and said handle link.    
     
     
         21 . A method, as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein: 
 said handle apparatus has a longitudinal center axis and includes a handle and in which force generating portions are disposed along said longitudinal center axis and said generating step includes generating said first force substantially along said longitudinal center axis.    
     
     
         22 . A method, as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein: 
 said handle apparatus has a longitudinal center axis and includes a handle and said generating step includes generating said first force substantially along said longitudinal center axis.    
     
     
         23 . A method, as claimed in  claim 18 , further including: 
 pivoting said handle apparatus and said force generating portions about the same horizontal axis.