Walk-Behind Sweeper

Abstract

A walk-behind sweeper has at least one sweeping roller and an air-cooled drive motor having a drive shaft and driving in rotation the at least one sweeping roller. At least one fan wheel conveys cooling air to the drive motor wherein the at least one fan wheel is driven by the drive shaft. A dirt collecting chamber is provided into which swept-up material that is swept up by the at least one sweeping roller is conveyed. The at least one fan wheel has an intake side connected by a flow connection to a working area of the sweeper so that at least a portion of the cooling air stream for the drive motor is taken in from the working area of the sweeper.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A walk-behind sweeper comprising:
 at least one sweeping roller;   an air-cooled drive motor having a drive shaft and driving in rotation the at least one sweeping roller;   at least one fan wheel for conveying cooling air to the drive motor wherein the at least one fan wheel is driven by the drive shaft;   a dirt collecting chamber into which swept-up material that is swept up by the at least one sweeping roller is conveyed;   wherein the at least one fan wheel has an intake side connected by a flow connection to a working area of the sweeper so that at least a portion of the cooling air for the drive motor is taken in from the working area of the sweeper.   
     
     
         2 . The sweeper according to  claim 1 , wherein the intake side of the at least one fan wheel is connected via the dirt collecting chamber to the working area of the sweeper. 
     
     
         3 . The sweeper according to  claim 1 , comprising a filter arranged in the flow connection between the working area and the intake side of the at least one fan wheel. 
     
     
         4 . The sweeper according to  claim 3 , wherein the filter is arranged at an exit of the dirt collecting chamber from which exit the cooling air leaves the dirt collecting chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The sweeper according to  claim 1 , wherein the flow connection comprises a cooling air passage, wherein the intake side of the at least one fan wheel is connected by the cooling air passage to the dirt collecting chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The sweeper according to  claim 1 , comprising a motor housing in which motor housing the drive motor is arranged. 
     
     
         7 . The sweeper according to  claim 6 , further comprising a connecting socket connecting the dirt collecting chamber to the motor housing, wherein the flow connection comprises a cooling air passage and the cooling air passage is provided in the connecting socket. 
     
     
         8 . The sweeper according to  claim 1 , comprising a dirt collecting container in which the dirt collecting chamber is provided. 
     
     
         9 . The sweeper according to  claim 8 , wherein the dirt collecting container is detachably secured on the sweeper. 
     
     
         10 . The sweeper according to  claim 8 , wherein the flow connection comprises a cooling air passage and the cooling air passage is provided on the dirt collecting container. 
     
     
         11 . The sweeper according to  claim 8 , wherein the drive motor is arranged above the dirt collecting container. 
     
     
         12 . The sweeper according to  claim 8 , wherein the drive motor is arranged behind the dirt collecting container in a travel direction of the sweeper. 
     
     
         13 . The sweeper according to  claim 1 , wherein the sweeper has two of said at least one sweeping roller, wherein said two sweeping rollers are driven in opposite directions and, relative to a ground on which the sweeper travels, are driven toward one another. 
     
     
         14 . The sweeper according to  claim 13 , wherein said two sweeping rollers convey the swept-up material according to an overthrow principle into the dirt collecting chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The sweeper according to  claim 1 , wherein the cooling air for the drive motor is completely taken in from the working area of the sweeper. 
     
     
         16 . The sweeper according to  claim 1 , wherein an amount of the cooling air taken in from the working area of the sweeper is adjustable. 
     
     
         17 . The sweeper according to  claim 1 , wherein the drive motor is an internal combustion engine, wherein the drive shaft is a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine, and wherein the internal combustion engine has a cylinder with cooling ribs, wherein the at least one fan wheel is provided for conveying cooling air to the cooling ribs of the cylinder of the internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         18 . The sweeper according to  claim 1 , wherein the drive motor is an electric motor comprising a battery supplying energy. 
     
     
         19 . The sweeper according to  claim 18 , wherein the battery is arranged in the cooling air conveyed by the at least one fan wheel.