Mopping Machine

Abstract

A powered mopping and cleaning machine is described. The machine includes a recovery tank, a filter assembly, a fresh water tank assembly, a vacuum assembly, a battery charger assembly, a control assembly, and a deck assembly. The machine is adapted to clean floors and more especially flat hard floors by means of providing a cleaning fluid to a rotating brush and by vacuuming resultant dirty fluid from the floor. The powered mopping and cleaning machine is adapted to replace the use of a conventional mop and mop bucket. Use of the powered mopping and cleaning machine is designed to result in decreased labor, increased efficiency, and decreased cleaning cost as compared to the use of a standard mop and mop bucket. The powered mopping and cleaning machine, although self-contained, will preferably fit into the same storage space that is otherwise allotted to store a conventional mop and mop bucket.

1 . A self-contained powered mopping and cleaning machine for use in replacing a conventional mop and mop bucket without said machine occupying a three-dimensional greater than that which would otherwise be occupied by said replaced conventional mop and mop bucket, and for use in mopping, cleaning, vacuuming, squeegeeing, and drying a portion of a floor in a single pass without reusing cleaning fluid such that used cleaning fluid is not placed onto a cleaned floor by said machine, said machine having a cleaning fluid tank, a dirty fluid recovery tank, a vacuum device, a electrical battery, a machine function control apparatus, a machine steering apparatus, and a floor cleaning head, wherein said machine fits within a three dimensional spatial envelope of no more than 26 inches by 30 inches by 54 inches. 
     
     
         2 . The machine of  claim 1  wherein said machine fits within a three dimensional spatial envelope of no more than 18 inches by 22 inches by 42 inches. 
     
     
         3 . The machine of  claim 1  wherein said machine fits within a three dimensional spatial envelope of no more than 14 inches by 18 inches by 39 inches. 
     
     
         4 . The machine of  claim 1  wherein said steering apparatus defines a handle bar. 
     
     
         5 . The machine of  claim 1  wherein said machine includes a battery charger capable of recharging said electrical battery. 
     
     
         6 . The machine of  claim 1  wherein said machine includes at least one caster assembly and wherein said caster assembly is height adjustable. 
     
     
         7 . The machine of  claim 1  wherein said floor cleaning head includes a horizontally positioned motorized rotating brush. 
     
     
         8 . The machine of  claim 7  wherein said vacuum device includes a squeegee pick-up head and wherein said squeegee pick-up head is mounted in near proximity to said brush and wherein said squeegee pick-up head is adapted to vacuum dirty fluid and debris. 
     
     
         9 . A self-contained powered mopping and cleaning machine for use in replacing a conventional mop and mop bucket without said machine occupying a three-dimensional greater than that which would otherwise be occupied by said replaced conventional mop and mop bucket, and for use in mopping, cleaning, vacuuming, squeegeeing, and drying a portion of a floor in a single pass without reusing cleaning fluid such that used cleaning fluid is not placed onto a cleaned floor by said machine, said machine having an automated brush head to brush a floor, a squeegee and vacuum device to squeegee and vacuum a floor, and a manual steering device to effect the steering of said machine, wherein said machine fits within a three dimensional spatial envelope of no more than 26 inches by 30 inches by 54 inches. 
     
     
         10 . The machine of  claim 9  wherein said machine fits within a three dimensional spatial envelope of no more than 18 inches by 22 inches by 42 inches. 
     
     
         11 . The machine of  claim 9  wherein said machine fits within a three dimensional spatial envelope of no more than 14 inches by 18 inches by 39 inches. 
     
     
         12 . The machine of  claim 9  wherein said steering apparatus defines a handle bar. 
     
     
         13 . The machine of  claim 9  wherein said machine includes a battery and a battery charger capable of recharging said electrical battery. 
     
     
         14 . The machine of  claim 9  wherein said machine includes at least one caster assembly and wherein said caster assembly is height adjustable. 
     
     
         15 . The machine of  claim 9  wherein said automated brush head defines a horizontally positioned motorized rotating brush. 
     
     
         16 . A self-contained powered mopping and cleaning machine for use in replacing a conventional mop and mop bucket without said machine occupying a three-dimensional greater than that which would otherwise be occupied by said replaced conventional mop and mop bucket, and for use in mopping, cleaning, vacuuming, squeegeeing, and drying a portion of a floor in a single pass without reusing cleaning fluid such that used cleaning fluid is not placed onto a cleaned floor by said machine, said machine having a cleaning fluid tank, a dirty fluid recovery tank, a vacuum device, a electrical battery, a machine function control apparatus, a handle bar to manually effect the steering of said machine, and a floor cleaning head, wherein said machine fits within a three dimensional spatial envelope of no more than 26 inches by 30 inches by 54 inches. 
     
     
         17 . The machine of  claim 16  wherein said machine fits within a three dimensional spatial envelope of no more than 18 inches by 22 inches by 42 inches. 
     
     
         18 . The machine of  claim 16  wherein said machine fits within a three dimensional spatial envelope of no more than 14 inches by 18 inches by 39 inches. 
     
     
         19 . The machine of  claim 16  wherein said machine includes a battery charger capable of recharging said electrical battery. 
     
     
         20 . The machine of  claim 16  wherein said machine includes at least one caster assembly and wherein said caster assembly is height adjustable. 
     
     
         21 . The machine of  claim 16  wherein said floor cleaning head includes a horizontally positioned motorized rotating brush. 
     
     
         22 . The machine of  claim 21  wherein said vacuum device includes a squeegee pick-up head and wherein said squeegee pick-up head is mounted in near proximity to said brush and wherein said squeegee pick-up head is adapted to vacuum dirty fluid and debris. 
     
     
         23 . A nonautonomous self-contained powered floor cleaning machine for use in replacing a conventional mop and mop bucket without said machine occupying a three-dimensional greater than that which would otherwise be occupied by said replaced conventional mop and mop bucket, and for use in mopping, cleaning, vacuuming, squeegeeing, and drying a portion of a floor in a single pass without reusing cleaning fluid such that used cleaning fluid is not placed onto a cleaned floor by said machine, said machine having a substantially high speed brush, wherein said high speed brush rotates at a rate of at least 1200 revolutions per minute, and wherein said machine defines at least one of a machine that does not reuse cleaning fluid and a machine that fits within a three dimensional spatial envelope of no more than 26 inches by 30 inches by 54 inches. 
     
     
         24 . The machine of  claim 23  wherein said brush rotates at a rate of 1200 revolutions per minute to 1600 revolutions per minute, and wherein said machine does not reuse cleaning fluid such that used cleaning fluid is not placed onto a floor by said machine, and wherein said machine fits within a three dimensional spatial envelope of no more than 26 inches by 30 inches by 54 inches. 
     
     
         25 . The machine of  claim 24  wherein said machine is highly maneuverable such that said machine has a minimum U-turn radius of no more than eighteen inches, and wherein said machine includes a recovery tank for dirty water wherein said tank includes a window such that a fluid level in said tank may be ascertained by a machine user, and wherein said machine includes a height adjustable caster assembly that facilitates the proper amount of loading on said brush, and wherein said machine includes a height adjustable handle bar, and wherein said machine includes a battery bundle defining a plurality of batteries fastened together such that said batteries may be lifted out of said machine as a single bundle, and wherein said machine includes a drive belt that is selectively replaceable without the use of tools. 
     
     
         26 . A method of cleaning a floor comprising the steps of: providing a cleaning machine, and moving said cleaning machine across a portion of said floor in a single pass such that said floor portion is mopped, cleaned, vacuumed, and squeegeed substantially dry in said single pass. 
     
     
         27 . The process of  claim 26  wherein said cleaning machine further defines a cleaning machine having a substantially high speed brush, and wherein said machine does not reuse cleaning fluid such that used cleaning fluid is not placed onto said floor by said machine, and wherein said machine fits within a three dimensional spatial envelope of no more than 26 inches by 30 inches by 54 inches.