Floor cleaning machine

Abstract

Floor cleaning machine comprising: a) a front portion ( 13 ) and a rear portion ( 12 ); the rear portion ( 12 ) comprising at least two lateral rear wheels ( 11 ); b) a chassis ( 10 ) with a lower side ( 22 ) directed towards a floor ( 20 ) to be cleaned and two lateral sides ( 23 a, 23 b ); c) at least one front wheel ( 3 ) arranged in the front portion ( 13 ); and d) a cleaning unit ( 14 ) attached to the chassis ( 10 ) and including at least one rotatable brush ( 6 ) which is arranged in front of the rear wheels ( 11 ) and which has a floor contact region ( 28 ) so as to contact a floor ( 20 ) to be cleaned; wherein the at least one front wheel ( 3 ) is moveable with respect to the chassis ( 10 ) from a retracted position to a lowered position in which it protrudes from the floor contact region ( 28 ) of the at least one brush ( 6 ).

1 : A floor cleaning machine comprising:
 a front portion;   a rear portion comprising at least two lateral rear wheels;   a chassis with a lower side directed towards a floor to be cleaned;   two lateral sides;   at least one front wheel arranged in the front portion; and   a cleaning unit attached to the chassis and including at least one rotatable brush, which is arranged in front of the rear wheels and which has a floor contact region so as to contact the floor to be cleaned;   
       wherein:
 the at least one front wheel is moveable with respect to the chassis from a retracted position to a lowered position in which it protrudes from the floor contact region of the at least one brush; and 
 the floor cleaning machine further includes an actuator comprising an electric motor to move the at least one front wheel between the retracted position and the lowered position. 
 
     
     
         2 : The floor cleaning machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the front wheel is arranged between the two lateral sides of the chassis. 
     
     
         3 : The floor cleaning machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the floor cleaning machine comprises at least two front wheels, which are laterally arranged. 
     
     
         4 : The floor cleaning machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the actuator is controllable by an electric button located at a handlebar of the floor cleaning machine. 
     
     
         5 : The floor cleaning machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a linear motor to move the at least one front wheel between the retracted position and the lowered position. 
     
     
         6 : The floor cleaning machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured as a mechanical actuator. 
     
     
         7 : The floor cleaning machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one front wheel is coupled to a front end of a lever, which is pivotably coupled to the chassis and which is rotatable about a pivot axis. 
     
     
         8 : The floor cleaning machine according to  claim 7 , wherein the pivot axis is arranged orthogonal to a middle plane of the floor cleaning machine. 
     
     
         9 : The floor cleaning machine according to  claim 1 , wherein when the at least one front wheel in the retracted position, the front portion of the chassis is in a lowered position so that the at least one brush contacts the floor to be cleaned, and wherein when the at least one front wheel is in the lowered position, the front portion of the chassis is in a raised position so that the at least one brush is spaced from the floor to be cleaned. 
     
     
         10 : The floor cleaning machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the floor cleaning machine comprises at least two brushes, which are arranged on opposite sides of a middle plane of the floor cleaning machine and each of which is rotatable about an axis, wherein the axes extend on opposite sides of the middle plane of the floor cleaning machine and transverse to the lower side of the chassis. 
     
     
         11 : The floor cleaning machine according to  claim 1 , wherein in the lowered position the at least one front wheel vertically protrudes beyond the at least one brush in a direction vertically away from the lower side of the chassis. 
     
     
         12 : The floor cleaning machine according to  claim 1 , wherein in the retracted position the at least one brush vertically protrudes beyond the at least one front wheel in a direction vertically away from the lower side of the chassis. 
     
     
         13 : The floor cleaning machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one brush is arranged between the at least one front wheel and the rear wheels. 
     
     
         14 : The floor cleaning machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one brush comprises a vertical rotational axis. 
     
     
         15 : The floor cleaning machine according to  claim 14 , wherein the at least one front wheel is arranged in front of the vertical rotational axis of the at least one brush. 
     
     
         16 : The floor cleaning machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one front wheel is configured as a castor wheel. 
     
     
         17 : The floor cleaning machine according to  claim 1 , wherein in the lowered position of the at least one front wheel the at least one brush is vertically raised a minimum of about 5 mm. 
     
     
         18 : The floor cleaning machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning machine further comprises a handlebar for moving the floor cleaning machine on the floor to be cleaned. 
     
     
         19 : The floor cleaning machine according to  claim 2 , wherein the front wheel is arranged essentially centrically between the two lateral sides of the chassis. 
     
     
         20 : The floor cleaning machine according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least two front wheels are laterally arranged essentially equally spaced relative to a vertical middle plane of the floor cleaning machine. 
     
     
         21 : The floor cleaning machine according to  claim 6 , wherein the actuator is a threaded spindle configured to move the at least one front wheel between the retracted position and the lowered position. 
     
     
         22 : The floor cleaning machine according to  claim 10 , wherein the floor cleaning machine includes only two brushes