Low profile treatment machine

Abstract

A floor treatment machine (100) is provided with a low profile housing (101); the floor treatment machine (100) has at least one transport wheel (103), a power supply (102), a brushless direct drive motor (115), a treatment tool (105) wherein the treatment tool (105) is adapted to receive a treatment pad; the direct drive motor (115) is positioned above the treatment tool upper side and presents a radial size greater than its axial size; the motor (115) is adjustable and turns the treatment tool under 500 revolutions per minute. The floor treatment machine reduces power consumption by up to about 30%. Also provided is a method of treating a surface with a low profile treatment machine.

1 . A floor treatment machine comprising:
 a top part with a handle for a user to maneuver the floor treatment machine; and   a bottom part, connected with the top part, wherein the bottom part includes:
 a direct drive motor having a rotor and a stator, the rotor being configured to turn around an axis of rotation; 
 a power supply configured for supplying an electric power to the direct drive motor; 
 a treatment tool with a lower side destined to face a floor to be cleaned and an upper side opposite to the lower side, wherein the rotor is in direct drive connection with the treatment tool so that the treatment tool is adapted to rotate together with the rotor around said axis of rotation, 
   
       wherein the direct drive motor is positioned above the treatment tool upper side and presents a radial size, measured perpendicular to said axis of rotation, and an axial size, measured parallel to the axis of rotation, the radial size being greater than the axial size. 
     
     
         2 . The floor treatment machine of  claim 1 , wherein the axial size of direct drive motor is at least 2 times smaller, than a maximum radial size of the direct drive motor. 
     
     
         3 . The floor treatment machine of  claim 1 , wherein both the treatment tool and the direct drive motor present a discoidal conformation and are coaxially stacked one above the other. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The floor treatment machine of  claim 1 , wherein the power supply is positioned radially external with respect to a radial periphery of the direct drive motor. 
     
     
         6 . The floor treatment machine of  claim 1  further comprising at least one wheel located at a rear end of the bottom part of the floor treatment machine, wherein the power supply is located adjacent to the rear end of the floor treatment machine, proximate to the direct drive motor and/or proximate to the at least one wheel, and wherein the power supply is positioned between the direct drive motor and the at least one wheel. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The floor treatment machine of  claim 1 , wherein the power supply is positioned such that a bottom side of the power supply is vertically aligned or below an ideal plane tangential to a lower surface of the direct drive motor, and/or
 wherein the power supply is positioned such that at least 30%, of the power supply extends below an/the ideal plane tangential to an upper surface of the direct drive motor.   
     
     
         9 . The floor treatment machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the power supply, is positioned above the direct drive motor, and wherein the power supply presents at least a portion of flattened and axial-symmetric conformation, which is coaxially positioned relative to the direct drive motor. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The floor treatment apparatus according to claim  10 , wherein the power supply has flattened and circular conformation, and is coaxially positioned above the direct drive motor. 
     
     
         12 . The floor treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the power supply, treatment tool and the direct drive motor are coaxially stacked the one above the other. 
     
     
         13 . The floor treatment machine according to  claim 1 , comprising a counterweight positioned at a front end of the bottom part of the floor treatment machine. 
     
     
         14 . The floor treatment machine according to  claim 13 , wherein the counterweight is positioned radially external with respect to a radial periphery of the direct drive motor. 
     
     
         15 . The floor treatment machine according to  claim 13 , wherein the counterweight is positioned, with respect to the direct drive motor, in a location which is radially opposite to the power supply. 
     
     
         16 . The floor treatment machine of  claim 1 , wherein the floor treatment machine is configured to be positioned in at least one operative condition, where the treatment tool contacts the floor to be cleaned, and wherein, in said operative condition, the treatment tool is the only component of the floor treatment machine destined to contact the floor to be cleaned; and/or wherein said at least one wheel is vertically raised relative to an ideal plane tangential to a lower surface of the treatment tool, whereby in said operative condition the at least one wheel is destined to not contact the floor to be treated. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The floor treatment machine according to  claim 16 , further comprising at least one wheel located at a rear end of the bottom part of the floor treatment machine, wherein the floor treatment machine is configured to be positioned in at least one transport condition, and wherein in the transport condition the at least one wheel is the only component of the floor treatment machine destined to contact the floor to be cleaned, further wherein the floor treatment machine is susceptible of being inclined from the use condition to the transport condition causing at least an angular displacement of the treatment tool from an horizontal position to an inclined position. 
     
     
         19 . The floor treatment machine of  claim 1 , wherein the power supply comprises a battery extractable from said bottom part of the floor treatment machine. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The floor treatment machine according to  claim 1  comprising a housing at least partially covering the bottom part of the floor treatment machine, wherein the housing extends above the direct drive motor and has a peripheral edge extending around at least a portion of the direct drive motor. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The floor treatment machine according to  claim 1  comprising a delivery channel, optionally a water delivery channel, having a first terminal portion connected to a tank, optionally to a water tank, and a second terminal portion configured for delivering fluid, optionally water, at or in proximity of the treatment tool. 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . The floor treatment machine according to  claim 1 , wherein a shaft extending through a central axial gap of the direct drive motor mechanically connects the treatment tool with the rotor of the direct drive motor. 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . The floor treatment machine of  claim 1 , wherein the floor treatment machine is configured to be positioned in at least one operative condition, where the treatment tool contacts the floor to be cleaned, wherein in the operative condition the center of gravity of the floor treatment machine lies on a vertical plane passing through the treatment tool. 
     
     
         30 . The floor treatment machine of  claim 1 , wherein the floor treatment machine is configured to be positioned in at least one operative condition, where the treatment tool contacts the floor to be cleaned, and wherein in the operative condition the center of gravity of the floor treatment machine lies on a vertical plane passing through a central area of the treatment tool. 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . (canceled)