U.S. patent application number 14/186943 was filed with the patent office on 2015-08-27 for rotary head, method and system for use with hard and soft surfaces.
This patent application is currently assigned to The Scott Fetzer Company. The applicant listed for this patent is The Scott Fetzer Company. Invention is credited to Joseph Adams, John Crossen, Joseph Gardner, John Lackner.
Application Number | 20150238061 14/186943 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 53878990 |
Filed Date | 2015-08-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150238061 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Adams; Joseph ; et
al. |
August 27, 2015 |
ROTARY HEAD, METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR USE WITH HARD AND SOFT
SURFACES
Abstract
A rotary head comprising a longitudinally extending core
comprising an outer surface and defining a longitudinal centerline
axis, and a covering that is disposed on the outer surface of the
core and that includes a radially extending material that is
configured to interact with a fluid on a surface. The rotary head
is configured to couple to a rotatable shaft of a floor-care system
and rotate about the longitudinal centerline axis.
Inventors: |
Adams; Joseph;
(Strongsville, OH) ; Crossen; John; (Brook Park,
OH) ; Gardner; Joseph; (Euclid, OH) ; Lackner;
John; (Independence, OH) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
The Scott Fetzer Company |
Westlake |
OH |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
The Scott Fetzer Company
Westlake
OH
|
Family ID: |
53878990 |
Appl. No.: |
14/186943 |
Filed: |
February 21, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
134/6 ;
15/98 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 9/0455 20130101;
A47L 9/0477 20130101; A46B 13/001 20130101; A47L 11/4069 20130101;
A46B 5/0095 20130101; A46B 2200/3033 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47L 11/40 20060101
A47L011/40 |
Claims
1. An apparatus, comprising: a rotary head comprising: a
longitudinally extending core comprising an outer surface and
defining a longitudinal centerline axis; and a covering that is
disposed on the outer surface of the core and that comprises a
radially extending material that is configured to interact with a
fluid on a surface; and wherein the rotary head is configured to
couple to a rotatable shaft of a floor-care system and rotate about
the longitudinal centerline axis.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the core is configured to
rotate using at least one friction reducing structure.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the friction reducing
structure is selected from the group consisting of a bushing and
bearing assembly.
4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the core has an inner surface
that is configured to accept the at least one friction reducing
structure.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the covering further comprises
a backing layer in contact with the radially extending
material.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the radially extending
material is nap.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the nap is comprised of
individual elements.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the individual elements are
each selected from the group consisting of strings and loops.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the radially extending
material is of a length that is between approximately 8 millimeters
and approximately 13 millimeters.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the radially extending
material is of a length that is selected to cause at least one
millimeter of the radially extending material to contact an
extraction structure of the floor-care system when the rotary head
is rotating about the longitudinal centerline axis.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the radially extending
material is of a length that is selected to cause a gap of at least
one millimeter between the radially extending material and an
extraction structure of the floor-care system when the rotary head
is rotating about the longitudinal centerline axis.
12. A method of treating a floor, comprising: rotating, about a
longitudinal centerline axis, a rotary head that includes a
longitudinally extending core having an outer surface and defining
the longitudinal centerline axis, and a covering disposed on the
outer surface of the core that includes a radially extending
material; contacting the floor with the radially extending material
of the rotary head; and translating a floor-care system that
includes the rotary head across the floor.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein rotating comprises coupling a
rotatable shaft of the floor-care system to the rotary head with a
belt without substantial slipping when a floor-treatment agent is
present in the radially extending material.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the floor-treatment agent is
selected from at least one of the group consisting of water, a
soap, a perfume, a disinfectant, a cleaner, an antistatic agent, a
polishing compound and a buffing compound.
15. The method of claim 13, further comprising: collecting a
floor-treatment agent, by an extraction structure of the floor-care
system, from the radially extending material when the rotary head
is rotating about the longitudinal centerline axis.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: depositing a
floor-treatment agent onto the floor; and removing the
floor-treatment agent by a plurality of individual elements of the
radially extending material, wherein the individual elements are
each selected from the group consisting of strings and loops.
17. A system comprising: a floor-care system that comprises a
rotatable shaft; and a detachable rotary head, comprising a
longitudinally extending core having an outer surface and defining
a longitudinal centerline axis, and a covering that is disposed on
the outer surface of the core and that includes a radially
extending material, and wherein the detachable rotary head is
configured to couple to the rotatable shaft and rotate about the
longitudinal centerline axis.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein the floor-care system further
comprises an extraction structure, and wherein the radially
extending material is configured such that at least one millimeter
of the radially extending material contacts the extraction
structure when the rotary head rotates about the longitudinal
centerline axis.
19. The system of claim 17, wherein the floor-care system further
comprises an extraction structure, and wherein the radially
extending material is configured to cause a gap of at least one
millimeter between the radially extending material and the
extraction structure when the rotary head rotates about the
longitudinal centerline axis.
20. The system of claim 17, further comprising: a belt configured
to couple the rotatable shaft of the floor-care system to the
rotary head, and wherein the belt and the radially extending
structure each comprise one or more materials configured to allow
the belt to rotate the rotary head without substantial slipping
when a floor-treatment agent is present in the radially extending
structure, and wherein the floor-treatment agent is selected from
at least one of the group consisting of water, a soap, a perfume, a
disinfectant, a cleaner, an antistatic agent, a polishing compound
and a buffing compound.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The apparatus, method and system described below relate
generally to caring for hard or soft surfaces, and more
specifically, to a rotary head configured to rotate about a
longitudinal centerline axis and contact a hard or soft surface to
mop, scrub, polish or buff the hard or soft surface.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The typical method of cleaning surfaces such as hard floors
is to use a wet mop. The mopping process traditionally involves a
cycle of dipping the mop in a bucket of water, moving the wet mop
across the floor to clean the surface, and dipping the same mop
back in the bucket of water to remove the dirty water trapped in
the mop material. The mop can be repeatedly rubbed vigorously on
the floor in order to scrub particularly dirty areas or to perform
more thorough cleaning. This practice is laborious, manually
intensive and time-consuming. Further, this method can be somewhat
ineffective and unsanitary because the water in the bucket quickly
becomes dirty, and it is that same dirty water which is re-used to
mop remaining parts of the floor.
[0003] Polishing or buffing a surface such as a hard floor
typically requires expensive, cumbersome machinery that is
specialized for those particular tasks. Thus the required equipment
may not be ideally suited or economical for household use.
SUMMARY
[0004] In accordance with one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a
rotary head having a longitudinally extending core with an outer
surface and which defines a longitudinal centerline axis. The
rotary head also has a covering that is disposed on the outer
surface of the core and that includes a radially extending
material. The rotary head is configured so as to couple to a
rotatable shaft of a floor-care system and rotate about the
longitudinal centerline axis.
[0005] In another embodiment, a method of treating a floor
comprises rotating about a longitudinal centerline axis a rotary
head that includes a longitudinally extending core having an outer
surface and defining a longitudinal centerline axis, and a covering
disposed on the outer surface of the core that includes a radially
extending material. The method includes contacting the floor with
the radially extending material of the rotary head and translating
a floor-care system that includes the rotary head across the
floor.
[0006] In another embodiment, a system comprises a floor-care
system that includes a rotatable shaft and a detachable rotary
head. The detachable rotary head includes a longitudinally
extending core having an outer surface and a longitudinal
centerline axis, and a covering that is disposed on the outer
surface of the core, which includes a radially extending material.
The detachable rotary head is configured to couple to the rotatable
shaft and rotate about the longitudinal centerline axis.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] Certain embodiments will be better understood from the
following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings in which:
[0008] FIG. 1A is a perspective view depicting a rotary head in
accordance with one embodiment;
[0009] FIG. 1B is a side view of FIG. 1A;
[0010] FIG. 1C is a side view of a rotary head in accordance with
another embodiment wherein the core has a partially hollow, ribbed
configuration;
[0011] FIG. 1D is a side view of a rotary head in accordance with
another embodiment wherein the core is substantially solid;
[0012] FIG. 2A is a schematic representation of individual nap
elements of the rotary head of FIG. 1A, with the nap elements
formed as strings;
[0013] FIG. 2B is a schematic representation of individual nap
elements of the rotary head of FIG. 1A, with the nap elements
formed as loops;
[0014] FIG. 3A is a front view depicting a rotary head rotatably
mounted in a housing as part of a floor-care system;
[0015] FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3B-3B of
FIG. 3A;
[0016] FIG. 4A is a front view of the rotary head of FIG. 1 and a
pair of associated bearing assemblies;
[0017] FIG. 4B is a side view of the rotary head of FIG. 1A and one
of the bearing assemblies depicted in FIG. 4A;
[0018] FIG. 4C is a cross-section view taken along line 4C-4C of
FIG. 4B;
[0019] FIG. 5A is a side view of the rotary head of FIG. 1A
contacting an extraction structure;
[0020] FIG. 5B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the rotary
head of FIG. 1A and the extraction structure taken along line 5B-5B
of FIG. 5A;
[0021] FIG. 5C is a side view similar to FIG. 5A, but with of the
rotary head spaced from the extraction structure;
[0022] FIG. 5D is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the rotary
head of FIG. 1A and the extraction structure taken along line 5D-5D
of FIG. 5C;
[0023] FIG. 6 is a side view depicting an additional embodiment of
a rotary head, with a reinforcement layer included between a core
and a covering;
[0024] FIG. 7A is an additional embodiment of a rotary head, with a
belt engaging the nap of the rotary head;
[0025] FIG. 7B is an additional embodiment of a rotary head, but
with a section of the core exposed for direct engagement with the
belt; and
[0026] FIG. 7C is a further embodiment of a rotary head, but with a
section of the core being exposed and having an indented portion
for the belt to directly engagement the core.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0027] Selected embodiments are hereinafter described in detail in
connection with the views and examples of FIGS. 1A-1D, 2A-2B,
3A-3B, 4A-4C, 5A-5D, 6 and 7A-7C, wherein like numbers indicate the
same or corresponding elements throughout the views.
[0028] A rotary head 10 in accordance with one embodiment is
described in connection with FIGS. 1A-1D and other figures. As
shown in FIG. 1A, the rotary head 10 can include a longitudinally
extending, generally cylindrical core 20 and a covering 30. The
longitudinally extending core 20 can define a longitudinal
centerline axis 21. The rotary head 10 can be rotatable about the
longitudinal centerline axis 21. The rotary head 10 can have a
first end 22 and a second end 24. The core 20 can be hollow,
partially hollow, or substantially solid and can have an outer
surface 28. When hollow or partially hollow, the core 20 can have
an inner surface 26 in addition to the outer surface 28.
Preferably, the core 20 is at least partially hollow to allow for
insertion of a bearing assembly in each of the first end 22 and
second end 24. FIGS. A1 and 1B depict a hollow core, for example.
In another embodiment, FIG. 1C depicts a rotary head 10 with a core
20 which is partially hollow and includes fins 23 that extend
radially outward from the core 20 to contact the covering 30. In
another embodiment, the core 20 can be filled or partially filled.
In an additional embodiment shown in FIG. 1D, the core 20 can be
configured to be substantially solid.
[0029] The core 20 can be comprised of a one or more materials, and
can generally be composed of plastics, metals or composites. A core
20 made of thermoplastic or thermoset material can have certain
advantages in bonding with the materials used in the covering 30.
One advantage, for example, is that when a covering 30 is secured
by heat bonding or by an adhesive to a core 20 made of
thermoplastic or thermoset material, the covering 30 can bond
durably to the core 20 and generally will not delaminate from the
core 20 even after prolonged exposure to fluids such as water,
soaps, perfumes, disinfectants, cleaners, antistatic agents,
polishing compounds or buffing compounds, as can occur with other
materials such as, for example, high-density fiberboard. Likewise,
a thermoplastic or thermoset core can also resist degradation. It
will be understood by those having skill in the art that the core
20 can comprise natural materials, such as wood, or synthetic
materials such as, for example, polyethylene, polypropylene,
polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET),
polycarbonate, polyurethane, or polyamide. In another embodiment,
the core 20 can comprise a metal alloy, for example, aluminum,
stainless steel, or titanium. Composites, such as carbon
fiber-reinforced polymers, are also contemplated as materials used
for the core 20.
[0030] The dimensions of the core 20 can be at least partially
determined by the desired weight and rigidity for the core 20. In
one embodiment, the core 20 has a thickness of approximately 0.58
mm, a length of approximately 12.22 mm.+-.0.01 mm, and an inner
diameter of approximately 1.485 mm.+-.0.060 mm.
[0031] As shown in FIG. 1B-1D, the covering 30 can include a
backing layer 32 and nap 34 or pile. The covering 30 can be
disposed on the outer surface 28 of the core 20 and can comprise
any material or blend suitable to be disposed on the outer surface
28. As will be known to one skilled in the art, the covering 30 can
be secured to the outer surface 28 of a core 20 by, for example,
heat bonding or an adhesive. The bond formed between the covering
30 and the outer surface 28 can be permanent or semi-permanent, and
can be a bond that is not subject to separation from exposure to
fluids such as water, soaps, perfumes, disinfectants, cleaners,
antistatic agents, polishing compounds or buffing compounds.
Alternatively, it can be desirable for the covering 30 to be
removable from the core 20 so as, for example, to wash or clean the
covering 30 separately from the core 20. In such a case, the
covering 30 can be removably secured to the core 20 by, for
example, hook and loop fasteners or elastic, or another suitable
means known to those skilled in the art.
[0032] The covering 30 can be composed of any suitable material and
can be configured to absorb fluid, carry fluid, distribute fluid,
trap fluid and debris, and release fluid and debris. Examples of
suitable materials for the covering 30 can include natural
materials such as cotton, or synthetic materials, such as foam,
sponge, acrylic, nylon, rayon, silicon, rubber, polyester or
polypropylene, among others. The covering 30 can also be a blend of
natural and synthetic materials.
[0033] The backing layer 32 and nap 34 can be formed to be
contiguous. For example, the entire covering 30 can be polyester.
Alternatively, the backing layer 32 and nap 34 can be separate,
distinct and even materially different components. For example,
backing layer 32 can be silicon and nap 34 can be an antimicrobial
sponge. Additional combinations for the materials of the backing
layer 32 and nap 34 are possible.
[0034] The nap 34 extends generally radially outwardly from the
core 20. The nap 34 can be formed or distributed on the backing
layer 32 in a variety of configurations, for example, in a
particular patterned arrangement. As schematically depicted in
FIGS. 2A and 2B, the nap 34 can be composed of a single strand or
individual elements 36 which can be configured as strings or loops
or another suitable configuration. In another embodiment, the nap
34 can further be formed in a tufted configuration in which a
cluster of individual elements 36 are grouped together. The
individual elements 36 can be created from a single strand or
multiple strands. The formation of the individual elements 36 can
aid in cleaning and scrubbing. For example, a looped nap 34 can
carry and distribute polishing or buffing compounds. In one
embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2B, the individual elements 36 can be
intertwined or interwoven as part of the backing layer 32 to
inhibit dropping (shedding, coming off, or falling out) of the
individual elements 36 during mopping, scrubbing, polishing or
buffing. Individual elements 36 can also be composed of two or more
materials. For example, a portion of individual elements 36 can be
made of cotton the remaining individual elements 36 can be made of
polyester.
[0035] The rotary head 10 can be configured to be rotatably mounted
to a housing 52 in a floor-care system 50, as shown for example in
FIGS. 3A and 3B. The floor-care system 50 can be a vacuum cleaner,
mop, scrubber, polisher and buffer. The rotary head 10 can be
utilized as part of a single-function, stand-alone floor-care
system, e.g. a mop or buffer. Alternatively, the rotary head 10 can
be used to convert between different floor-care systems for
increased functionality. For example, replacing the brushroll (not
shown) of a vacuum cleaner with the rotary head 10 can convert a
vacuum cleaner into a mop, scrubber, polisher or buffer thereby
providing increased functionalities apart from simply
vacuuming.
[0036] When the rotary head 10 is seated in the housing 52 of a
floor-care system 50, the rotary head 10 can be firmly held in
place by bushing or bearing assemblies or any other such structure
configured to reduce friction that is created by rotation of the
rotary head 10. For example, as is depicted in FIGS. 4A and 4B,
bearing assemblies 54 and 56 are seated respectively in the first
and second ends 22 and 24, and support the rotary head 10 as it
rotates about longitudinal centerline axis 21. In FIG. 4C, an
example internal structure of and engagement between the rotary
head 10 and bearing assemblies 54 and 56 is shown. Bearing
assemblies 54 and 56 can be provided as part of floor-care system
50, with the same bearing assemblies 54 and 56 capable of
interchangeable use between a brushroll (not shown) and the rotary
head 10 for attachment to the floor-care system 50. Alternatively,
bearing assemblies 54 and 56 can be provided specifically for the
rotary head 10 and thus can remain with the rotary head 10 when it
is detached and a brushroll is attached to the floor-care system
50. Bearing assemblies 54 and 56 can also be configured to be
integral to either housing 52 or to rotary head 10, rather than as
separate assemblies distinct from housing 52 and rotary head 10.
For example, bearing assemblies 54 and 56 can be formed as part of
housing 52, and rotary head 10 can simply be snap-fit into housing
52. Likewise, bearing assemblies 54 and 56 can be formed as part of
rotary head 10, and rotary head 10 can be snap-fit into housing 52.
Incorporating bearing assemblies 54 and 56 into either the housing
52 or the rotary head 10 can reduce the number of discrete parts of
the floor-care system 50 that a user encounters and can also
facilitate easy attachment and removal of the rotary head 10 from
the floor-care system 50.
[0037] The housing 52 can include an extraction structure such as a
doctor blade 58 that can be configured to extract a floor-treatment
agent 72 from the nap 34 when the nap 34 contacts part of the
doctor blade 58. FIGS. 5A-5D depict a scalloped doctor blade 58,
however any extraction structure configured to remove
floor-treatment agent 72 from the nap 34 can be employed. The
extraction structure can be configured to be tangential to the nap
34, for example as illustrated by the doctor blade 58 in FIGS.
5A-5D. In configurations, the extraction structure can be angled,
or a portion of the extraction structure can be angled, for example
to enhance collection of the floor-treatment agent 72 from the nap
34. An example extraction structure is described in U.S. Pat. No.
4,573,235, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its
entirety (see, for example callout number 102 in FIG. 3, and
accompanying description in Col. 4, lines 31-68). The dimensions of
the housing 52 and additional internal structures, such as the
doctor blade 58, can therefore also influence the dimensions of the
rotary head 10.
[0038] The intended application for the rotary head 10 can also
affect the dimensions of the rotary head 10, and more specifically,
the height of the nap 34. For example in a mopping or scrubbing
application, as the rotary head 10 rotates, the nap 34 contacts the
floor 70 and performs a mopping or scrubbing action. At least one
of a floor-treatment agent 72 such as water, soaps, perfumes,
disinfectants, cleaners, antistatic agents, polishing and buffing
compounds can be applied to the floor 70 to aid in the mopping and
scrubbing. As the rotary head 10 rotates, floor-treatment agent 72
containing dirt and debris is picked up by the centrifugal force of
the rotary head 10 as well as being absorbed by the nap 34. The
rotary head 10 can be positioned within the housing 52 so that a
portion of the nap 34 contacts the doctor blade 58 as shown in
FIGS. 5A and 5B. Contact with the doctor blade 58 extracts
floor-treatment agent 72 containing dirt and debris from the nap 34
and deposits it in a trough portion 60 of floor-care system 50. In
one embodiment, the nap 34 extends approximately 9 mm from the
outer surface 28 of the core 20. Any portion of the nap 34 longer
than 9 mm can contact the doctor blade 58 resulting in extraction
of floor-treatment agent 72 containing dirt and debris as the
rotary head 10 rotates. For mopping and or scrubbing, the nap
height can be about 12 mm.+-.1 mm, as measured from the outer
surface 28.
[0039] For applications such as polishing or buffing, it can be
desirable for at least one floor-treatment agent, and in particular
polishing and buffing compounds, to remain substantially in the nap
34 so as to be worked against the hard floor 70 rather than be
collected by the doctor blade 58 and deposited in the trough
portion 60. Nap 34 that does not contact or only makes light
contact with the doctor blade 58 when the rotary head 10 is
rotating can therefore be desirable, as is shown in FIGS. 5C-5D. As
such, the nap 34 can be shorter and include less absorptive
material. For polishing or buffing, the height of the nap 34 can be
9 mm.+-.1 mm, as measured from the outer surface 28 of the core. In
this manner, the height of the nap 34 can minimize the amount of
polishing or buffing compound collected by the doctor blade 58 when
the rotary head 10 is rotating. A nap height of about 9 mm.+-.1 mm
can also be effective for light cleaning of a soft surface such as
carpet as opposed to a hard floor 70. By selecting an appropriate
length of the nap 34, the rotary head 10 can perform differently
for different applications.
[0040] The length of the nap 34 can also be selected based on the
desired amount of contact with the hard floor 70. A longer nap 34
will generally create an increased amount of contact with the
surface of the hard floor 70. For example, if a doctor blade is not
used or is not present in the housing 52, the length of the nap 34
can be determinative as to how much contact occurs and pressure is
applied to the surface by the nap 34 and the effective surface area
of the nap 34 that contacts the surface of the hard floor 70. A
longer nap 34 will generally create more contact and apply more
pressure to the hard floor to be mopped, scrubbed, polished or
buffed as compared to a shorter nap. Similarly, the density of the
nap 34 and the materials comprising the nap 34 can be selected
based on the intended application of the rotary head 10. Further,
the housing 52 can be adjustable, as is known to those of skill in
the art, so as to raise or lower the rotary head 10 and thereby
increase or decrease the amount of contact and pressure the rotary
head 10 can apply to the hard floor 70.
[0041] A rotary head 110 can be provided in any of a variety of
other suitable configurations, such as for example rotary head 110
as shown in FIG. 6, wherein the rotary head 110 includes a
reinforcement layer 140 disposed between a core 120 and a covering
130. Reinforcement layer 140 can optionally be included to provide
improved structural integrity and hoop strength of the rotary head
110 to withstand internal stresses exerted by the core 120 and
external forces such as those applied by a drive belt 62 (not
shown). Reinforcement layer 140 can also protect the core 120 from
deterioration resulting from contact with solvents and other
chemicals used for mopping, scrubbing, polishing and buffing. The
material comprising the core 20, 120 can also be selected to
withstand external forces such as those applied by the drive belt
62.
[0042] Belt 62 can engage rotary head 10 and couple rotary head 10
to a motorized or non-motorized rotatable shaft (not shown) as part
of the floor-care system 50. Belt 62 can engage the rotary head 10
such that there is suitable friction between the belt 62 and rotary
head 10, thus allowing the belt 62 to rotate the rotary head 10
without substantial slipping during operation of the floor-care
system 50. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7A, the belt 62 engages
the nap 34 in the middle of the rotary head 10 for rotation of the
rotary head 10 about the longitudinal centerline axis 21. In such a
configuration, the materials comprising the belt 62 and the nap 34
can be similarly configured to provide coupling without slipping in
the presence of floor-treatment agents 72 such as, for example,
water, soaps, perfumes, disinfectants, cleaners, antistatic agents,
polishing and buffing compounds.
[0043] In another configuration shown in FIG. 7B, the belt 62 can
contact the core 20 directly, for example if the backing layer 32
and nap 34 are absent from the core 20 at the position of the belt
62. The materials of the belt 62 and core 20 can be selected to
provide sufficient friction for coupling belt 62 to the core 20,
even when an amount of fluid such as water, soaps, perfumes,
disinfectants, cleaners, antistatic agents, polishing and buffing
compounds are present.
[0044] In an additional configuration shown in FIG. 7C, the rotary
head 10 can include an indentation in the core 20 that can help to
maintain the position of the belt 62 when the belt 62 directly
contacts the core 20 for rotation. In each of the embodiments
7A-7C, the belt 62 is shown as engaging approximately the middle of
the rotary head 10; however, the rotary head 10 can be engaged at
or near the first end 22 or second end 24. After the rotary head 10
is rotatably positioned in the housing 52, the floor-care system 50
can be operated.
[0045] The present use of a rotary head (e.g. 10, 110) can result
in various advantages such as, for example, making mopping,
scrubbing, polishing and buffing efficient and easy for household
as well as commercial use. The rotary head (e.g. 10, 110) is
portable, easy to operate, and when used in place of a vacuum
cleaner brushroll (not shown), can provide a vacuum cleaner with
the additional functionalities such as mopping, scrubbing,
polishing and brushing. The rotary head (e.g. 10, 110) is easily
detachable and can therefore be removed for rinsing and cleaning
after use. Alternatively, the rotary head 20 can be disposable.
Additionally, because fresh water is supplied and dirty water is
removed, the quality of cleaning and sanitation is enhanced.
Further, a lower quantity of water is required for cleaning
compared to traditional mop-and-bucket mopping.
[0046] It is understood that the described embodiments of the
rotary head are merely examples of the many suitable varieties of
rotary heads that are capable of manufacture and use in accordance
with the teachings herein.
[0047] The foregoing description of embodiments and examples have
been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is
not intended to be exhaustive or limiting to the forms described.
Numerous modifications are possible in light of the above
teachings. Some of those modifications have been discussed and
others will be understood by those skilled in the art. The
embodiments were chosen and described for illustration of various
embodiments. The scope is, of course, not limited to the examples
or embodiments set forth herein, but can be employed in any number
of applications and equivalent devices by those of ordinary skill
in the art. Rather it is hereby intended the scope be defined by
the claims appended hereto.
* * * * *