# US 10,441,129 B2 · Cleaning device with a cleaning roller that is rotatable about an axis of rotation

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- Number: US 10,441,129 B2
- Document ID: US10441129B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/580,748
- Filed: 2016-06-02
- Published: 2018-05-24
- Granted: 2019-10-15
- Earliest claimed: 2015-06-23
- Assignees: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
- Applicants: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
- Inventors: Matthias Pfeiffer; Niklas Van Teeffelen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10441129B2

## CPC

- A47L 11/4088: {Supply pumps; Spraying devices; Supply conduits}
- A47L 11/085: {with supply of cleaning agents}
- A47L 11/125: {with supply of cleaning agents}
- A47L 11/185: {with supply of cleaning agents}
- A47L 11/282: having rotary tools
- A47L 11/4041: {Roll shaped surface treating tools}
- A47L 11/4083: {Liquid supply reservoirs; Preparation of the agents, e.g. mixing devices}
- A47L: DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING (brushes A46B; cleaning quantities of bottles or of other hollow articles of one kind B08B9/00; laundry D06F); SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL (cleaning in general B08)

## Abstract

A cleaning device has a cleaning roller that is rotatable about an axis of rotation and serves for treating a surface to be cleaned. The cleaning roller is in the form of a hollow body with an internal liquid chamber, and at least one hollow body opening for releasing liquid from the liquid chamber. In order to develop a cleaning device, in which liquid is only released from the liquid chamber to the surface of the hollow body under certain conditions, a mechanically actuated valve element is assigned to the hollow body opening, wherein the valve element can be displaced into a closing position, in which the hollow body opening is closed, and/or into an opening position, in which the hollow body opening is released, depending on the magnitude of a centrifugal force that acts upon the valve element as a result of a rotation of the cleaning roller.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A cleaning device (1), particularly a floor cleaning device, with a cleaning roller (2) that is rotatable about an axis of rotation (x) and serves for treating a surface to be cleaned, wherein the cleaning roller (2) is at least partially realized in the form of a hollow body (3) with an internal liquid chamber (4), and wherein the hollow body (3) features at least one hollow body opening (5) for releasing liquid from the liquid chamber (4), wherein a mechanically actuated valve element (6) is assigned to the hollow body opening (5), wherein said valve element can be displaced into a closing position, in which the hollow body opening (5) is closed, and/or into an opening position, in which the hollow body opening (5) is released, depending on the magnitude of a centrifugal force that acts upon the valve element (6) as a result of a rotation of the cleaning roller (2).

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the valve element (6) is designed for allowing a release of liquid from the liquid chamber (4) once the cleaning roller (2) has reached a minimum rotational speed (nmin).

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein a return element (8), particularly a spring, is assigned to the valve element (6) and/or wherein the valve element (6) is realized in the form of a return element (8), wherein the restoring force of the return element (8) acts opposite to the centrifugal force in the direction of the closing position.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the valve element (6) features at least one closing element (7) that is pivotably arranged on the hollow body (3).

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the valve element (6) features a closing element (7), which is arranged on the hollow body (3) in a linearly movable fashion, in particular slidably.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the valve element (6) is formed by an elastic edge region of the hollow body (3), which defines the hollow body opening (5).

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the hollow body (3) is formed by an at least partially elastic diaphragm (9), wherein at least one hollow body opening (5) is contracted in the closing position and expanded in the opening position.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, wherein an at least partially elastic diaphragm (9) containing at least one diaphragm opening (10) is arranged on the hollow body (3).

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The cleaning device (1) according to claim 8, wherein the diaphragm opening (10) and the hollow body opening (5) are arranged on a common straight line referred to a radial direction of the cleaning roller (2).

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The cleaning device (1) according to claim 8, wherein the diaphragm (9) is arranged on the hollow body (3) in a stationary fashion, particularly fastened on the radially outer side of the hollow body (3).