Floor cleaning assembly including gimballing
AssigneeWindsor Industries, Inc.
InventorEdward T. Biegel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A floor cleaning assembly including a gimballing connector is disclosed. The floor cleaning assembly includes a mounting member having an annular ring of bristles attached to the bottom surface thereof. The upper surface includes a centrally disposed hub and plurality of spokes and passageways extending radially therefrom. An annular barrier wall disposed adjacent the passageways extends upwardly from the upper surface of the barrier wall. The floor assembly is coupled to a motor drive by a gimballing connector which allows the axis of rotation of the floor assembly to shift relative to the axis of rotation of the motor drive. The geometry of the gimballing connector results in an evenly distributed wear pattern on the gimballing surface of the connector.
Claims19
An apparatus for use in maintaining desired contact with a floor, comprising:
- a drive member including a motor connector, a bottom surface and a gimbal member disposed between said motor connector and said bottom surface, said gimbal member having a plurality of discrete sides and having a gimballing surface adjacent to said sides with each of said sides having a first curvature that extends inwardly in a vertical direction adjacent to said gimballing surface, said gimballing surface having a second curvature in a vertical plane different from said first curvature;
- a floor assembly including:
- a driven member having a cooperating surface that mates with said gimballing surface to contact said drive member gimballing surface along substantially greater than point contact during gimballing of said drive member;
- a mounting member joined to said driven member;
- and
- means for contacting the floor joined to said mounting member.
An apparatus for use in maintaining desired contact with a floor, comprising:
- a drive member including a motor connector, a bottom and a gimbal member disposed between said motor Connector and said bottom, said gimbal member having a gimballing surface and said bottom terminating said drive member, said bottom being the lowest portion of said drive member when said drive member is vertically upward with said motor connector being vertically above said bottom;
- and
- a floor assembly including:
- a driven member having a cooperating surface that contacts said gimballing surface of said drive member during gimballing of said drive member, said bottom of said drive member being free of contact from said driven member including said cooperating surface, and said bottom not locking said drive member to said driven member, said drive member having a bore hole extending completely through said bottom thereof, said bore hole including means for receiving a fastener for mounting said drive member to a motor shaft;
- a mounting member joined to said driven member;
- and
- means for contacting the floor joined to said mounting member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.