GB2632113A

GB2632113A - A floor cleaner

Info

Publication number: GB2632113A
Application number: GB2311319.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lloyd Genn Stuart; White James; Alan Jolly Karl; Toogood Oliver; Douwinus Vuijk Remco
Original assignee: Dyson Technology Ltd
Current assignee: Dyson Technology Ltd
Priority date: 2023-07-24
Filing date: 2023-07-24
Publication date: 2025-01-29
Also published as: WO2025022212A1; GB202311319D0

Abstract

A floor cleaner comprises a body portion, a cleaner head and a coupling element for pivotally coupling the body portion to the cleaner head. The cleaner head comprises an inner module 8, pivotally coupled to the body portion by the coupling element, the inner module comprising one or more support elements (18, fig 15) for supporting a weight of the body portion. The cleaner head also comprises an outer module 10, movably coupled to the inner module, comprising a pair of cleaner rollers 30 arranged on opposing sides of the inner module. The coupling element comprises a first formation 60 and the outer module comprises a complementary second formation 62. The first formation includes a lever that engages the second formation forming a fulcrum about which the coupling element pivots as the body portion pivots, relative to the inner module, from a first position to a second position, thereby transferring at least some of the weight of the body portion from the one or more support elements to the pair of cleaner rollers. The arrangement can also lift a waste-collection tray (16, fig 13) in the cleaner head.

Description

A FLOOR CLEANER

BACKGROUND

It is generally preferable for floor cleaners, such as a wet floor cleaner, to be as light and manoeuvrable as possible during cleaning, and it is also desirable for such floor cleaners to provide free-standing stability when not in use. However, the packaging of on-board motors, cleaning systems, vacuum suction systems, cooling systems, power transmission and power supply systems in such devices can compromise the size, weight, and/or balance of the floor cleaner.

It is against this background that the examples of the invention have been devised.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a floor cleaner comprising: a body portion; a cleaner head; and a coupling element for pivotally coupling the body portion to the cleaner head. The cleaner head comprises: an inner module, pivotally coupled to the body portion by the coupling element, the inner module comprising one or more support elements for supporting a weight of the body portion; and an outer module, movably coupled to the inner module, comprising a pair of cleaner rollers arranged on opposing sides of the inner module. The coupling element comprises a first formation and the outer module comprises a complementary second formation. The first formation engages the second formation as the body portion pivots, relative to the inner module, from a first position to a second position, thereby transferring at least some of the weight of the body portion from the one or more support elements to the pair of cleaner rollers.

With this arrangement, the inner module is pivotally coupled to the body portion by the coupling element and configured to support the weight of the body portion (via the one or more support elements) in a first position (which may be a reclined position), while the outer module is movably coupled to the inner module and liftable away from the underlying floor to reduce the load supported by the cleaner rollers. The cleaner rollers may therefore be substantially free from carrying the weight of the floor cleaner while the body portion is in a reclined position. As a result, a light-weight feeling is produced for an operator and the floor cleaner is highly manoeuvrable in the first reclined position for effective cleaning. However, the support element(s) are arranged between the outer cleaner rollers so as not to interfere with the cleaning functionality. The support element(s) are therefore only able to provide a narrow support base, offering limited free-stranding stability. In view of this, the first and second complementary formations are engageable, upon raising the body portion to the second position (which may be an upright position), to act as a load transfer mechanism for transferring at least some of the weight of the body portion from the support element(s) to the pair of cleaner rollers. In the, generally upright, second position, the weight of the floor cleaner is therefore supported additionally or alternatively by the cleaner rollers, which provide a wider, more stable, base for supporting the floor cleaner in the upright second position. The floor cleaner is therefore highly manoeuvrable in the first reclined position, when the first and second formations are disengaged, and able to stand freely in the second upright position, even when left standing on a surface inclined by up to around 10 degrees. The floor cleaner therefore provides for both effective cleaning and efficient storage.

The body portion may be a main body portion of the floor cleaner that provides packaging for various systems of the floor cleaner, including any cleaning systems, vacuum suction systems, cooling systems, and/or power supply systems, for example. The body portion may extend along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end, where the coupling element extends from the first end and a handle extends from the opposing second end..

In examples, the coupling element may be considered part of the body portion, i.e. the coupling element may be formed integrally with the rest of the body portion and is not necessarily formed by a separate element.

Optionally, the body portion is pivotable, relative to the inner module, from the first position to a third position, between the first and second positions, without transferring the weight of the body portion from the one or more support elements to the cleaner rollers. In this manner, the body portion is pivotable between first and third reclined positions during cleaning without transferring the weight to the cleaner rollers. This may provide for comfortable use of the floor cleaner during cleaning.

The first formation of the coupling element may engage the second formation of the outer module at the third position.

In examples, the outer module and the coupling element may have complementary interfacing surfaces such that the body portion pivots, relative to the inner module, from the first position to the third position without causing the coupling element to engage the outer module, and the first formation engages the second formation at the third position, transferring at least some of the weight of the body portion to the cleaner rollers as the body portion pivots further from the third position to the second position. In this manner, the outer module may be substantially free from supporting the weight of the body portion between the first and third positions.

Optionally, the first formation comprises a lever that extends away from a longitudinal axis of the body portion to engage the second formation of the outer module, forming a fulcrum about which the coupling element (and the body portion) is pivotable, relative to the outer module, as the body portion is moved from the third position to the second position. As a result, the fulcrum changes the pivot point, causing the body portion to lift away from the ground during the movement from the third to the second position.

In examples, the floor cleaner may further comprise one or more latching mechanisms for latching the body portion in the second position. In this manner, the floor cleaner can be retained in the upright second position for free-standing stability.

Optionally, the one or more latching mechanisms may comprise a first latching mechanism comprising first and second complementary latching members. One of the first and second latching members may be arranged on the coupling element and the other of the first and second latching members may be arranged on the outer module. The first latching member may define a detent for receiving the second latching member when the body portion is pivoted to the second position. Optionally, the first latching member may comprise a guide channel along which the second latching member moves to the detent as the body portion pivots from the first position to the second position. The first latching member may, for example, be pivotally attached to the outer module and biased toward the second latching member on the coupling element. This arrangement may provide a convenient latching mechanism with a biasing force that helps to retain the body portion in the second position.

The biasing force may be overcome by an operator lowering the body portion to the first position, unlatching the latching mechanism.

Optionally, the one or more latching mechanisms may comprise a second latching mechanism comprising first and second complementary latching members. One of the first and second latching members may be arranged on the coupling element and the other of the first and second latching members may be arranged on the outer module. The first latching member may define a catch member and the second latching member may define a retaining lip for retaining the catch member when the body portion is pivoted to the second position. This arrangement may provide a simple latching mechanism, and the retaining lip may provide some resistance to help retain the body portion in the second position. For this purpose, the catch member may be movably and/or pivotally coupled to the coupling element, for example.

In examples, the inner module may comprise a lift device connected to the coupling element and extending through an opening of the outer module to transfer the weight of the body portion to the one or more support elements. The lift device may be connected to the coupling element such that the lift device is liftable, through the opening, as the body portion pivots from the first position to the second position, thereby reducing the weight of the main body transferred to the one or more support elements.

Optionally, the inner module further comprises a support frame, between the pair of cleaner rollers, and the one or more support elements are mounted to the support frame. The support frame may be lifted with the lift device, as the weight is transferred to the cleaner rollers.

In examples, an upper surface of the support frame may form a waste-collection tray for collecting waste from the pair of cleaner rollers. The waste-collection tray may therefore collect fluids and/or dirt and debris removed from the floor by the cleaner rollers.

Optionally, the support frame comprises one or more waste-collectors. Each waste-collector may extend from a respective end of the support frame for collecting waste passing under an adjacent cleaner. Optionally, each waste-collector may define a flexible blade extending around a lower portion of the adjacent cleaner roller for collecting waste from the underlying floor. The flexible blade may conform to the surfaces of the ground and/or the roller, providing minimal abutting contact whilst collecting fluids, dirt and debris.

In examples, the lift device may be movable, relative to the support frame, from an engaged position to a disengaged position as the lift device is lifted through the opening, thereby reducing or removing the weight of the main body transferred to the one or more support elements. The lift device may therefore provide a selectively engageable element for transferring the weight to the one or more support elements, as the body portion pivots between the first and second positions.

The one or more support elements may comprise one or more of the following: a support roller, optionally being a support wheel; and/or a sliding pad, optionally being a felt pad. In this manner the support element(s) may provide a low friction interface between the cleaner head and the floor.

The outer module may, for example, comprise an external housing of the cleaner head, i.e. a cleaner head housing, extending around the cleaner rollers. The cleaner rollers may be mounted to the external housing.

In examples, the floor cleaner may be adjustable between a first configuration when the body portion is pivoted to the first position and a second configuration when the body portion is pivoted to the second position. In the first configuration: the first formation is disengaged from the second formation; the outer module is freely supported on the pair of cleaner rollers; and the one or more support rollers support the weight of the body portion and the inner module. In the second configuration: the first formation is engaged with the second formation transferring at least some of the weight of the body portion from the one or more support rollers to the pair of cleaner rollers.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a floor cleaner comprising: a body portion; a cleaner head; and a coupling element for pivotally coupling the body portion to the cleaner head. The cleaner head comprises: an inner module comprising: a lift device and a waste-collection tray, coupled to the lift device; and an outer module, movably coupled to the inner module, comprising a pair of cleaner rollers arranged on opposing sides of the inner module. The lift device is pivotally coupled to the coupling element and extends through an opening of the outer module to the waste-collection tray, wherein the body portion is pivotable, relative to the inner module, between first and second positions, and the lift device lifts the waste-collection tray away from the underlying floor as the body portion pivots, relative to the inner module, from a third position, between the first and second positions, to the second position. The coupling element comprises a first formation and the outer module comprises a complementary second formation. The first formation engages the second formation at the third position, forming a fulcrum about which the coupling element (and the body portion) pivots, relative to the outer module, as the body portion pivots further from the third position to the second position, lifting the waste-collection tray via the lift device.

In this manner, the floor cleaner includes a lifting mechanism for selectively lifting the waste-collection tray away from the floor as the body portion is moved between the first and second positions, which may be respective reclined and upright positions. The waste-collection tray can therefore be lowered to a suitable position for collecting waste from the floor and/or the cleaner rollers when the body portion is reclined to the first position for cleaning. Upon pivoting the body portion to the upright second position, the waste-collection tray is lifted away from the floor to avoid contact therewith, which may otherwise occur as the cleaner rollers compress or flatten under the increased load. This arrangement prevents the floor cleaner from 'bottoming-out' on the waste-collection tray in the upright second position. That is, the arrangement avoids contact between the waste-collection tray and the floor when the floor cleaner is left in a free-standing stability, such that the waste-collection tray does not form a tipping point about which the floor cleaner might topple over or otherwise be unstable. The floor cleaner therefore provides improved free-standing stability along with the ability to effectively collect waste fluids, dirt and debris during cleaning.

In any of the preceding aspects, the coupling element may be a first coupling element of a coupling mechanism of the floor cleaner for coupling the body portion to the cleaner head. The coupling mechanism may comprise the first coupling element and a second coupling element. The first coupling element may be pivotally coupled to the cleaner head for pivoting the body portion about a first axis. from the first position to the second position, relative to the cleaner head. The second coupling element may extend from (or otherwise be coupled to) the body portion and the second coupling element may be pivotally coupled to the first coupling element for pivoting the body portion about a second axis, orthogonal to the first axis, to offset the body portion from a central position.

In this manner, the body portion of the floor cleaner is further pivotable about the second axis, orthogonal to the first axis, for side-to-side movements, increasing the manoeuvrability of the floor cleaner. In this context, the central position is a position substantially without any lateral tilt such that the body portion extends substantially vertically and upright when the body portion is arranged in the second position about the first axis and in the central position about the second axis.

Optionally, the coupling mechanism may further comprise a locking mechanism for retaining the body portion in the central position, against rotation about the second axis, when the body portion is pivoted to the second position about the first axis. The locking mechanism comprises: a locking element, coupled to the cleaner head, comprising a first locking formation for engagement with a complementary second locking formation, the second locking formation being formed on the second coupling element or the body portion. The first and second locking formations are engageable by pivoting the body portion to the second position while the body portion is centred about the second axis.

In this manner, the locking mechanism serves to hold the body portion in the upright and centred position, inhibiting rotation about the second axis, to provide free-standing stability of the floor cleaner.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a floor cleaner comprising: a body portion; a cleaner head; and a coupling mechanism for coupling the body portion to the cleaner head. The coupling mechanism comprises: a first coupling element pivotally coupled to the cleaner head for pivoting the body portion about a first axis, from a first position to a second position, relative to the cleaner head; a second coupling element extending from (or otherwise coupled to) the body portion and pivotally coupled to the first coupling element for pivoting the body portion about a second axis, orthogonal to the first axis, to offset the body portion from a central position; and a locking mechanism for retaining the body portion in the central position, against rotation about the second axis, when the body portion is pivoted to the second position about the first axis.

The locking mechanism comprises: a locking element, coupled to the cleaner head, comprising a first locking formation for engagement with a complementary second locking formation, the second locking formation being formed on the second coupling element or the body portion. The first and second locking formations are engageable by pivoting the body portion to the second position while the body portion is centred about the second axis.

The floor cleaner is therefore highly manoeuvrable as the body portion is pivotable relative to the cleaner head about first and second orthogonal axes, allowing the body portion to be lowered to a reclined position and tilted from side-to-side. The body portion may therefore be inclined/reclined between a first lowered position and a second upright or substantially upright position, and the body portion may be moved side-to-side about the second axis from the central position. Moreover, the locking mechanism allows for selectively restraining the body portion in the upright and central position such that the floor cleaner can be left to stand freely when not in use. The floor cleaner therefore provides for both effective cleaning and efficient storage.

In examples, the second coupling element may be part of the body portion, i.e. the second coupling element may be formed integrally with the body portion and is not necessarily a separate element. In other examples, the second coupling element may be connected to the body portion, for example by one or more mechanical fasteners.

In examples, the coupling mechanism may define a neck region of the floor cleaner, extending between the body portion and the cleaner head. The first coupling element may form a first neck portion of the neck region and the second coupling element may form a second neck portion of the neck region.

In examples, the locking element may act as a cover element that helps to shield the pivotal coupling between the first and second coupling element and/or between the cleaner head and the first coupling element, for example to mitigate the ingress of dirt and debris.

Optionally, the locking element may be pivotably coupled to the cleaner head for rotation about a third axis, parallel to the first axis. In this manner, the locking element is movable in the same direction as the first coupling element such that the locking element can be lowered to a reclined position as the body portion is lowered to the first position, allowing the cleaner head to fit within tighter spaces under furniture.

In examples, the locking mechanism may further comprise a biasing member acting on the locking element to urge the first locking formation into engagement with the second locking formation. In this manner, the biasing member may help to guide the first and second locking formations together, as the body portion pivots to the second (upright) position. For example, if the locking element is mounted to the cleaner head in front of the first and/or second coupling elements, the biasing member may bias the locking element to rotate about the third axis in a rearward direction. Advantageously, in this arrangement, the locking element may therefore rotate rearwardly as the body portion is reclined about the first axis, reclining with the first covering element to effectively reduce an overall profile defined by the cleaner head, the first coupling element and the locking element. By reducing the profile, the cleaner head is able to fit between smaller gaps for improved cleaning.

Optionally, at least one of the first and second locking formations may include a tapered or chamfered surface configured to interact with the other one of the first and second locking formations when the body portion is urged away from the central position while the first and second locking formations are engaged. The interacting surfaces may be shaped to urge the locking element to rotate against the biasing force, and thereby disengage the locking mechanism. Here it shall be appreciated that urging the body portion away from the central position involves urging the body portion to rotate side-to-side about the second axis, away from the central position (and not urging the body portion to rotate about the first axis). In this manner, the floor cleaner provides a user with an alternative means for overriding the engagement of the first and second locking formations and enabling movement of the body portion about the first and second axes.

In examples, one of the locking element and the second coupling element may include a guide surface (adjacent to a respective one of the first and second locking formations) that interacts with the other one of the first and locking formations to obstruct movement of the body portion, about the first axis, to the second position while the body portion is not centred about the second axis. That is, a guide surface is defined on the locking element or the second coupling element to obstruct a protruding one of the first and second locking formations from engaging the other locking formation, unless the body portion is centred about the second axis (i.e. arranged in the central position). An operator is therefore prompted by the guide surface to centre the body portion about the second axis in order to raise the body portion to the upright second position.

The guide surface may, for example, be a curved surface for guiding the first and second locking formations into engagement as the second coupling element pivots about the second axis. In this manner, a protruding one of the first and second locking formations may engage the curved guide surface and move along the guide surface as the body portion pivots about the second axis to the central position.

Optionally, the other one of the locking element and the second coupling element defines a complementary curved surface for interfacing with the guide surface when the first and second locking formations are engaged. Hence, when the first and second locking formation are engaged the curved surfaces may meet and match one another to produce a flush-fitting interface.

In examples, the second coupling element may extend from a first end coupled to the body portion to an opposing second end. The second complementary formation may be formed at the second end of the second coupling element. In other examples, the second complementary formation may be formed on a lower end of the body portion (facing the cleaner head).

The floor cleaner of any previous aspect of the invention may be a wet floor cleaner, for example. In this context, the wet floor cleaner may include various systems such as one or more on-board motors, cleaning systems, vacuum suction systems, cooling systems, power transmission and power supply systems, and the embodiments of the invention provide free-standing stability and manoeuvrability in spite of the size and/or weight of the floor cleaner. Equally, the floor cleaner of any previous aspect of this invention may be a vacuum cleaner.

Within the scope of this invention it is expressly intended that the various aspects, embodiments, examples and alternatives set out in the preceding paragraphs, in the claims and/or in the following description and drawings, and in particular the individual features thereof, may be taken independently or in any combination. That is, all embodiments and/or features of any embodiment can be combined in any way and/or combination, unless such features are incompatible. The applicant reserves the right to change any originally filed claim or file any new claim accordingly, including the right to amend any originally filed claim to depend from and/or incorporate any feature of any other claim although not originally claimed in that manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a floor cleaner in accordance with an example of the invention, having a cleaner head, a body portion and a coupling mechanism for pivotally coupling the body portion to the cleaner head; Figure 2 is a front view of the cleaner head and the coupling mechanism, shown in Figure I, when the body portion is pivoted away from a central position; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the cleaner head and the coupling mechanism, shown in Figure 2, taken along the line A-A; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a rear side of the cleaner head and the coupling mechanism, shown in Figure 1, when the body portion is pivoted away from a central position; Figure 5 is a front view of the cleaner head and the coupling mechanism, shown in Figure 1, when the body portion is pivoted away from a central position to another position; Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the cleaner head and the coupling mechanism, shown in Figure 5, taken along the line B-B; Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the cleaner head and the coupling mechanism, shown in Figure 6, taken along the line P-P; Figure 8 is a detail view of parts of the coupling mechanism, shown in Figure 7; Figure 9 is a front view of the cleaner head and the coupling mechanism, shown in Figure 1, when the body portion is pivoted to the central position; Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the cleaner head and the coupling mechanism, shown in Figure 9, taken along the line C-C; Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the cleaner head and the coupling mechanism, shown in Figure 10, taken along the line R-R; Figure 12 is a detail view of parts of the coupling mechanism, shown in Figure 11; Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of the floor cleaner, shown in Figure 1, illustrating parts of the coupling mechanism and the cleaner head when the body portion is arranged in a first position relative to the cleaner head; Figure 14 is another cross-sectional view of the floor cleaner, shown in Figure 1, showing parts of the coupling mechanism and the cleaner head when the body portion is arranged in a second position relative to the cleaner head; Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of parts of an inner module of the cleaner head, shown in Figure 1; Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view of parts of the coupling mechanism and the cleaner head, shown in Figure 1, illustrating an outer module of the cleaner head; and Figures 17 to 19 show further cross-sectional views of the floor cleaner, shown in Figure 1, each showing parts of the coupling mechanism and the cleaner head when the body portion is arranged in further positions between the first and second positions, shown in Figures 13 and 14.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the invention relate to a floor cleaner, such as a wet floor cleaner, including a main body portion, a cleaner head, and a coupling element for pivotally coupling the body portion to the cleaner head.

The cleaner head includes a pair of cleaner rollers for cleaning the underlying floor and further includes one or more support elements, such as a slider pad or a set of castor wheels, for reducing the load supported by the cleaner rollers during cleaning. The body portion is therefore pivotable relative to the cleaner head to a reclined position for cleaning purposes, and the support element(s) engage the floor to support the weight of the floor cleaner and reduce surface friction. As a result, the cleaner rollers are able to rotate at high speeds for effective cleaning, whilst producing a lightweight feeling for an operator using the device.

When not in use, the body portion is typically pivoted to an upright or substantially upright position relative to the cleaner head, and it is desirable for the floor cleaner to be stable and stand freely (without external support). This free-standing stability is expected even when the floor cleaner is arranged on a surface inclined by up to about 10 degrees. However, the support element(s) are arranged between the outer cleaner rollers so as not to interfere with the cleaning functionality and therefore have a limited span engaging the floor. The support element(s) therefore form a narrow support base with limited free-stranding stability.

In order to improve the free-standing stability, embodiments of the invention include a cleaner head having an outer module with a pair of cleaner rollers and an inner module, movably coupled to the outer module, for mounting the support element(s) between the cleaner rollers. With this arrangement, the inner module is pivotally coupled to the body portion, via the coupling element, and configured to support the weight of the body portion in reclined positions, while the outer module is movably coupled to the inner module and liftable away from the underlying floor to reduce the load supported by the cleaner rollers. The cleaner rollers may therefore be substantially free from carrying the weight of the floor cleaner during cleaning (while the body portion is in a reclined position). Advantageously though, the floor cleaner further includes a load transfer mechanism for transferring at least some of the weight of the body portion from the support element(s) to the pair of cleaner rollers as the body portion pivots from the reclined first position towards the upright second position. In particular, the coupling element and the outer module further include first and second complementary formations that are configured to engage as the body portion pivots, relative to the inner module, from the reclined first position to the upright second position. The engagement of such formations transfers the weight of the body portion from the support element(s) to the cleaner rollers, providing a wider, more stable, base for supporting the floor cleaner in an upright position.

The floor cleaner is therefore highly manoeuvrable in the first reclined position, when the first and second formations are disengaged, and stable in the second upright position, when the load is transferred to the outboard cleaner rollers. It is envisaged that embodiments of the invention will therefore provide for both effective cleaning and efficient storage.

Examples of the floor cleaner, in accordance with embodiments of the invention, shall now be discussed in more detail with reference to Figures 1 to 19 For the purposes of the following description, the directions up, down, forward, rearward, and side-to-side are defined relative to the general orientation and direction of the floor cleaner, shown in Figure 1, being pushed along the floor, as shall now be discussed in more detail.

With reference to Figure 1, an exemplary floor cleaner 2 is shown to include a main body portion 4 and a cleaner head 6 attached thereto by a coupling mechanism 5. The cleaner head 6 and the coupling mechanism 5 are shown in schematic form in Figure 1 but will be described in more detail in the subsequent figures. Although a floor is not shown in Figure 1, it shall be appreciated that its presence is implied.

In this example, the floor cleaner 2 is shown to take the form a wet floor cleaner. The wet floor cleaner 2 in the illustrated example is a battery-powered "stick" style wet floor cleaner, but it should be noted that this example is not intended to be limiting on the scope of the invention and that the invention is also applicable to dry floor cleaners, such as vacuum cleaners, and other styles of floor cleaner, including upright cleaners.

In the example shown in Figure 1, the body portion 4 may therefore house a fluid dispensing system (not shown) and a separation system (not shown), amongst other systems. For example, the cleaner head 6 may be adapted to clean dirt and moisture from a floor surface using a cleaning liquid provided by the fluid dispensing system, and the separation system may therefore comprise suitable functionality to separate and store dirty water and contaminants picked up from the floor. The skilled person would appreciate that fluid dispensing systems and separation systems of this kind are known in the art for a wet floor cleaner, and so a complete discussion of such systems will not be provided here to avoid obscuring the invention. It shall also be appreciated that the body portion 4 of the floor cleaner 2 may additionally or alternatively support one or more motors, cleaning systems, vacuum suction systems, cooling systems, power transmission, and/or power supply systems, for example.

The floor cleaner 2 is shown to include an elongated handle 7 that extends upwardly away from the body portion 4 so that the floor cleaner 2 can be manoeuvred by an operator in a standing position. The body portion 4 therefore extends from a lower first end 9 to an upper second end 11 along a body axis 13, and the handle 7 extends from the upper second end 11 of the body portion 4. The coupling mechanism 5 connects to, and extends from, the lower first end 9 of the body portion 4 and pivotally couples the body portion 4 to the cleaner head 6. The handle 7 is therefore operable to pivot the body portion 4 between first and second positions relative to the cleaner head 6. That is, the body portion 4 is pivotable about a horizontal (lateral) axis in a vertical plane (e.g. in forward and rearward directions) between a first reclined position suitable for cleaning, and an upright or substantially upright second position for free-standing stability. The cleaner head 6 generally remains parallel to the floor as the body portion 4 pivots between the first and second positions. However, during such movement, the weight of the body portion 4 is transferred from a narrow support footprint to a wider, more stable, arrangement, as shall be described in more detail.

In this example, the coupling mechanism 5 includes a pair of articulating coupling elements further configured to enable movement of the body portion 4 about an orthogonal axis. In this manner, the user can operate the handle 7 to roll or tilt the body portion 4 sideto-side relative to the cleaner head 6, as shall be described in more detail with additional reference to Figures 2 to 12.

As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the coupling mechanism 5 includes a first coupling element 5a and a second coupling element 5b for this purpose. The first and second coupling elements 5a,b collectively define a relatively thin neck extending between the body portion 4 and the cleaner head 6. The first and second coupling elements 5a,b are therefore also referred to as 'first and second neck portions 5a,b' respectively in the following description.

The first neck portion 5a features a laterally extending cylindrical formation (obscured in Figures 2 to 4) at one end (i.e. a lower end), which is pivotally coupled to the cleaner head 6 for pivoting the body portion 4 in the fore and aft direction about the horizontal axis, from the reclined first position to the upright second position. The first neck portion 5a extends away from the cylindrical formation to an opposing end (in normal use an upper end) that defines a curved or rounded support surface that abuts an opposing complementary curved or rounded surface of the second neck portion 5b. As shown in Figure 4, in this example the upper end of the first neck portion 5a has a convex curved surface and the second neck portion 5b has a projection Sj, which projects rearwardly from the upper end of the second neck portion 5b. The lower surface of the rearward projection 5j has a curved concave surface that is complementary to the convex curved surface at the upper end of the first neck portion 5a. The complementary surfaces are curved so as to allow relative side-to-side rotation of the first and second neck portions 5a, 5b while supporting some of the weight of the body portion 4 at the upper end of the first neck portion 5a.

The second neck portion 5b extends from the lower first end 9 of the body portion 4 and may be formed integrally therewith or fastened thereto, such that the body portion 4 is movable with the second neck portion 5b as the handle 7 is manipulated to steer and manoeuvre the cleaner head 6. The second neck portion 5b extends away from the lower first end 9, parallel to the body axis 13, to a lower end pivotally connected to the first neck portion 5a. The pivotal coupling (obscured in Figures 2 to 4) between the first and second neck portions 5a,b defines an orthogonal axis for rotating the second neck portion 5b and the connected body portion 4 side-to-side relative to the first neck portion 5a and the cleaner head 6. For example, the first and second neck portions 5a,b may extend in parallel and a pin formation (not shown in Figures 2 to 4) may extend transversely away from one of the first and second neck portions 5a,b to engage a corresponding opening or rotary bearing (not shown in Figures 2 to 4) formed in the other neck portion 5a,b. In this manner, the handle 7 and body portion 4 are pivotable side-to-side from a centre or central position in vertical alignment with a centreline of the cleaner head 6.

In examples, the coupling mechanism 5 may further include a locking mechanism 5c, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, for improving the free-standing stability of the floor cleaner 2. The locking mechanism 5c may be operated to help secure the body portion 4 in a freestanding condition (i.e. in an upright and centred position), obstructing side-to-side rotation about the pin formation, as shall be discussed in more detail with additional reference to Figures 5 to 12.

Figures 5 to 8 show the floor cleaner 2 in a reclined and tilted position that may typically be adopted during floor cleaning, while Figures 9 to 12 show the floor cleaner 2 in the upright and free-standing condition adopted for stability when not in use.

The locking mechanism 5c is shown to include an upstanding locking element 5d, coupled to the cleaner head 6, that defines a first locking formation 5e at an upper end. The lower end of the locking element 5d is pivotally coupled to the cleaner head 6 in this example, for rotation about another horizontal axis (in a fore/aft vertical plane). Advantageously, the locking element 5d is biased rearwards towards the first neck portion 5a (i.e. in the direction of recline) such that the overall profile of the cleaner head 6 and the attached locking element 5d is reduced as the body portion 4 is lowered to a reclined position. This allows the cleaner head 6 to fit in tight gaps under furniture for improved cleaning.

In examples, the locking element 5d may also take the form of a cover element, as shown in this example, that projects over the pivotable coupling between the first neck portion 5a and the cleaner head 6 in order to mitigate the ingress of dirt and debris during cleaning.

The locking mechanism 5c is also shown to include a second locking formation 5f, which is complementary to the first locking formation 5e, formed on the lower end of the second neck portion 5b. In this example, the second locking formation 5f is shown to take the form of a tooth formation and the first locking formation Se is shown to take the form of a complementary notch or recess for receiving the second locking formation 5f In the following description the first and second locking formations 5e,f may therefore be referred to as the notch formation 5e and the tooth formation 5f respectively. This example is not intended to be limiting on the scope of the invention though and, in other examples, various locking formations may be used instead of the tooth and corresponding notch formations for securing the body portion 4 against sidewards tilt, as shall be appreciated by the skilled person.

When the body portion 4 is rotated into vertical alignment with the centreline of the floor cleaner 2, the tooth formation 5f is therefore receivable in the notch formation Se and, once engaged, the notch formation 5e restrains or locks the body portion 4 against side-to-side tilting relative to the cleaner head 6.

Figures 7 and 8, in particular, also show that, in this example, the locking element 5d further includes a curved guide surface 5h that acts to guide the tooth formation 5f to a central position for engagement with the notch formation Se. That is, if the body portion 4 is reclined and tilted to one side, the tooth formation 5f will engage, and bear against, the curved surface Sh of the locking element 5d (instead of the notch formation 5f) during subsequent movement towards the upright position. Such engagement obstructs the body portion 4 from being fully raised to the upright second position. Instead, in order to arrange the body portion 4 in the free-standing condition, it is necessary to restore the body portion 4 to the centre position (shown in Figures 11 and 12), which involves moving the tooth formation Sf along the curved guide surface Sh of the cover portion 5d and into alignment with the notch formation Se of the locking element 5d. Once the tooth formation 5f is aligned with the notch formation Se, the body portion 4 is pivotable further to the upright second position and the tooth formation 5f is received in the notch formation Se, obstructing any subsequent side-to-side movement.

In examples, a hall effect sensor (not shown) may be coupled to, or embedded inside, at least one of the locking formations Se,f, such as the tooth formation 5f, for detecting a corresponding element in the other locking formation Se,f when the locking formations 5e,f are engaged. In this manner, the hall effect sensor can detect that the body portion 4 is centred (i.e. that there is no lateral tilt or displacement) and/or that the body portion 4 has been raised to the upright second position. One or more controllers (not shown) of the floor cleaner 2 may be connected to such a sensor and configured to control one or more operations of the floor cleaner 2 in dependence on the signals received from said sensor.

For example, the one or more controllers may include a roller controller for one or more cleaner rollers and, responsive to a signal indicative of the free-standing condition, the controller may be configured to stop rotation of the cleaner rollers.

The locking formations 5e,f can be disengaged by lowering the body portion 4 to a reclined position, separating the locking element 5h from the second neck portion 5b, as shown in Figure 5 to 8. Such disengagement can be detected by the hall effect sensor and the floor cleaner 2 can be controlled accordingly, for example by activating rotation of the cleaner rollers.

In examples, the locking formations 5e,f can also be disengaged by a lateral override, i.e. by urging rotation of the body portion 4 to one side with sufficient force. For this purpose, at least one of the locking formations 5e,f, such as the tooth formation 5f, may include tapered or chamfered surfaces that interact with the other locking formation 5e,f when the body portion 4 is urged sidewards, from the central position, to displace the locking element 5d forward. Responsive to such application of force, the locking element 5d may therefore rotate against the biasing force, thereby disengaging the locking formations 5e,f. Accordingly, from the locked, upright second position, the tooth formation 5f will disengage the notch formation 5e and push the locking element 5d forward, out of the way, if the body portion 4 is tilted sideways with sufficient force. It shall be appreciated in this respect that the locking element 5d is necessarily pivotable forwards, against the biasing member, to override the lateral restraint. Hence, whilst the first and second locking formations 5e,f engage to substantially inhibit sideways tilt of the body portion 4 from the upright position, the engaged locking formations 5e,f can be forced apart by exerting sufficient lateral force on the handle 7.

The arrangements for adjusting the incline/recline of the body portion 4 in the vertical fore-aft plane shall now be described with additional reference to Figures 13 to 19.

Figures 13 and 14 each show a cross-sectional view of the cleaner head 6 and the first neck portion 5a of the coupling mechanism 5. Although the body portion 4 is not shown, Figure 13 shows a configuration with the body portion 4 disposed in the first, reclined position and Figure 14 shows another configuration with the body portion 4 disposed in the second, upright position.

As shown in Figures 13 and 14, the cleaner head 6 includes two cleaner assemblies or modules, forming an inner module 8 movably coupled to an outer module 10. That is, the inner module 8 and the outer module 10 are coupled together so as to be moveable together in lateral directions, along the floor, whilst allowing relative movement in a perpendicular direction (vertically away from the floor).

The inner module 8 is shown to include a lift device 14, a support frame 16 and one or more support element(s) 18, amongst other features. The lift device 14 may be formed of a unitary piece, or the lift device 14 may be formed from an assembly of parts, as shown in this example.

The lift device 14 extends from a first end (not shown), pivotally coupled to the lower end of the first neck portion 5a, to a second end 22, movably coupled to the support frame 16. The lift device 14 therefore extends through the outer module 10 and can be lifted and lowered, relative to the support frame 16, as the body portion 4 pivots between the first and second positions, as shown in Figures 13 and 14. In doing so, the second end 22 of the lift device 14 moves between engaged and disengaged positions relative to the support frame 16. In particular, when the body portion 4 is pivoted to the reclined first position, shown in Figure 13, the second end 22 of the lift device 14 is engaged with the support frame 16 and exerts the weight of the body portion 4 on the support frame 16 and, in turn, the support element(s) 18. However, when the body portion 4 pivots to the second position, shown in Figure 14, the lift device 14 is lifted away from, and disengages, the support frame 16, transferring the weight of the body portion 4 away from the support frame 16, as shall be discussed in more detail below.

Parts of the lift device 14 and the support frame 16 are shown more clearly in Figure 15. In this example, the support frame 16 takes the form of a waste-collection tray, which is provided to collect waste and, primarily, fluids that are removed from the floor during cleaning. A recessed region 24 is therefore defined in an upper surface of the support frame 16 for collecting waste, such as the dirty cleaning fluid generated during cleaning. The second end 22 of the lift device 14 is received in the recessed region 24 and may extend laterally across a span of the recessed region 24, as shown in this example. In this manner, the second end 22 of the lift device 14 may therefore define a filter for collecting debris particles before they reach the waste-collection tray constituted by the support frame 16. In examples, the second end 22 may be perforated to allow fluid to pass through the filter to the waste-collection tray whilst retaining collected dirt and debris.

The support frame 16 and the lift device 14 may be releasably coupled together, as may respective parts of the lift device 14 itself (as mentioned previously). For example, the partially exploded assembly view shown in Figure 15, depicts a lower part 14a of the lift device 14, which defines the second end 22, decoupled from an upper part 14b of the lift device 14, and the support frame 16 is shown disconnected from the lift device 14 for removal of the collected waste and debris.

The support element(s) 18 are mounted to the support frame 16 and configured to support the weight of the floor cleaner 2, particularly the body portion 4 thereof, when the body portion 4 is arranged in the reclined first position shown in Figure 13. The support element(s) 18 may therefore take various suitable forms within the scope of the invention for supporting the weight of the floor cleaner 2 and providing a low friction interface between the cleaner head 6 and the floor during cleaning. For example, the support element(s) 18 may include one or more wheels, rollers, and/or sliding pads, such as a felt pad. In Figures 13 to 14, the support element(s) 18 are shown to take the form of a group of four castor wheels, arranged into a front pair and a rear pair attached to the support frame 16. This example is not intended to be limiting on the scope of the invention though and, in other examples, the inner module 8 may include more or fewer such support elements.

In Figure 16, the floor cleaner 2 is shown without the inner module 8 (which is releasable from the coupling mechanism 5) such that the details of the outer module 10 can be identified more readily. Here, the outer module 10 is shown to include, amongst other features, a pair of cleaner rollers 30 arranged on opposing (front and rear) sides of the cleaner head 6 and a cleaner head housing 32 is shown for supporting various features of the outer module 10, including the cleaner rollers 30.

A first one of the cleaner rollers 30 is shown to extend along a first rotational axis A, at a front side 42 of the cleaner head 6, and a second one of the cleaner rollers 30 is shown extending along a second rotational axis B, at a rear side 44 of the cleaner head 6. Each cleaner roller 30 defines an outer surface that is generally cylindrical and is rotatable about the respective axis A, B, to engage and clean the floor, as it rotates. In this example, each of the cleaner rollers 30 has an absorbent outer surface that is, at least partially, compressible, and absorbs moisture from the dispensed cleaning fluid.

In this example, the outer module 10 further supports a pair of supplementary rollers 46 arranged alongside the cleaner rollers 30, which may be provided to remove waste, dirt and debris from each cleaner roller 30. For example, the supplementary rollers 46 may each take the form of a rotating roller or brush bar, arranged along a parallel rotational axis, as shown, for contacting the adjacent cleaner roller 30 as it rotates. In particular, the supplementary roller 46 may include a bristle strip that extends along the supplementary roller 46 in an axial direction in order to flick waste, dirt and debris from the surface of the cleaner roller 30 and to remove hair from the cleaner roller 30. In this arrangement, the removed items are directed toward the waste-collection tray and filter. Although not shown here, in examples, the supplementary rollers 46 may each be further configured to squeeze moisture that has been absorbed into the absorbent surface of the cleaner roller 30. For this purpose, each supplementary roller 46 may further include a mangle bar that extends along the length of the supplementary roller 46, for example in a helical path. The mangle bar may be made from a tough but pliable material, such as a polymeric material like rubber (although other materials would also be appropriate). In this way, the mangle bar is able to deform slightly when it comes into contact with the external surface of the cleaner roller 30 to perform a squeegee-like action to force moisture from the cleaner roller 30 for collection in the waste-collection tray or an underlying sump or tank (not shown). In such examples, the bristle strip may be complementary to the path of the mangle bar, in the sense of running in parallel with the mangle bar, for example. Although a single pair of supplementary rollers 46 are shown in this example, it shall be appreciated that, in other examples, the floor cleaner 2 may include fewer or additional rollers, such as the supplementary rollers described herein. Additionally, although not described in detail here, it shall also be appreciated that the outer module 10 may further include one or more drive arrangements (not shown here) configured to rotate the cleaner rollers 30 and/or the adjacent supplementary rollers 46 during cleaning. For example, a single drive arrangement may rotate the cleaner roller 30 and the supplementary rollers 46 together or, in alternative embodiments, separate drive arrangements may be provided for the cleaner rollers 30 and/or the supplementary rollers 46. Such drive arrangement shall not be described in detail here to avoid obscuring the invention hut, in overview, may include an electric motor, an internal gearbox and a roller drive connection supported in the cleaner head housing 32, for example.

The cleaner head housing 32, also referred to herein as 'the housing' 32, is an external housing formed by one or more parts that extends around and above the inner module 8 to support the various components of the outer module 10. In this manner, a lower surface 34 of the housing 32 defines a space, between the cleaner rollers 30, within which the support frame 16 of the inner module 8 is received. In particular, as previously shown in Figures 13 and 14, the inner module 8 may be arranged within said space between the cleaner rollers and include a pair of waste-collectors 26 that extend from opposing ends of the support frame 16 adjacent to the respective cleaner rollers 30. In this manner, the inner module 8 effectively encloses the space between the rollers 30. Each waste-collector 26 may, for example take the form of a flexible blade, such as a rubber blade, that extends towards the floor for collecting waste, such as fluids and debris passing under the adjacent cleaner roller 30. In particular, each waste-collector 26 may be arcuate and extend around, and under, a lower portion of the adjacent cleaner roller 30, acting as a wiper for collecting debris and surface fluids dispensed from the cleaner roller 30 onto the floor, as shown in this example. It shall be appreciated that the waste-collectors 26 may be formed integrally with the support frame 16 or the waste-collectors 26 may be formed separately and attached to the support frame 16.

Figure 16 also shows an opening 36 to a channel 38 that extends through the housing 32, from the lower surface 34 to an upper surface 40 defining exterior surfaces of the cleaner head 6. The lift device 14 of the inner module 8 is receivable through the channel 38 for connection to the body portion 4 on one side, and to the support frame 16 on the other side.

In this manner, the housing 32, and the channel 38 defined therein, guides the lifting and lowering of the lift device 14 as the body portion 4 pivots between the first and second positions, as shall be discussed in more detail. The channel 38 may further constrain lateral movement of the lift device 14 relative to the housing 32 in examples. At the upper surface 40, the housing 32 further defines one or more interfacing surfaces extending around the connecting parts of the lift device 14 and the coupling mechanism 5. The interfacing surfaces are designed to enable unobstructed raising and lowering of the body portion 4 (vertically), through a range of reclined positions.

For example, the upper surface 40 of the housing 32 may interface with the lower cylindrical end of the first neck portion 5a and define a complementary interfacing surface for accommodating the relative movement as the body portion 4 pivots between inclined and reclined positions.

The upper surface 40 of the housing 32 may further include one or more retaining formations (obscured in Figure 16) that co-operate with complementary retaining formations on the lift device 14, and/or the first neck portion 5a, to retain and/or limit the relative movement of the lift device 14 as the body portion 4 pivots between the first and second positions. For example, the upper end of the lift device 14, or the cylindrical end of the first neck portion 5a, may feature a laterally extending formation that is received in a corresponding groove formation of the housing 32, defining a path along which the laterally extending formation can move.

The aspects of the mechanism for transferring the weight of the body portion 4 from the support element(s) 18 to the cleaner rollers 30 shall now be described in more detail with additional reference to Figure 17.

Figure 17 shows another cross-sectional view of the cleaner head 6 and the first neck portion 5a, but the configuration differs from Figures 13 and 14 in that the body portion 4 (not shown) is pivoted to a third position, arranged between the first and second positions shown in Figures 13 and 14 respectively.

In this example, the load transfer is achieved by way of complementary formations on the first neck portion 5a and the housing 32 of the outer module 10 that engage one another as the body portion 4 pivots from the first position to the second position. In particular, the lower end of the first neck portion 5a is further shown to include a first formation 60 and the housing 32 of the outer module 10 is shown to include a complementary second formation 62. The first formation 60 may take the form of a lever, as shown in this example, that extends away from the body portion axis 13 (in a forward direction) for engaging the opposing second formation 62. The second formation 62 may take the form of a corresponding formation, such as an elbow, or fulcrum, defined in the upper part of outer module 10, as shown in this example. The second formation 62 is configured to receive the first formation 60 when the body portion 4 pivots to the third intermediate position shown in Figure 17. Furthermore, the first formation 60 is configured to bear against the second formation 62 as the body portion 4 pivots further to the second position. In particular, during the subsequent rotation of the body portion 4, from the third position to the second position, the second formation 62 acts as a fulcrum about which the first neck portion 5a, and the connected body portion 4, are configured to pivot relative to the outer module 10. In this manner, between the intermediate third position and the upright second position, the first neck portion 5a pivots about the second formation 62, rotating relative to the inner and outer modules 8, 10 and causing the body portion 4, and the connected lift device 14, to lift away from the ground, as shown between Figures 13 and 14.

Accordingly, as the body portion 4 pivots from the third position to the second position, the second end 22 of the lift device 14 disengages the support frame 16 and the weight of the upper parts of the floor cleaner 2, such as the body portion 4, are transferred through the first and second engaged formations 60, 62 to the outer module 10. In this manner, the weight of the body portion 4 is lifted away from the support element(s) 18 of the inner module 8 and transferred to the cleaner rollers 30 of the outer module 10. Additionally, during such movement the cleaner rollers (and/or supplementary roller 46) are controlled to stop rotating. This may be effected by the hall effect sensor in the second neck portion 5b, which detects a magnet in the locking element 5d as the first and second locking formations 5e,f are brought into engagement. The control system then prevents the rollers 30 from rotating, preventing forward self-locomotion, which could be caused by transferring weight to the front cleaner roller 30 marginally before the rear cleaner roller 30.

Consequently, in the second position, the weight of the floor cleaner 2 is distributed between the wide base provided by the floor cleaners 30 and the floor cleaner 2 can be left, free-standing, even on an inclined surface. The body portion 4 of the floor cleaner 2 can therefore he pivoted in fore and aft directions relative to the cleaner head 6 to transfer the weight between the support element(s) 18 and the cleaner rollers 30.

However, it shall be appreciated that the body portion 4 may have limited naturally stability in the upright second position. The locking mechanism 5 may be engaged in the second position to restrict lateral movement of the body portion 4, but the engaged locking mechanism 5 does not restrain the body portion 4 against lowering (in the fore/aft direction). In examples, the floor cleaner 2 may therefore further include one or more latching mechanisms for retaining the body portion 4 in the first and/or second positions, as discussed in more detail below.

By way of example, in Figures 13, 14 and 17, the floor cleaner 2 is shown to include first and second latching mechanisms 64, 66 for retaining the body portion 4 in the upright second position. In particular, the first latching mechanism 64 is formed by a first latching formation 64a on the first neck portion 5a and a complementary second latching formation 64b coupled to the housing 32 of the outer module 10. The first latching formation 64a extends rearwardly away from the body portion 4 on an opposite side to the lever formation 60. The second latching formation 64b takes the form of a pivoting catch that is pivotally coupled to the housing 32. The second latching formation 64b is biased towards the first neck portion 5a; in this case the biasing force is provided by a spring member 72. The second latching formation 64b is shown, in this example, to comprise a pivoting catch having a channel portion 68 and a detent portion 70. The channel portion 68 extends along a length of the pivoting catch 64b from a first end, pivotally coupled to the housing 32, toward the detent portion 70, at an opposing second end. The channel portion 68 is configured to receive the first latching formation 64a and to guide the first latching formation 64a along the channel portion 68 to the detent portion 70 as the body portion 4 rotates from the first position to the second position. In the second position, the first latching formation 64a is configured to engage the detent portion 70, as shown in Figure 14, and the first latching formation 64a is retained therein by a biasing force acting on the second latching formation 64b from the spring member 72. The spring member 72 may be arranged between the housing 32 and the second latching formation 64b, as shown in this example. In this manner, the second latching formation 64b is pivotable about its connection to the housing 32 as the first latching formation 64a is guided along the channel portion 68 and the first latching formation 64a is retained in the detent portion 70 by the biasing force of the spring member 72 when the body portion 4 reaches the second position. In order to release the first latching mechanism 64, it is therefore necessary to overcome the biasing force of the spring member 72 and urge the second latching formation 64b in a clockwise direction in Figure 14, releasing the first latching member 64a form the detent portion 70.

The second latching mechanism 66 is formed on an opposing front side of the floor cleaner 2 and comprises a pivotable catch element 66a, attached to the first neck portion 5a of the coupling mechanism 5, and a complementary lipped recess 66b defined by the housing 32. The catch element 66a is positioned on the first neck portion 5a, adjacent to the first formation 60, and is pivotable about a horizontal axis parallel to the axis about which the body portion 4 reclines. The horizontal axis about which the catch element 66a pivots is directly above the first formation 60. Catch element 66a is biased towards the back of the machine. As the body portion 4 is moved to the upright position the catch element 66a is forced slightly forwards as it engages with the lipped recess 66b, but the extent of its forward travel is limited by its attachment to the first neck portion 5a. The biasing of the catch element 66a towards the rear of the floor cleaner 2 reduces the risk of jamming. The lipped recess 66b of the housing 32 defines an upright wall and a retaining lip that projects rearwardly from the wall for retaining an upper edge of the catch element 66a. In particular, the retaining lip is configured for engagement with the catch element 66a when the body portion 4 is in the upright second position, shown in Figure 14. The catch element 66a therefore abuts against the lipped recess 66b as the body portion 4 pivots from the first position, shown in Figure 13, towards the second position, shown in Figure 14, and is pressed towards the body portion 4 during such movement against the biasing force of the spring. However, at the second position, the biasing force of the spring urges the catch element 66a away from the first neck portion 5a, and into the lipped recess 66b, where the catch element 66a is received under the retaining lip. The retaining lip and the catch element 66a abut against each other once engaged and act to inhibit relative movement of the first neck portion 5a and, in turn, the body portion 4. The second latching mechanism 66 is released by pivoting about the fulcrum back towards the first position; as the first latching mechanism 64 is disengaged the lift device 14 drops and the catch element 66a is brought out of engagement with the lip 66b.

In this manner, the first and second latching mechanisms 64, 66 serve to releasably retain the body portion 4 in the upright second position for free-standing stability.

Operation of the floor cleaner 2 between the first position, shown in Figure 13, and the second position, shown in Figure 14, shall now be described with additional reference to Figures 18 and 19.

In the reclined first position, shown in Figure 13, the lift device 14 is in the lowered position, engaging the support frame 16, and the weight of the floor cleaner 2 is therefore substantially supported by the support element(s) 18. The outer module 10 does not bear the weight of the body portion 4 and, instead, the outer module 10 is liftable away from the floor as necessary to effectively glide over the surface, allowing the cleaner rollers 30 to be rotated at high speeds for effective cleaning. Waste collected from the floor in this position is conveyed to the waste-collection tray 16 for subsequent removal.

This configuration is maintained as the body portion 4 is raised to the third position, shown in Figure 17, maintaining the weight substantially on the support element(s) 18. However, upon reaching the third position, shown in Figure 17, the first lever formation 60 of the body portion 4 is moved towards and engages the complementary second elbow formation 62 of the outer module 10. During the subsequent rotation to the second upright position, the body portion 4 therefore bears against the second elbow formation 62 of the outer module 10, transferring the weight through the engaged formations 60, 62 to the cleaner rollers 30, and the second elbow formation 62 acts as a fulcrum about which the body portion 4 pivots relative to the outer module 10. Here it shall be appreciated that the first lever formation 60 extends eccentrically away from the pivotal coupling between the first neck portion 5a and the inner module 8. Hence, as the first neck portion 5a pivots about the fulcrum, the body portion 4 and the connected lift device 14 are lifted away from the floor. Consequently, during the movement from the third position, shown in Figure 17, to the second position, shown in Figure 14, the lift device 14 disengages the support frame 16 and the load applied thereto is transferred away from the support element(s) 18 to the cleaner rollers 30. The first and second complementary formations 60, 62 therefore engage during the movement from the third position to the second position, transferring the weight of the body portion 4 to the cleaner rollers 30 and disengaging the lift device 14 from the support frame 16. Consequently, the load previously supported by the support element(s) 18 gradually reduces and is transferred to the cleaner rollers 30.

In the second position, shown in Figure 14, the lift device 14 is therefore completely disengaged from the support frame 16 and the weight of the floor cleaner 2 is supported by the cleaner rollers 30. The cleaner rollers 30 are arranged at the front and rear sides 42, 44 of the cleaner head 6, and therefore provide wide spanning support points that resist toppling moments and maintain a centre of gravity of the floor cleaner 2 between the cleaner rollers 30, even when the floor cleaner 2 is left to stand freely on a surface inclined by angles of up to 10 degrees. The free-standing stability of the floor cleaner 2 is therefore greatly improved in the second position.

Now turning to the operation of the first and second latching mechanisms 64, 66, it shall be appreciated that each of the first and second latching mechanisms 64, 66 is adjusted from a respective unlatched state to a respective latched state as the body portion 4 pivots from the first position to the second position. In particular, the first latching formation 64a is guided along the channel portion 68 of the pivoting catch 64b as the body portion 4 pivots from the first position, shown in Figure 13, to a fourth position, shown in Figure 18, that is between the second and third positions. At the fourth position, the first latching formation 64a is guided into the detent portion 70 of the pivoting catch 64b. The second end of the pivoting catch 64b is urged forward by the biasing force of the spring 72 arid, upon reaching the second upright position, shown in Figure 14, the first latching formation 64a fully engages the detent portion 70, securing the body portion 4 in the upright position with the biasing force of the spring 72.

Similarly, the catch member 66a is initially disengaged from the lipped recess 66b of the second latching formation in the first position, shown in Figure 13. However, as the body portion 4 pivots toward a fifth position, shown in Figure 19, between the third and fourth positions, the catch member 66a engages the upright wall of the lipped recess 66b and passes underneath the retaining lip, against which the catch member 66a is subsequently urged during the further rotation to the second position. At the second position, the spring acts on an opposing end of the catch member 66a to pivot the catch member 66a into engagement with the lipped recess 66b and thereby retain the body portion 4 in the upright position.

The body portion 4 can therefore be stably maintained in the upright second position, allowing for the floor cleaner to be stably left in a free-standing arrangement when not in use. Additionally, as the weight of the body portion is no longer supported by the support frame 16 in the upright second position, the waste-collection tray can be removed and emptied with relative ease.

In this manner, embodiments of the invention provide a floor cleaner that has desirable manoeuvrability for effective cleaning in a reclined position, and free-standing stability for efficient storage in an upright position.

Many modifications may be made to the described examples without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

In other examples, the body portion 4 may be pivotally coupled to the cleaner head 4 by a single coupling element, such as the first coupling element Sa that connects to the inner module 8 at one end and the body portion 4 at the other end. In such examples, the first coupling element 5a may also be considered part of the body portion 4. In this manner, the body portion is pivotable fore/aft about the first horizontal axis between the first and second positions and, during such movement, the weight of the body portion 4 is transferred between the support frame 16 and the cleaner rollers 30.

In other examples, the support frame 16 may, for example, be releasably coupled to the lift device 14 such that the support frame 16, and/or the support element(s) 18 are lifted away from the floor, with the lift device 14, as the body portion 4 pivots from the first position to the second position. In this manner, the weight may therefore be transferred substantially as described previously from the support element(s) 18 to the cleaner rollers 30, in the upright position. However it shall be appreciated that the cleaner rollers 30 may bear the full weight of the floor cleaner 2 in such examples. Moreover, it shall also be appreciated that the support frame 16 may not include the waste-collectors 26 in such examples, or the waste-collectors 26 may take an alternative form (such as by adding more space between the waste-collectors 26 and the cleaner rollers 30), such that lifting the support frame 16 does not cause any impingement on the cleaner rollers 30.

In other examples, the load transfer mechanism described in the previous examples may be used as a lift mechanism instead, for lifting and lowering the waste-collection tray relative to the floor. In particular, in other examples in accordance with embodiments of the invention, the floor cleaner may be substantially as described in relation to Figures 1 to 19, except that the support frame 16 may be suspended above the floor without any support element(s). Instead, the full weight of the floor cleaner may be supported on the cleaner rollers 30, even in reclined positions. For example, in reclined positions, the lower end of the first neck portion 5a may be arranged to bear against the upper surface 40 of the housing, thereby exerting the weight of the body portion 4 on the cleaner rollers 30. In such examples, the support frame / waste-collection tray 16 may be suspended close to the ground for collecting waste, dirt and debris from the cleaner rollers 30 during cleaning. However, as the cleaner rollers 30 compress under the weight of the floor cleaner in the upright second position, there is potential for the waste-collection tray / support frame 16 to contact with the floor, creating a potential tipping point that reduces the free-standing stability of the floor cleaner.

To mitigate this problem, examples of the floor cleaner may therefore be configured to lift the waste-collection tray 16 away from the floor as the body portion 4 is raised to the upright second position. For this purpose, the floor cleaner may feature a lifting mechanism that is substantially identical to the load transfer mechanism described in the previous examples. That is, the floor cleaner may include the first formation on the first neck portion 5a and complementary second formation on the outer module 10 that are brought into engagement as the body portion is pivoted to the third position shown in Figure 17. The second formation may form a fulcrum, as described previously, during the subsequent rotation to the upright second position, lifting the lift device 14 and the connected waste-collection tray 16 away from the floor. The waste-collection tray 16 may therefore be lifted away from the floor when the floor cleaner is left free-standing, such that contact is avoided and the weight is supported by the stable cleaner rollers 30. The waste-collection tray 16 may then be lowered when the body portion 4 is reclined to the first position for collecting waste from the cleaner rollers 30 during cleaning. In this manner, embodiments of the invention may similarly provide a floor cleaner with improved free-standing stability for efficient storage.

Additionally, in the preceding examples, the outer module 10 supports a pair of supplementary rollers 46 with bristle strips and/or mangle bars that extend along cylindrical cores. Such supplementary rollers 46 are therefore arranged in parallel with the cleaner rollers 30 for removing dirt and debris from each cleaner roller 30 and squeezing moisture from its absorbent surface. However, this arrangement is not intended to be limiting on the scope of the invention and, in other examples, the supplementary rollers 46 may take other suitable forms and/or the supplementary rollers may instead be arranged on axes that are inclined relative to the cleaner rollers 30. For example, the supplementary rollers may instead take the form of conical rollers that rotate about respective axes inclined to the cleaner rollers 30.

In the examples described above, the locking element 5d, which serves to limit side-to-side tilting movement the body portion 4, is pivotally coupled to the inner module 8 of the cleaner head 6. However, in alternative embodiments, it shall be appreciated that the locking element 3d may instead be coupled (e.g. pivotably coupled) to part of the outer module 10, such as to a protrusion on the outer module 10. This may provide a simpler connection with the cleaner head, but a potential drawback is that the cleaner head may have a taller profile, which would less easily pass under furniture.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A floor cleaner comprising: a body portion; a cleaner head; and a coupling element for pivotally coupling the body portion to the cleaner head; the cleaner head comprising: an inner module, pivotally coupled to the body portion by the coupling element, the inner module comprising one or more support elements for supporting a weight of the body portion; and an outer module, movably coupled to the inner module, comprising a pair of cleaner rollers arranged on opposing sides of the inner module; wherein the coupling element comprises a first formation and the outer module comprises a complementary second formation; and wherein the first formation engages the second formation as the body portion pivots, relative to the inner module, from a first position to a second position, thereby transferring at least some of the weight of the body portion from the one or more support elements to the pair of cleaner rollers.
2. A floor cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the body portion is pivotable, relative to the inner module, from the first position to a third position, between the first and second positions, without transferring the weight of the body portion from the one or more support elements to the cleaner rollers.
3. A floor cleaner according to claim 2, wherein the first formation of the coupling element engages the second formation of the outer module at the third position.
4. A floor cleaner according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the outer module and the coupling element have complementary interfacing surfaces such that the body portion pivots, relative to the inner module, from the first position to the third position without causing the coupling element to engage the outer module, and the first formation engages the second formation at the third position, transferring at least 6. 7. 9. 10.some of the weight of the body portion to the cleaner rollers as the body portion pivots further from the third position to the second position.
A floor cleaner according to any of claims 2 to 4, wherein the first formation comprises a lever that extends away from a longitudinal axis of the body portion to engage the second formation of the outer module, forming a fulcrum about which the coupling element is pivotable, relative to the outer module, as the body portion is moved from the third position to the second position.
A floor cleaner according to any preceding claim, further comprising one or more latching mechanisms for latching the body portion in the second position.
A floor cleaner according to claim 6, wherein the one or more latching mechanisms comprise a first latching mechanism comprising first and second complementary latching members, one of the first and second latching members being arranged on the coupling element and the other of the first and second latching members being arranged on the outer module, the first latching member defining a detent for receiving the second latching member when the body portion is pivoted to the second position.
A floor cleaner according to claim 7, wherein the first latching member comprises a Guide channel along which the second latching member moves to the detent as the body portion pivots from the first position to the second position.
A floor cleaner according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the first latching member is pivotally attached to the outer module and biased toward the second latching member on the coupling element.
A floor cleaner according to any of claims 6 to 9, wherein the one or more latching mechanisms comprise a second latching mechanism comprising first and second complementary latching members, one of the first and second latching members being arranged on the coupling element and the other of the first and second latching 11. 12. 13. 14.members being arranged on the outer module, the first latching member defining a catch member and the second latching member defining a retaining lip for retaining the catch member when the body portion is pivoted to the second position.
A floor cleaner according to any preceding claim, wherein the inner module comprises a lift device connected to the coupling element and extending through an opening of the outer module to transfer the weight of the body portion to the one or more support elements, the lift device being connected to the coupling element such that the lift device is liftable, through the opening, as the body portion pivots from the first position to the second position, thereby reducing the weight of the main body transferred to the one or more support elements.
A floor cleaner according to claim 11, wherein the inner module further comprises a support frame, between the pair of cleaner rollers, and the one or more support elements are mounted to the support frame.
A floor cleaner according to claim 12, wherein an upper surface of the support frame forms a waste collection tray for collecting waste material from the pair of cleaner rollers.
A floor cleaner according to claim 13, wherein the support frame comprises one or more waste-collectors, each waste-collector extending from a respective end of the support frame for collecting waste passing under an adjacent cleaner, optionally, each waste-collector defining a flexible blade extending around a lower portion of the adjacent cleaner roller for collecting waste from the underlying floor.
A floor cleaner according to claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the lift device is movable, relative to the support frame, from an engaged position to a disengaged position as the lift device is lifted through the opening, thereby reducing or removing the weight of the main body transferred to the one or more support elements.
16. A floor cleaner according to any preceding claim, wherein the one or more support elements comprise one or more of the following: a support roller, optionally being a support wheel; and/or a sliding pad, optionally being a felt pad.
17. A floor cleaner according to any preceding claim, wherein the outer module comprises an external housing of the cleaner head, extending around the cleaner rollers, and the cleaner rollers are mounted to the external housing.
18. A floor cleaner according to any preceding claim, wherein the floor cleaner is adjustable between a first configuration when the body portion is pivoted to the first position and a second configuration when the body portion is pivoted to the second position; in the first configuration: the first formation is disengaged from the second formation; the outer module is freely supported on the pair of cleaner rollers; and the one or more support rollers support the weight of the body portion and the inner module; and in the second configuration: the first formation is engaged with the second formation transferring at least some of the weight of the body portion from the one or more support rollers to the pair of cleaner rollers.
19. A floor cleaner according to any preceding claim, wherein the floor cleaner is a wet floor cleaner.
20. A floor cleaner comprising: a body portion; a cleaner head; and a coupling element for pivotally coupling the body portion to the cleaner head; the cleaner head comprising: an inner module comprising: a lift device and a waste-collection tray, coupled to the lift device; and an outer module, movably coupled to the inner module, comprising a pair of cleaner rollers arranged on opposing sides of the inner module; wherein the lift device is pivotally coupled to the coupling element portion and extends through an opening of the outer module to the waste-collection tray, wherein the body portion is pivotable, relative to the inner module, between first and second positions, and the lift device lifts the waste-collection tray away from the underlying floor as the body portion pivots, relative to the inner module, from a third position, between the first and second positions, to the second position, the coupling element comprising a first formation and the outer module comprising a complementary second formation, the first formation engaging the second formation at the third position forming a fulcrum about which the coupling element pivots, relative to the outer module, as the body portion pivots further from the third position to the second position, lifting the waste-collection tray via the lift device.