Pad driver

Abstract

A pad driver for use with a floor maintenance machine that includes a riser portion and a driver disc portion that defines a driving surface which is engageable with a floor maintenance pad. The riser includes a radial flange which extends outwardly from a central hub. The radial flange includes a rim portion supported radially outwardly from the hub by a plurality of spoke-like regions. Regions of reduced material thickness separate the spoke-like regions. The hub is generally cup-shaped and includes a planar upper disc portion and a stepped, transition portion that joins the upper disc portion with the radial extending flange. A plurality of radially extending, rigidizing axial ribs extend between the underside of the upper disc portion and the inside of the stepped transition portion. The driver disc portion may comprise a separate driver disc attached to the riser or alternately, comprise a plurality of driving elements molded into the radial flange. The radial flange is preferably angled at approximately 5° with respect to a horizontal plane that is orthogonal to a rotational axis of the riser when the rotational axis is oriented vertically. A clutch member portion for rotatably coupling a drive motor forming part of the floor maintenance machine to the riser may be integrally formed in the riser or alternately, be defined by a separate clutch member suitably attached to the riser. The pad driver may comprise an assembly made up of individual elements or alternately, be molded as a single unit from a polymeric material, such as glass filled nylon.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A pad driver for use with a floor maintenance machine having a pad driver motor, comprising: 
 a) a driver disc having a driving surface which is engageable with a floor maintenance pad;    b) a riser to which the driver disc is attached;    c) said riser including a radial flange which extends outwardly from a central hub;    d) said hub being generally cup-shaped and including a planar, upward disc portion having a top surface;    e) structure defining a stepped transition segment that joins said upper disc portion with said radially extending flange;    f) a plurality of radially extending axial ribs that extend between an underside of the upper disc portion and an inside of said stepped, transition portion; and,    g) a plurality of bosses integrally molded on an underside of the hub, said boss is adapted to receive fasteners by which said driver disc is secured to said riser.    
     
     
         2 . The pad driver of  claim 1 , further comprising a clutch member attached to said hub by which said driver is releasably engaged by said pad drive motor.  
     
     
         3 . The pad driver of  claim 1 , wherein said radial flange and central hub are integrally molded as a unitary unit.  
     
     
         4 . A pad driver for use with a floor maintenance machine having a pad driver motor, comprising: 
 a) a riser portion defining a radial flange which extends outwardly from a central hub;    b) said radial flange including spoke-like regions separated by recessed regions;    c) a driver disc portion for drivingly engaging a pad whereby rotation of said hub portion produces rotation in said pad; and,    d) said radial flange being angled downwardly with respect to a horizontal plane that is orthogonal to a rotational axis of the riser when the axis is oriented vertically.    
     
     
         5 . The pad driver of  claim 4 , wherein said radial flange is angled at approximately 5° with respect to the horizontal plane.  
     
     
         6 . The pad driver of  claim 4 , wherein said driver disc portion comprises a separate driver disc having pad driving elements thereon, said driver disc being suitably secured to said riser.  
     
     
         7 . The pad driver of  claim 4 , wherein said recesses are substantially triangularly shaped.  
     
     
         8 . The pad driver of  claim 3 , wherein said hub is generally cup-shaped and defines a transition segment that joins an upper disc portion of said hub with the radially extending flange.  
     
     
         9 . The pad driver of  claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of radially extending axial ribs that extend between an underside of said disc portion and an inside of said step transition portion.  
     
     
         10 . The pad driver of  claim 4 , wherein said driver disc portion includes a plurality of protrusions and spike-like elements for drivingly engaging a pad.  
     
     
         11 . The pad driver of  claim 4 , further comprising a clutch member portion engageable with driving structure forming part of said floor maintenance machine.  
     
     
         12 . The pad driver of  claim 11 , wherein said clutch member portion is integrally molded with said riser.  
     
     
         13 . A pad driver for use with a floor maintenance machine having a pad driver motor, comprising: 
 a) a riser including a central hub and a substantially radial flange extending outwardly from said hub;    b) structure for drivingly engaging a pad such that rotation of said riser produces attendant rotation in said pad;    c) said radial flange including an outer rim portion and spoke-like regions extending from said hub to said rim portion;    d) said radial flange further defining regions of reduced material thickness intermediate said spoke-like regions; and,    e) said radial flange being angled downwardly with respect to a horizontal plane that is orthogonal to a rotational axis of said riser when said rotational axis is vertically oriented.    
     
     
         14 . The pad driver of  claim 13 , wherein said regions of reduced material thickness comprise holes in said radial flange.  
     
     
         15 . The pad driver of  claim 13 , wherein said hub includes a transition segment that joins a disc portion forming part of said hub with said radial flange and further includes a plurality of rigidizing gussets that extend between said transition segment and the underside of said disc portion.  
     
     
         16 . The pad driver of  claim 13 , wherein said pad driving portion comprises a driver disc including a plurality of pad driving elements, said driver disc being suitably secured to said riser.  
     
     
         17 . The pad driver of  claim 13 , further including a clutch member integrally molded with said riser and including structure operatively engageable with said drive motor of said floor maintenance machine.  
     
     
         18 . The pad driver of  claim 13 , wherein said riser is molded from a polymeric material.  
     
     
         19 . The pad driver of  claim 18 , wherein said riser is molded from a glass filled nylon.  
     
     
         20 . The pad driver of  claim 17 , wherein said clutch member includes clutch fingers separated by openings which cooperate to engage lugs forming part of said floor maintenance machine upon predetermined relative rotation between said clutch member and said driver lugs.  
     
     
         21 . A molded pad driver for use with a floor maintenance machine having a pad driver motor, comprising: 
 a) a riser portion including a radial flange which extends outwardly from a central hub;    b) said radial flange comprising a rim portion supported radially outwardly from said hub portion by a plurality of spoke-like regions;    c) said spoke-like regions separated by regions of reduced material thickness;    d) said radial flange defining a pad driving surface that includes a plurality of driving elements molded into said flange; and,    e) said radial flange being angled downwardly at approximately 5° with respect to a horizontal plane that is orthogonal to a rotational axis defined by said hub when said rotational axis is oriented vertically.    
     
     
         22 . The pad driver of  claim 21 , wherein said driving elements comprise a plurality of arrow-shaped members.  
     
     
         23 . The pad driver of  claim 21 , wherein said driving elements comprise a plurality of spike-like members.  
     
     
         24 . The pad driver of  claim 21 , wherein said riser includes a plurality of rigidizing gussets for strengthening a transition segment forming part of said hub and from which said radial flange extends.  
     
     
         25 . The pad driver of  claim 21 , further including an integrally molded clutch portion by which said riser is operatively engaged by said floor maintenance machine so that rotation of said driver motor produces rotation in said riser.