Surface cleaning machines and methods of use

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to cleaning machines and methods of use to clean flooring and other surfaces. One configuration is directed to a cleaning machine that utilizes a motor to drive an interchangeable cleaning drum about a rotational axis parallel to the surface being cleaned. The cleaning machine can be operable to clean a surface, such as a flooring surface or other surface (e.g., walls, ceilings, etc.) without a vacuum, pump, solution tank, or recovery tank. The cleaning machine may contact the surface being cleaned at replaceable glides disposed at or near a distal end of a cleaning head of the cleaning machine.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cleaning machine for cleaning a surface, the cleaning machine comprising:
 a handle assembly including an elongate shaft and a handle, the elongate shaft having a distal end and a proximal end and defining a longitudinal axis of the cleaning machine; and   a cleaning head attached to the distal end of the elongate shaft of the handle assembly, the cleaning head comprising:
 a cleaning drum configured to rotate to clean a given surface, wherein the cleaning drum is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation that, during cleaning, is parallel to the given surface; 
 a motor operably connected to and configured to rotate the cleaning drum upon activation; 
 a drive side arm extending between the motor and a drive side of the cleaning drum to engage the drive side of the cleaning drum to the motor; and 
 an access side arm extending between a motor housing and an access side of the cleaning drum to engage an access side of the cleaning drum, wherein the access side arm is configured to rotate about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the cleaning drum between a securement position engaging and securing the cleaning drum in an operational configuration and a release position enabling the cleaning drum to be removed from the cleaning machine. 
   
     
     
         2 . The cleaning machine of  claim 1 , further comprising a first glide disposed near a distal end of the drive side arm and a second glide disposed near the access side arm, each of the first and second glides formed of a low friction material and configured to contact the given surface to stabilize the cleaning machine during a cleaning operation. 
     
     
         3 . The cleaning machine of  claim 1 , wherein the elongate shaft of the handle assembly comprises:
 a handle tube configured to support the handle; and   an inner shaft telescopically coupled into the handle tube to enable telescopic length adjustment of the elongate shaft between an extended configuration and a collapsed configuration,   wherein the cleaning machine is operable to clean the given surface in each of the extended configuration and the collapsed configuration of the elongate shaft.   
     
     
         4 . The cleaning machine of  claim 3 , further comprising a coiled wire disposed within the elongate shaft to deliver to the motor power from a power source coupled to the handle assembly,
 wherein the coiled wire is expandable and contractable and operable to deliver power to the motor both when the cleaning machine is in the extended configuration and the collapsed configuration.   
     
     
         5 . The cleaning machine of  claim 1 , wherein the drive side arm extends from the motor to the drive side of the cleaning drum in parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cleaning machine. 
     
     
         6 . The cleaning machine of  claim 1 , wherein the access side arm extends from the motor housing to the access side of the cleaning drum in parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cleaning machine. 
     
     
         7 . The cleaning machine of  claim 1 , wherein the drive side arm and access side arm together extend from the motor housing in parallel and extend from the motor housing in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cleaning machine. 
     
     
         8 . The cleaning machine of  claim 7 , wherein the drive side arm and access side arm together extend from the motor housing in parallel and extend from the motor housing in a plane of the longitudinal axis of the cleaning machine. 
     
     
         9 . The cleaning machine of  claim 1 , further comprising an activation switch configured to activate the motor. 
     
     
         10 . The cleaning machine of  claim 9 , wherein the activation switch comprises a momentary power trigger switch configured to activate the motor responsive to the momentary power trigger switch being depressed and configured to automatically release when a depressive force is removed,
 wherein depressing the momentary power trigger switch provides power to the motor and releasing the momentary power trigger switch stops power to the motor.   
     
     
         11 . The cleaning machine of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning drum comprises a cylinder defining an elongate axis, wherein the axis of rotation is the elongate axis of the cylinder. 
     
     
         12 . A cleaning machine for cleaning a surface, the cleaning machine comprising:
 a handle assembly configured to transition between an extended configuration and a collapsed configuration, the handle assembly comprising:
 an elongate shaft including a handle tube and an inner shaft slidably disposed within the handle shaft, the inner shaft telescopically coupled into the handle tube to enable telescopic length adjustment of the elongate shaft between the extended configuration and the collapsed configuration, the elongate shaft having a distal end and a proximal end and defining a longitudinal axis of the cleaning machine; and 
 a handle coupled to the handle tube; and 
   a cleaning head attached to the distal end of the elongate shaft of the handle assembly and configured to clean a given surface,   wherein the cleaning machine is operable to clean the given surface in each of the extended configuration and the collapsed configuration of the elongate shaft.   
     
     
         13 . The cleaning machine of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a shaft adjustment mechanism configured to releasably secure the inner shaft relative to the handle tube such that releasing securement of the inner shaft relative to the handle tube enables position adjustment of the inner shaft relative to the handle tube at an intermediate position between the collapsed configuration and the extended configuration.   
     
     
         14 . The cleaning machine of  claim 12 , wherein the cleaning head comprises:
 a cleaning drum configured to rotate to clean the given surface, wherein the cleaning drum is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation that, during cleaning, is parallel to the given surface; and   a motor operably connected to and configured to rotate the cleaning drum upon activation of the motor.   
     
     
         15 . The cleaning machine of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a coiled wire disposed within the elongate shaft to couple a power source to the motor, the power source coupled to the handle assembly,   wherein the coiled wire is expandable and contractable to enable telescoping extension and collapse of the elongate shaft while maintaining coupling of the activation switch to the motor and enabling operation of the motor in both the extended configuration and collapsed configuration of the handle assembly.   
     
     
         16 . The cleaning machine of  claim 14 , wherein the cleaning head further comprises:
 a drive side arm extending between the motor and a drive side of the cleaning drum to engage the drive side of the cleaning drum; and   an access side arm extending between a motor housing and an access side of the cleaning drum to engage an access side of the cleaning drum, wherein the access side arm is configured to rotate about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the cleaning drum between a securement position engaging and securing the cleaning drum and a release position enabling the cleaning drum to be removed from the cleaning machine.   
     
     
         17 . The cleaning machine of  claim 16 , further comprising a first glide disposed near a distal end of the drive side arm and a second glide disposed near a distal end of the access side arm, each of the first and second glides formed of a low friction material and configured to engage the given surface to stabilize the cleaning machine during a cleaning operation. 
     
     
         18 . The cleaning machine of  claim 12 , further comprising an activation switch configured to activate the motor. 
     
     
         19 . The cleaning machine of  claim 18 , wherein the activation switch comprises a momentary power trigger switch configured to activate the motor responsive to the momentary power trigger being depressed and configured to automatically release when a depressive force is removed,
 wherein depressing the activation switch provides power to the motor and releasing of the activation switch stops power to the motor.   
     
     
         20 . A method of cleaning a surface, the method comprising:
 grasping handle assembly of a cleaning machine, the handle assembly comprising an elongate shaft and a handle disposed on the elongate shaft;   manipulating an activation switch of the cleaning machine to activate a motor disposed in a cleaning head of the cleaning machine, the motor configured to rotate a cleaning drum about a longitudinal axis of the cleaning drum, wherein, during cleaning, the longitudinal axis of the cleaning drum is configured to be oriented parallel to the given surface being cleaned; and   positioning the cleaning head of the cleaning machine, including the cleaning drum, in contact with the given surface to be cleaned, wherein the cleaning head of the cleaning machine contacts the given surface at glides disposed near a distal end of side arms disposed at a drive side and an opposite side of the cleaning drum, each glide formed of a low friction material and configured to engage the given surface to stabilize the cleaning machine during a cleaning operation.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 extending the elongate shaft of the handle assembly from a collapsed configuration to an extended configuration.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 collapsing the elongate shaft of the handle assembly from an extended configuration to a collapsed configuration.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the activation switch of the cleaning machine comprises a momentary power trigger switch configured to activate the motor of the cleaning machine responsive to being depressed and to automatically release when a depressive force is removed,
 wherein manipulation of the activation switch comprises squeezing a trigger of the momentary power trigger switch to provide power to the motor.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 applying a cleaning solution to the given surface; and   working the cleaning solution over the surface using the rotating cleaning drum.