Mobile floor cleaner with cleaning solution generator

Abstract

A mobile floor cleaner that includes a moveable housing, a cleaning head operably supported by the moveable housing, one or more solution generators configured to receive a feed liquid and to generate a cleaning solution from the feed liquid by application of acoustic energy and/or nanobubble generation, and control electronics configured to operate the one or more solution generators.

1 . A mobile floor cleaner comprising:
 a moveable housing;   a cleaning head operably supported by the moveable housing;   a liquid source configured to provide a feed liquid;   a conduit configured to relay the feed liquid from the liquid source;   one or more solution generators configured to receive the feed liquid from the conduit, and to generate a cleaning solution from the feed liquid by application of acoustic energy and nanobubble generation; and   control electronics configured to operate the one or more solution generators.   
     
     
         2 . The mobile floor cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the solution generators comprises:
 a transducing unit configured to apply the acoustic energy; and   at least one of an electrolysis cell configured to generate the nanobubbles by electrolysis and a mechanical nanobubble generator configured to generate the nanobubbles through shear forces.   
     
     
         3 . The mobile floor cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein the acoustic energy comprises ultrasonic waves. 
     
     
         4 . The mobile floor cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning head comprises a disc-type scrubbing brush, and wherein the mobile floor cleaner further comprises a motor configured to operably rotate the scrubbing brush. 
     
     
         5 . The mobile floor cleaner of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more solution generators are secured to the cleaning head. 
     
     
         6 . The mobile floor cleaner of  claim 5 , wherein the cleaning head further comprises a cover for the scrubbing brush, and wherein the one or more solution generators comprise a plurality of solution generators secured to the cover of the cleaning head. 
     
     
         7 . The mobile floor cleaner of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more solution generators are secured to the cleaning head as one or more radial rows. 
     
     
         8 . The mobile floor cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more solution generators are arranged at a location that is in front of the cleaning head in a primary direction of movement of the mobile floor cleaner. 
     
     
         9 . The mobile floor cleaner of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more solution generators comprise a plurality of the solution generators arranged in a row. 
     
     
         10 . The mobile floor cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning head comprises a rotatable cylindrical member having a compressible outer surface, and wherein the one or more solution generators are located inside of the rotatable cylindrical member. 
     
     
         11 . A method for cleaning a surface, the method comprising:
 providing a mobile floor cleaner having a cleaning head and a solution generator;   directing a flow of a feed liquid to the solution generator;   generating a cleaning solution by applying acoustic energy to and generating nanobubbles in the feed liquid in the solution generator;   dispensing the generated cleaning solution to the surface; and   agitating the dispensed cleaning solution with the cleaning head.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein applying the acoustic energy is performed prior to generating the nanobubbles. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein generating the nanobubbles is performed prior to applying the acoustic energy. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein applying the acoustic energy to the feed liquid comprises inducing ultrasonic waves through the feed liquid. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein generating the nanobubbles in the feed liquid comprises conducting electrolysis on the feed liquid. 
     
     
         16 . A mobile floor cleaner comprising:
 a moveable housing;   a liquid source configured to provide a feed liquid;   a conduit configured to relay the feed liquid from the liquid source;   a scrubbing brush operably supported by the moveable housing, wherein the scrubbing brush comprises:
 a backing portion; 
 one or more sub-units each configured to retain a set of bristles; and 
 one or more transducers supported by the backing portion and configured to vibrate the one or more sub-units and retained sets of bristles; and 
   control electronics configured to operate the one or more transducers.   
     
     
         17 . The mobile floor cleaner of  claim 16 , further comprising one or more solution generators configured to receive the feed liquid from the conduit, and to generate a cleaning solution from the feed liquid by application of acoustic energy and nanobubble generation. 
     
     
         18 . The mobile floor cleaner of  claim 16 , further comprising a motor configured to rotate the scrubbing brush. 
     
     
         19 . The mobile floor cleaner of  claim 18 , further comprising one or more solution generators configured to receive the feed liquid from the conduit, and to generate a cleaning solution from the feed liquid by application of acoustic energy and nanobubble generation. 
     
     
         20 . The mobile floor cleaner of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more transducers are configured to vibrate the one or more sub-units and retained sets of bristles at an ultrasonic frequency.