Brush assembly for a floor cleaning device

Abstract

A floor cleaning machine for cleaning a surface. The floor cleaning machine includes a base. A brush assembly is coupled to the base, and includes a rotating brush and a reciprocating bnish. The rotating brush and the reciprocating brush are configured to engage the surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A floor cleaning machine for cleaning a surface, the floor cleaning machine comprising:
 a base; and   a brush assembly coupled to the base, the brush assembly including a rotating brush and a reciprocating brush, the rotating brush and the reciprocating brush configured to engage the surface.   
     
     
         2 . The floor cleaning machine of  claim 1 , wherein the rotating brush is coupled to the reciprocating brush such that rotation of the rotating brush causes the reciprocating motion of the reciprocating brush. 
     
     
         3 . The floor cleaning machine of  claim 1 , further comprising a motor operable to rotate the rotating brush, and wherein the rotating brush includes a shaft and an eccentric portion rotatable with the shaft and a plurality of bristles coupled to the shaft such that rotation of the shaft causes rotation of the bristles, the shaft being operably coupled to the motor such that actuation of the motor causes rotation of the shaft. 
     
     
         4 . The floor cleaning machine of  claim 1 , wherein the rotating brush includes a shaft and an eccentric portion rotatable with the shaft and the brush assembly further includes a link that is movable relative to the base and coupled to the reciprocating brush, the eccentric portion extending through the link such that rotation of the shaft causes the link to move the reciprocating brush linearly. 
     
     
         5 . The floor cleaning machine of  claim 2 , wherein the brush assembly includes an attachment portion that couples the brush assembly to the base, the rotating brush being rotatably coupled to the attachment portion. 
     
     
         6 . The floor cleaning machine of  claim 5 , wherein the attachment portion includes a slot, the reciprocating brush being slideable within the slot. 
     
     
         7 . The floor cleaning machine of  claim 6 , wherein a link couples the shaft to the reciprocating brush, the link having a first end movably coupled to the attachment portion and a second end coupled to the reciprocating brush. 
     
     
         8 . The floor cleaning machine of  claim 7 , wherein rotation of the shaft causes the first end of the link to pivot about an axis that extends approximately parallel to the shaft such that the second end causes reciprocating motion of the reciprocating brush. 
     
     
         9 . The floor cleaning machine of  claim 1 , wherein the rotating brush includes a shaft and an eccentric portion rotatable with the shaft. 
     
     
         10 . The floor cleaning machine of  claim 1 , wherein the reciprocating brush includes a body portion with a first side and a second side, a shaft, and a plurality of bristles, the shaft extending from the first side and the plurality of bristles extending from the second side. 
     
     
         11 . The floor cleaning machine of  claim 10 , wherein a link couples the rotating brush to the shaft of the reciprocating brush such that rotation of the rotating brush reciprocates at least a portion of the link and the reciprocating brush. 
     
     
         12 . The floor cleaning machine of  claim 11 , wherein the brush assembly includes an attachment portion that couples the brush assembly to the base, the rotating brush being rotatably coupled to the attachment portion and the link having a first end movably coupled to the attachment portion and a second end coupled to the shaft of the reciprocating brush. 
     
     
         13 . The floor cleaning machine of  claim 1 , wherein the rotating brush is one of a plurality of rotating brushes, each of the plurality of rotating brushes including a shaft and a gear portion and a plurality of bristles, each of the shafts is rotatable to rotate the plurality of bristles, the gear portions of each rotating brush engage with the gear portion of an adjacent rotating brush such that rotation of one of the plurality of brushes causes rotation of all of the plurality of brushes. 
     
     
         14 . The floor cleaning machine of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a distribution nozzle coupled to the base;   a supply tank assembly coupled to the base in fluid communication with the distribution nozzle;   a suction nozzle coupled to the base;   a suction source in fluid communication with the suction nozzle, the suction source including a motor and operable to draw fluid and dirt from the surface through the suction nozzle; and   a recovery tank coupled to the base in fluid communication with the suction source to receive and store fluid and dirt drawn through the suction nozzle.   
     
     
         15 . The floor cleaning machine of  claim 1 , wherein the base includes a base and handle pivotally coupled to the base. 
     
     
         16 . The floor cleaning machine of  claim 1 , where the rotating brush rotates about an axis approximately perpendicular to the surface. 
     
     
         17 . A floor cleaning machine for cleaning a surface, the floor cleaning machine comprising:
 a base; and   a brush assembly coupled to the base, the brush assembly including
 a rotating brush rotatable about an axis relative to the base, and 
 a reciprocating brush operably coupled to the rotating brush such that the reciprocating brush reciprocates along the surface in response to rotation of the rotating brush. 
   
     
     
         18 . The floor cleaning machine of  claim 15 , further comprising a motor operable to rotate the rotating brush wherein the rotating brush includes a shaft and an eccentric portion rotatable with the shaft and a plurality of bristles coupled to the shaft such that rotation of the shaft causes rotation of the bristles, the shaft being operably coupled to the motor such that actuation of the motor causes rotation of the shaft. 
     
     
         19 . The floor cleaning machine of  claim 16 . wherein the brush assembly further includes:
 an attachment portion that couples the brush assembly to the base; and   a link that couples the shaft to the reciprocating brush, the link having a first end pivotably coupled to the attachment portion and a second end coupled to the reciprocating brush.   
     
     
         20 . The floor cleaning machine of  claim 17 , wherein rotation of the eccentric portion of the shaft causes both ends of the link to pivot about an axis that extends parallel to the shaft. 
     
     
         21 . The floor cleaning machine of  claim 15 , wherein the base includes a base and handle pivotally coupled to the base. 
     
     
         22 . The floor cleaning machine of  claim 15 , further comprising
 a distribution nozzle coupled to the base;
 a supply tank assembly coupled to the base in fluid communication with the distribution nozzle; 
 a suction nozzle coupled to the base; 
 a suction source in fluid communication with the suction nozzle, the suction source including a motor and operable to draw fluid and dirt from the surface through the suction nozzle; and 
 a recovery tank coupled to the base in fluid communication with the suction source to receive and store fluid and dirt drawn through the suction nozzle.