Cleaning Apparatus With A Protective Structure

Abstract

A floor cleaning appliance has a main body including a case at least partially by delimited an external wall, a fluid inlet configured to receive a fluid flow from outside the case, at least one means, disposed in the case, configured to act on the fluid flow received through the fluid inlet. The cleaning appliance comprises includes at least two main wheels mounted movable in rotation on the main body, and a protective structure configured to protect the main wheels, the protective structure being disposed outside the case and extending at a distance from the outer wall and covering a portion of the tread of each main wheel.

1 . A floor cleaning appliance comprising:
 a main body including:   a case delimited at least partially by an external wall,   a fluid inlet configured to receive a fluid flow from outside the case, and   at least one means, disposed in the case, configured to act on the fluid flow received through the fluid inlet;   first and second main wheels rotatably mounted on the main body and disposed on either side of the main body, the first and second main wheels including a first and second tread, respectively; and   a protective structure configured to protect the first and second main wheels, the protective structure disposed outside the case and extending at a distance from the external wall, the protective structure covering a first and a second portion of the first and second treads, respectively.   
     
     
         2 . The cleaning appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the protective structure is connected to the main body by connecting means. 
     
     
         3 . The cleaning appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the protective structure forms a handle assembly configured to be gripped by the user. 
     
     
         4 . The cleaning appliance according to  claim 3 , wherein the handle assembly comprises one single handle with a substantially annular shape or U-like shape or an open ring like shape. 
     
     
         5 . The cleaning appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the protective structure covers the top of first and second main wheels. 
     
     
         6 . The cleaning appliance according to  claim 5 , wherein the fluid inlet is disposed on a front portion of the main body and the protective structure covers the top of the first and second main wheels and extends forward of the main body to at least partially cover the front of the first and second main wheels. 
     
     
         7 . The cleaning appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the protective structure comprises first and second external surfaces extending in front of and above the first and second main wheels, respectively, the first and second external surfaces extending in direction of first and second axes of rotation of the at least first and second main wheels, respectively, and are inclined such that the first and second external surfaces progressively deviate from each other. 
     
     
         8 . The cleaning appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second main wheels are annular wheels rotating about a first and second fixed hub, respectively, secured to the main body. 
     
     
         9 . The cleaning apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein each of the first and second fixed hubs has an external surface forming a spherical cap. 
     
     
         10 . The cleaning appliance according to  claim 9 , wherein the main body, the first and second annular wheels and the first and second fixed hubs form an assembly with a generally spherical shape and the protective structure extends partially around and at a distance from the generally spherical shape. 
     
     
         11 . The cleaning appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second main wheels are omnidirectional type wheels. 
     
     
         12 . The cleaning appliance according to  claim 11 , wherein each of the first and second main wheels comprises a plurality of rotating rollers distributed over the periphery of corresponding one of the first and second main wheels and forming the first and second treads, the protective structure covering several of the plurality of rotating rollers. 
     
     
         13 . The cleaning appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the two first and second main wheels has an external diameter which is larger than ⅔ of height of the main body measured from a horizontal surface on which the first and second main wheels are placed. 
     
     
         14 . The cleaning appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the protective structure comprises first and second internal protective surfaces which directly faces the portions of the first and second treads, respectively. 
     
     
         15 . The cleaning appliance according to  claim 14 , wherein each of the one first and second internal protective surface is concave and curved around the corresponding one of the first and second portions. 
     
     
         16 . The cleaning appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning appliance is a sled-type suction assembly, the main body comprising an aeraulic circuit which extends between the fluid inlet and a fluid outlet of the suction assembly, said at least one means configured to act on the flow comprising:
 a waste separation device disposed on the aeraulic circuit, and   a motor-fan unit disposed on the aeraulic circuit comprising an electric motor and a fan coupled to the electric motor to generate an air flow in the aeraulic circuit when the suction assembly is in operation.   
     
     
         17 . The cleaning appliance according to  claim 2 , wherein the connecting means comprises connecting walls, connecting arms or intermediate connecting parts. 
     
     
         18 . The cleaning appliance according to  claim 16 , wherein the waste separation device comprises a cyclonic separator or a filter.