Floor treatment machine

Abstract

A floor scrubber drier includes a base portion with a treatment workhead, a cleaning fluid outlet located such that cleaning fluid is entrained in the treatment workhead during operation, and a waste fluid collector inlet locatable proximate the treatment workhead to collect waste fluid therefrom. The scrubber has a handle movably connected to the base portion to guide movement of the base portion. The scrubber has a tank module with a clean fluid reservoir in fluid communication with the cleaning fluid outlet to feed clean fluid thereto, and a waste fluid collection tank in fluid communication with the fluid collector inlet to receive waste fluid therefrom, wherein the tank module is attachable to the handle such that the clean fluid reservoir and the waste fluid collection tank are simultaneously removable and attachable to the handle.

1 . A floor treatment machine for cleaning and/or treating a floor surface, the floor treatment machine comprising:
 a base portion provided with at least one floor treatment workhead, a cleaning fluid outlet located such that cleaning fluid is entrained in the floor treatment workhead during operation, and a waste fluid collector inlet locatable proximate the floor treatment workhead in use and arranged to collect waste fluid therefrom;   a handle portion movably connected to the base portion such that the handle portion is arranged to guide movement of the base portion; and   a tank module comprising a clean fluid reservoir in fluid communication with the cleaning fluid outlet and arranged to selectively feed clean fluid thereto, and a waste fluid collection tank in fluid communication with the fluid collector inlet and arranged to receive waste fluid therefrom, wherein the tank module is selectively attachable to the handle portion such that the clean fluid reservoir and the waste fluid collection tank are simultaneously removable and attachable to the handle portion.   
     
     
         2 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the clean fluid reservoir and the waste fluid collection tank are vertically stacked within the tank module that is selectively attachable to the handle portion. 
     
     
         3 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the tank module comprises a waste fluid tank stacked vertically above the clean fluid reservoir. 
     
     
         4 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the tank module comprises a clean fluid reservoir stacked vertically above the waste fluid tank. 
     
     
         5 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the clean fluid reservoir and the waste fluid collection tank are separable from one another when the tank module is removed from the floor treatment machine. 
     
     
         6 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the tank module comprises an outer housing to contain the clean fluid reservoir and the waste fluid tank, wherein the housing of the tank module may form at least part of one of the clean fluid reservoir or waste fluid tank. 
     
     
         7 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the tank module comprises several portions selectively retained by means of resilient retaining clips. 
     
     
         8 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein each resilient retaining clip is constructed and arranged to retain the portions of the tank module in the required orientation and comprises at least one resilient portion that is resiliently deformable on application of a force to enable removal of one portion the tank module from another. 
     
     
         9 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the tank module is removably attached to a leading edge of the handle portion. 
     
     
         10 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the handle portion is reclinable with respect to the base portion in an operational configuration and the handle portion is locatable in a substantially vertical position with respect to the base portion in a non-working configuration, and wherein the tank module is selectively attachable to the handle portion such that the tank module is located on a side of the handle portion that is above the base portion when the machine is in the non-working configuration. 
     
     
         11 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the base portion is provided with wheels arranged to support and facilitate movement of the machine, and wherein the tank module is attached to the handle portion such that the centre of gravity of the tank module is located within an area defined by the wheels in the non-working configuration. 
     
     
         12 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the tank module is attachable on the handle portion in a location towards a lower end region of the handle portion. 
     
     
         13 . A floor treatment machine according to  claim 1 , further comprising securing means for selectively securing the tank module to the handle portion, wherein the securing means comprise complementary inter-engaging portions located on the handle portion and the tank module. 
     
     
         14 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the securing means comprise complementary inter-engaging portions having dimensions selected to provide an interference connection therebetween. 
     
     
         15 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the inter-engaging portions comprise a key and a keyway to engage the tank module with the handle portion and allow relative sliding movement therebetween. 
     
     
         16 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the base of the tank module has at least one substantially planar supporting portion that may be placed upon a surface to enable the tank module to be supported in an upright position on the surface or floor. 
     
     
         17 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the base of the tank module comprises at least two feet to support the tank module in a substantially upright orientation. 
     
     
         18 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the base of at least one of the clean fluid reservoir and the waste fluid tank is arranged such that the reservoir and/or the waste fluid tank is self-supporting in an upright position when removed from the tank module.