Floor treatment machine

Abstract

A floor treatment machine has a handle portion movably connected to a base portion. The base portion is provided with at least one floor treatment workhead, a cleaning fluid outlet, and a suction collector assembly having an inlet. The inlet is connected to a waste fluid conduit, and the suction collector assembly is arranged to selectively suction and collect waste fluid in use. A spillage prevention attachment is configured for attachment to the waste fluid conduit such that the spillage prevention attachment positions and orients a portion of the waste fluid conduit to collect and substantially retain waste fluid on removal of suction from the suction collector assembly.

1 . A floor treatment machine for cleaning and/or treating a floor surface, the floor treatment machine comprising:
 a handle portion movably connected to a base portion such that the handle portion is arranged to guide movement of the base portion;   wherein the base portion is provided with at least one floor treatment workhead, a cleaning fluid outlet for selective delivery of cleaning fluid to the floor treatment workhead, and a suction collector assembly having an inlet located proximate the floor treatment workhead, the inlet connected to a waste fluid conduit, wherein the suction collector assembly is arranged to selectively suction and collect waste fluid in use; and   a spillage prevention attachment configured for attachment to the waste fluid conduit such that the spillage prevention attachment positions and orients a portion of the waste fluid conduit to collect and substantially retain waste fluid on removal of suction from the suction collector assembly.   
     
     
         2 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the spillage prevention attachment is arranged to position and orient the waste fluid conduit to form a fluid trap in which fluid from the waste fluid conduit is collected and retained to substantially restrict spillage of waste fluid when suction is removed from the suction collector assembly. 
     
     
         3 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein one end of the waste fluid conduit is coupled to the inlet of the suction collector assembly and an opposing end of the waste fluid conduit is coupled to a waste fluid tank, and wherein the spillage prevention attachment is arranged to position and orient the waste fluid conduit to form a U-shaped portion. 
     
     
         4 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the spillage prevention attachment is attachable to the waste fluid conduit such that the U-shaped portion is selected to have a capacity that is greater than the volume of the column of fluid in the waste fluid conduit between the U-shaped portion and the waste fluid tank. 
     
     
         5 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the spillage prevention attachment comprises at least two gripping members, each gripping member configured and arranged to grip a portion of the waste fluid conduit such that a fluid trap is created in the conduit. 
     
     
         6 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the gripping members comprises a resilient gripping member that is shaped to retain a portion of the waste fluid conduit in use and resiliently deformable to facilitate attachment to the waste fluid conduit. 
     
     
         7 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the resilient gripping member comprises a C-shaped portion having a diameter that is similar to, or less than, the diameter of the waste fluid conduit such that the conduit is retained by the gripping members in use and wherein the thickness and material of the C-shaped gripping members is selected such that end portions of the C-shaped gripping members are inherently resilient. 
     
     
         8 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the gripping members comprise a substantially cylindrical cut-out having a diameter that is similar to or slightly greater than a diameter of the waste fluid conduit, such that the waste fluid conduit is insertable through the substantially cylindrical cut-out. 
     
     
         9 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the spillage prevention attachment comprises three gripping members arranged to selectively attach and orient portions of the waste fluid conduit such that a waste fluid trap is created. 
     
     
         10 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the gripping members of the spillage prevention attachment each have an associated axis and the axes of the gripping members are arranged in a triangular configuration. 
     
     
         11 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the spillage prevention attachment comprises an integrally moulded plastic component having transverse ribs for additional strength. 
     
     
         12 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a tank module having a clean fluid reservoir and a waste fluid tank, wherein the tank module is selectively detachable from the machine. 
     
     
         13 . A floor treatment machine according to  claim 12 , wherein the tank module is located on the handle portion. 
     
     
         14 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the suction collector assembly comprises a squeegee collector shaped to assist the feed of waste fluid into the waste fluid conduit and provided with a connection to a suction generator for drawing up waste fluid from the collector. 
     
     
         15 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the suction collector assembly is provided with a tilt mechanism and latch, which latch is activated automatically when the squeegee collector is tilted up from the floor by a predetermined amount. 
     
     
         16 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the handle portion is connected to the base portion via an articulation which permits reclining of the handle portion and wherein the articulation comprises a twin axis universal joint arrangement. 
     
     
         17 . A floor treatment machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the floor treatment machine comprises a compact floor scrubber drier machine. 
     
     
         18 . A kit of parts comprising component parts of the floor treatment machine according to  claim 1 .