IP Library Granted Patent US 12,324,551
Granted Patent B2
US 12,324,551 · App. 17/179,523 · Granted Jun 10, 2025

Cleaning device

Inventors: Bastiaan Johannes De Wit (Nuis, NL); Matthijs Hendrikus Lubbers (Lieveren, NL); Pieter Kingma (Drachten, NL)
Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
A47L11/201A47L7/009A47L9/0686A47L11/30A47L11/4044A47L11/4083A47L11/4088A47L11/4094
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,324,551
App. No.
17/179,523
Granted
Jun 10, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A cleaning device comprises a surface interaction layer (ML), a cleaning fluid supply (CFF) provided with a cleaning fluid channel (CFC) at the surface interaction layer (ML) for supplying a cleaning fluid to a surface (F) through the surface interaction layer (ML) being in contact with the surface (F), and a dirty fluid drain (DFD) having a dirty fluid channel (DFC) at the surface interaction layer (ML) for draining, by means of underpressure, dirty water from the surface (F) through the surface interaction layer (ML) being in contact with the surface (F).

Claims (15)

1. A cleaning device, comprising:

a triangular bottom with a first surface interaction layer and a second surface interaction layer, wherein an angle between the first surface interaction layer and the second surface interaction layer is such that only one of the first surface interaction layer and the second surface interaction layer is in contact with a surface during a first movement direction in a forward direction and a second movement direction in a rearward direction;

a cleaning fluid supply provided with at least one cleaning fluid channel for supplying a cleaning fluid to the surface; and

a dirty fluid drain provided with at least one dirty fluid channel for draining, by means of underpressure, dirty fluid from the surface, wherein

the at least one cleaning fluid channel is provided with a first cleaning fluid channel and a second cleaning fluid channel in parallel to the at least one dirty fluid channel, the first cleaning fluid channel and the second cleaning fluid channel not being in a same plane, whereby the cleaning device is arranged for in the first movement direction of the cleaning device, wetting the surface by the first cleaning fluid channel via an interaction between the surface and the first cleaning fluid channel through the first surface interaction layer being in contact with the surface and draining the surface by the at least one dirty fluid channel without the second cleaning fluid channel touching the surface, and in the second movement direction of the cleaning device, wetting the surface by the second cleaning fluid channel via an interaction between the surface and the second cleaning fluid channel through the second surface interaction layer being in contact with the surface and draining the surface by the at least one dirty fluid channel without the first cleaning fluid channel touching the surface.

2. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first surface interaction layer is provided with the first cleaning fluid channel and the at least one dirty fluid channel, and the second surface interaction layer is provided with the second cleaning fluid channel and the at least one dirty fluid channel, with the first cleaning fluid channel, the second cleaning fluid channel, and the at least one dirty fluid channel not being all in the same plane, wherein the first surface interaction layer is arranged for cleaning the surface in the first movement direction, and the second surface interaction layer is arranged for cleaning the surface in the second movement direction.

3. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one dirty fluid channel is provided with a first dirty fluid channel and a second dirty fluid channel in parallel to the first cleaning fluid channel and the second cleaning fluid channel.

4. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cleaning fluid supply is provided with a cleaning fluid container for supplying the cleaning fluid to the first cleaning fluid channel and the second cleaning fluid channel.

5. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the dirty fluid drain is provided with a dirty fluid container, and a pressure difference applying device for transferring the dirty fluid from the surface to the dirty fluid container.

6. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 , in which the first surface interaction layer and the second surface interaction layer are made of microfiber chamois, wherein the first surface interaction layer and the second surface interaction layer further comprise microfibers with a polyurethane coating.

7. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the first surface interaction layer and the second surface interaction layer comprise a fine microfiber and a coarse microfiber, wherein the fine microfiber is arranged for contacting the surface where the dirty fluid is drained from the surface, and the coarse microfiber is arranged for contacting the surface where the cleaning fluid is supplied to the surface.

8. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein a coarse microfiber layer is between the dirty fluid drain and a fine microfiber layer arranged for contacting the surface, and wherein the fine microfiber layer is between the cleaning fluid supply and the coarse microfiber layer arranged for contacting the surface.

9. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a single fluid container to supply the cleaning fluid and to collect the dirty fluid.

10. A vacuum cleaner provided with the cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 .

11. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 , in which the first surface interaction layer and the second surface interaction layer are made of natural chamois.

Assignments (1)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Aug 18, 2023
From: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
To: VERSUNI HOLDING B.V.
Reel/Frame 064636/0541 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 17158036 · Feb 27, 2017 · regional
Continuity (2)
Division 16487202
Related Publication 20210169292A1 · Jun 10, 2021
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