US 11,697,137 B2
Mobile surface maintenance machine with an onboard pressure washer
Justin I. Dancs, Eden Prairie, MN (US); and Matthew W. Servatius, New Brighton, MN (US)
Assigned to Tennant Company, Eden Prairie, MN (US)
Filed by Tennant Company, Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed on Mar. 18, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/823,281.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/822,811, filed on Mar. 23, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0298287 A1, Sep. 24, 2020
Int. Cl. B08B 3/02 (2006.01); H02K 11/25 (2016.01); B60L 50/60 (2019.01); B08B 13/00 (2006.01); B60L 1/00 (2006.01); B60L 3/12 (2006.01); E01H 1/10 (2006.01); H02K 5/10 (2006.01); H02P 5/68 (2006.01); H02K 5/20 (2006.01); A47L 7/00 (2006.01); A47L 11/10 (2006.01); A47L 11/24 (2006.01); A47L 11/28 (2006.01); A47L 11/29 (2006.01)
CPC B08B 3/026 (2013.01) [B08B 13/00 (2013.01); B60L 1/003 (2013.01); B60L 3/12 (2013.01); B60L 50/60 (2019.02); E01H 1/101 (2013.01); H02K 5/10 (2013.01); H02K 5/203 (2021.01); H02K 11/25 (2016.01); H02P 5/68 (2013.01); A47L 7/0004 (2013.01); A47L 11/10 (2013.01); A47L 11/24 (2013.01); A47L 11/28 (2013.01); A47L 11/29 (2013.01); B08B 2203/027 (2013.01); B08B 2203/0223 (2013.01); B60L 2200/40 (2013.01); B60L 2220/20 (2013.01); E01H 1/103 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A pressure washer coupled to a mobile surface maintenance machine, the pressure washer comprising:
a spray wand terminating in a nozzle to dispense a cleaning fluid therethrough;
a pressure pump fluidly coupled to the spray wand and positioned upstream of the spray wand to supply the cleaning fluid to the spray wand;
a feed pump positioned at the mobile surface maintenance machine, the feed pump being fluidly coupled to and located upstream of the pressure pump, the pressure pump receiving the cleaning fluid from the feed pump at a first pressure, and pressurizing the received cleaning fluid to a second pressure, the second pressure being greater than the first pressure;
an electric motor operatively coupled to and configured to drive the pressure pump, the electric motor being configured to receive electric power from an electric power source positioned at the mobile surface maintenance machine; and
a motor controller in operative communication with each of the electric motor and the pressure pump, the motor controller being operatively coupled with the pressure pump, the motor controller receiving signals indicative of one or more operating conditions of the surface maintenance machine and indicative of one or more operation conditions of the electric motor or the pressure pump,
wherein the motor controller is configured to receive current from the electric power source and supply or stop supplying current to initiate or stop, respectively, operation of the electric motor based on the one or more operating conditions of the surface maintenance machine and the one or more operating conditions of the electric motor or the pressure pump, whereby the supplying of current to initiate operation of the electric motor to drive the pressure pump is configured to provide cleaning fluid to the spray wand at the second pressure, and
wherein the motor controller is configured to stop supplying current to the electric motor when at least one or both of the following conditions is satisfied:
if the one or more operating conditions of the surface maintenance machine indicate that the surface maintenance machine is being propelled, and
if the one or more operating conditions of the electric motor indicate that the electric motor is overheating.