1. A brush assembly (200) suitable for use in a wet floor cleaning device (100), comprising:
a brush (210) comprising a hollow core (212), an inner surface (226) of the core being compartmentalized into a number of compartments (228), an outer surface (232) of the core being furnished with brush material (234), and the core being pierced with a number of outflow openings (240);
a first fluid injector (250) for injecting a fluid into the core; and
a drive mechanism (260) configured for rotating the brush around a longitudinal axis (218) of the core (212),
wherein, during rotation of the core, the injected fluid is collected by the compartments (228) provided on the inner surface (226), and the centrifugal force associated with the rotation of the core drains the fluid from the compartments, through the outflow openings (240), into the brush material (234) characterized in that said compartments extend along the longitudinal axis (218) from a first end wall (214) of the core (212) to a second end wall (216) of the core (212).
2. A brush assembly according to claim 1, wherein the core (212) is substantially cylindrical or prismatic.
3. brush assembly according to claim 1, wherein the compartments (228) are at least partially defined by ridges (230) protruding from the inner surface (226) of the core (212).
4. A brush assembly according to claim 3, wherein a ridge (230) has an apex (242), wherein the ridge (230) is shaped andor wherein the beam of fluid (258) is directed such that\u2014in use\u2014the apex (242) is the first part of the ridge (230) to intersect the fluid beam (258).
5. A brush assembly according to claims 3, wherein a ridge (230) has a trailing, lateral surface (244) , wherein the trailing, lateral surface (244 extends at such an angle with respect to the inner surface (226) of the core (212), that\u2014in use\u2014the end of the fluid beam (258) looses contact with this surface (244) as the ridge continues its rotational motion, which condition may be met by selecting the angle of the trailing, lateral surface (244), the rotational speed of the core (212) and the rate of fluid injection.
6. A brush assembly according to claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional profile of the core (212) possesses n-fold rotational symmetry with respect to the longitudinal axis (218) of the core, n denoting the number of compartments (228).
7. A brush assembly according to claim 1, wherein each compartment (228) is associated with at least one outflow opening (240).
8. A brush assembly according to claim 1, wherein the brush (210) is driveable at a rotational speed of at least 2500 revolutions per minute (rpm), whereby the influence of flow rate variations on the wetting profile is neglectable.
9. A brush assembly (200) suitable for use in a wet floor cleaning device (100), comprising:
a brush (210) comprising a hollow core (212), an inner surface (226) of the core being compartmentalized into a number of compartments (248a\u2032-248a\u2032\u2033, 248b\u2032-248b\u2032\u2033), an outer surface of the core being furnished with brush material (234), and the core being pierced with a number of outflow openings (240);
a first fluid injector (250) for injecting a fluid into the core; and
a drive mechanism (260) configured for rotating the brush around a longitudinal axis (218) of the core (212),
wherein, during rotation of the core, the injected fluid is collected by the compartments (248a\u2032-248a\u2032\u2033, 248b\u2032-248b\u2032\u2033) provided on the inner surface (226), and the centrifugal force associated with the rotation of the core drains the fluid from the compartments (248a\u2032-248a\u2032\u2033, 248b\u2032-248b\u2032\u2033), through the outflow openings (240), into the brush material (234), characterized in that the first fluid injector (250) and a second fluid injector of the brush assembly are each exclusively associated with one or more compartments (248a\u2032-248a\u2032\u2033, 248b\u2032-248b\u2032\u2033), wherein the compartments associated with the first fluid injector share a lateral zone (250a), wherein the compartments associated with the second fluid injector share a further lateral zone (250b), wherein the compartments extend along the longitudinal axis between said lateral zones (250a, 250b).
10. A wet floor cleaning device (100) comprising a brush assembly (200) according to claim 1.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A catheter tube for a fecal drainage system, the catheter tube comprising:
a first layer; and
a second layer,
wherein at least one of the first and second layers is an odor barrier layer of material and at least one of the first and second layers is a thermoplastic elastomer material.
2. The catheter tube of claim 1, wherein the first layer is formed of a different material than the second layer.
3. The catheter tube of claim 1, wherein the first layer defines an external surface of the catheter tube and is relatively thinner than the second layer, the first layer having a coefficient of friction less than about 0.5.
4. The catheter tube of claim 1, wherein the first layer defines an external surface of the catheter tube and the second layer is the odor barrier layer of material.
5. The catheter tube of claim 4, wherein the first layer has a thickness in a range of less than about 2 mil to about 3 mil and is the thermoplastic elastomer material.
6. The catheter tube of claim 5, wherein the second layer is adjacent the first layer and is thicker than the first layer and has a modulus of elasticity less than 100,000 psi when measured according to ASTM D882.
7. The catheter tube of claim 4, further comprising a third layer defining an internal surface of the catheter tube, the second layer positioned between the first and third layers.
8. The catheter tube of claim 7, wherein the third layer has a coefficient of friction less than about 0.5.
9. The catheter tube of claim 7, wherein at least one of the first and third layers is the thermoplastic elastomer material.
10. The catheter tube of claim 7, wherein both the first and third layers are a thermoplastic elastomer material.
11. The catheter tube of claim 7, wherein the third layer is capable of anchoring a hydrophilic coating layer, the hydrophilic coating layer defining the internal surface of the catheter tube.
12. The catheter tube of claim 1, wherein a total wall thickness of the catheter tube is in a range of about 10 mil to about 40 mil.
13. The catheter tube of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second layers of the catheter tube includes a flexible scrim layer.
14. The catheter tube of claim 1, further comprising at least one tie layer between at least the first and second layers of the catheter tube.
15. The catheter tube of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the first and second layers that is the odor barrier layer of material has a thickness that is less than 30% of a total wall thickness of the catheter tube.
16. The catheter tube of claim 1, wherein the catheter tube is part of a fecal drainage system that includes a collection bag having odor barrier walls.
17. A catheter tube for a fecal drainage system, the catheter tube comprising:
a first layer defining an external surface of the catheter tube and formed of a thermoplastic elastomer material;
a second layer formed of a material including polyamide with odor barrier properties; and
a third layer defining an internal surface of the catheter tube and formed of a thermoplastic elastomer material, the second layer being an intermediate layer positioned between the first and third layers.
18. The catheter tube of claim 17, wherein the second layer is a Nylon material layer directly adjacent and connected to both the first and third layers.
19. The catheter tube of claim 17, wherein the catheter tube is part of a fecal drainage system that includes a collection bag having odor barrier walls.
20. The catheter tube of claim 1, wherein the first and second layers are coextruded with one another having a generally cylindrical shape.
21. A fecal drainage system comprising:
a collection bag having odor barrier walls; and
a catheter tube connected to the collection bag, the catheter tube including
a first layer; and
a second layer coextruded with the first layer,
wherein at least one of the first and second layers is an odor barrier layer of material and at least one of the first and second layers is a thermoplastic elastomer material.
22. The fecal drainage system of claim 21, wherein the catheter tube further comprises a third layer coextruded with the first and second layers, and wherein the second layer is an intermediate layer between the first and third layers.
23. The fecal drainage system of claim 22, wherein the second layer includes a polyamide and defines the odor barrier layer of material.
24. The fecal drainage system of claim 23, wherein the first and third layers are a thermoplastic elastomer material.
25. The fecal drainage system of claim 21, wherein the catheter tube has a generally cylindrical coextruded shape.