Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – With air blast or suction
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-07
2001-02-20
Moore, Chris K. (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
With air blast or suction
C015S344000, C015SDIG001
Reexamination Certificate
active
06189178
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to extraction cleaners and more particularly to a portable, handheld extraction cleaner which applies cleaning fluid to a surface and then extracts the applied fluid therefrom.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable, handheld extraction cleaners having a cleaning solution supply tank and a recovery tank are known. These extraction cleaners typically have a vacuum motor that powers an impeller to create low pressure on one side of the impeller and higher pressure on the other side thereof. The recovery tank is typically positioned between the low pressure side of the impeller and a fluid collection nozzle to remove fluid from a surface and deposit it in the recovery tank. It is also known to provide a separate cleaning fluid pump for directing cleaning fluid from the supply tank to the surface.
One handheld extraction cleaning device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,738 issued to Monson et al. on Dec. 6, 1988. In this arrangement, a handheld extraction cleaner has a handle section removably joined to a lower discharge section. A collection chamber receives fluid from a surface through a nozzle opening that communicates with the intake side of a vacuum motor. The collection tank houses a hollow plenum chamber and a centrifugal separator attached to a vacuum blower. A cleaning fluid tank is pressurized by exhaust air from the outlet side of the rotating vacuum blower to force cleaning fluid under pressure from the cleaning fluid tank to a supply nozzle when a solution supply trigger is depressed to thereby apply cleaning fluid to a surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,740 issued to McCray on Nov. 29, 1994 discloses a handheld extraction cleaner that includes a housing, a handle, a body portion, and a nozzle with a suction opening. A collection tank is removably supported on the housing and is fluidly connected through a separator to a vacuum pump. The vacuum pump has an exhaust port and is powered by an electric pump motor. A solution tank is removably connected to the housing and is pressurized by a pressure pump that is also connected to the pump motor. A separate drive motor is coupled to a rotatable brush for scrubbing a surface to be cleaned.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, includes a cleaner housing having a forward end, a rearward end, a top portion, and a bottom portion extending between the forward and rearward ends, and a handle for manually manipulating the extraction cleaner. It also includes a liquid extracting system having a recovery tank mounted to the forward end of the cleaner housing. The recovery tank includes a tank housing having a front face and an inlet opening at an upper portion of the tank housing. A suction conduit having a suction nozzle opening at a lower end of the front face of the tank housing is connected to the inlet opening at an upper end. The suction source is connected to the recovery tank for drawing liquid and debris through the suction nozzle and the suction conduit and into the recovery tank. The handheld extraction cleaner further includes a liquid dispensing system comprising a cleaning fluid supply tank, a spray nozzle mounted to the tank housing, a supply conduit interconnecting the cleaning fluid supply tank, and the spray nozzle, and a pump in the supply conduit for supplying pressurized cleaning fluid from the cleaning fluid supply tank to the spray nozzle. The spray nozzle is mounted to the front face of the tank housing. The spray outlet provides a cleaning solution spray pattern when the collar is in a first position, and the collar focuses the spray pattern in the second position. Preferably, the cleaning solution spray pattern is a flat fan shape.
In one embodiment, the spray nozzle is adjustable, and preferably includes a nozzle having a spray outlet and a collar mounted on the nozzle for axial movement between a first and second position relative to the spray outlet. The spray outlet provides a cleaning solution spray pattern when the collar is in the first position, and the collar focuses the spray pattern in the second position. Preferably, the cleaning solution spray pattern is a flat fan pattern. In another embodiment a suction conduit is formed by a suction channel in the front face of the tank housing and a cover is mounted over the suction channel.
A receptacle is formed in the cleaner housing and is adapted to matingly receive the cleaning fluid supply tank. Further, the cleaning fluid supply tank can include an opening in which a valve assembly is mounted to control the flow of cleaning fluid through the opening so that cleaning fluid flows through the opening when the cleaning fluid supply tank is seated in the receptacle and the flow of cleaning fluid through the opening is blocked when the cleaning fluid supply tank is unseated from the receptacle.
An accessory tool is releasably retained to at least one of the cleaner housing and the recovery tank housing. The accessory tool can include any one or more of a scoop, a squeegee, a crevice tool, and a brush. Where the accessory tool is the brush, a brush holder for releasably retaining the brush is formed in the bottom wall of the tank housing. Where the accessory tool is the scoop, the scoop is pivotally mounted to at least one of the cleaner housing and the recovery tank housing at one side and at a second side is retained on the cleaner housing or the recovery tank housing through a latch. In another embodiment of the invention, the lower end of the front face of the tank housing includes a lip adjacent to the suction nozzle opening. The squeegee and the crevice tool include a mounting tab for gripping the tank housing lip for mounting the squeegee and the crevice tool to the tank housing adjacent to the suction nozzle opening.
In another embodiment of the invention the handheld liquid extraction cleaner includes the supply conduit interconnecting the cleaning fluid supply tank to the spray nozzle for supplying cleaning fluid to the spray nozzle comprises a tube formed integrally with the recovery tank housing. Preferably, the tube is inside the recovery tank. In one version of this embodiment, the tube has an inlet opening in the recovery tank at the upper portion thereof, whereby the liquid and debris in the recovery tank is normally below the inlet opening when the extraction cleaner is in position for cleaning a horizontal surface and also when the extraction cleaner is in position for cleaning a vertical surface.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the recovery tank is mounted to the cleaner housing at one side through a pivot mounting and at a second side through a latch. Preferably, the latch is pivotally mounted to the upper portion of the tank housing and includes a retaining finger releasably engaging a flange on the forward end of the cleaner housing. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a removable drain cap is removably mounted in an opening formed in a wall of the tank housing.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the a handheld liquid extraction cleaner has a storage base comprises a base which portion and a holding portion disposed generally at a right angle to one another and also includes first and second inter-engaging retainers. The first retainer is disposed between the holding portion of the base and the bottom portion of the cleaner housing for removably supporting the handheld cleaner on the base. The second retainer is disposed between the base portion of the base and the rearward end of the cleaner housing for removably supporting the handheld cleaner on the base. A recess is formed in the holding portion of the base and adjacent the bottom portion of the cleaner housing. An accessory tool is releasably stored in the recess.
Preferably, the recess is formed between the sidewalls of the cleaner housing. In one version, the recess faces away from the bottom surface of the cleaner housing and includes a crevice tool mounted therein. In another version, the recess faces toward the bottom surface of the cleaner housin
Bissell Homecare Inc.
Moore Chris K.
Rader, Fishman, Grauer & Mc Garry
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