Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – With air blast or suction
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-16
2001-07-17
Warden, Sr., Robert J. (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
With air blast or suction
C015S321000, C015S393000, C015S415100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260232
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention is in the field of surface cleaning devices that dispense cleaning liquids on the surface and extracts with vacuum the cleaning liquids, dirt, dust, and particulates from the surface.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional fluid pressure cleaning equipment utilize manually operated cleaners that dispense liquids, including water, onto the surface of floors and walls and mechanically scrub the surfaces. These cleaners have housings connected to elongated handles used by work persons to move the housing relative to the surface to be cleaned. Spinners having nozzles rotatably mounted on the housing discharge cleaning liquid onto the surface. Brushes attached to the housing are used to mechanically scrub the surfaces. The cleaning liquid is spread over the surface and in time evaporates. An example of this type of cleaning equipment is disclosed by H. A. Petsch in U.S. Pat. No. 3,829,019.
Cleaning devices having vacuum cleaner heads including nozzles to discharge water onto the surface to be cleaned are disclosed by H. W. Schneider in U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,626. Brushes are used on the cleaner heads to mechanically scrub the surface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The surface cleaner of the invention has a cleaning head that dispenses a cleaning liquid onto a surface to be cleaned to wet and dissolve foreign materials, such as dirt, dust, film, molds, oils, grease, bacteria, fungi, pollen, and particulates on the surface, mechanically scrub the surface, and remove with vacuum liquid and foreign materials from the surface. The surfaces include building walls, windows, floors, vehicles, and objects having surfaces that are cleaned. Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning equipment can be cleaned to remove dust, dirt, bacterial, and fungal growth with the cleaner of the invention. The cleaner has a cleaning head that includes a cylindrical member accommodating a rotatable core supporting a porous sleeve that rotates as it is moved relative to a surface to be cleaned. An elongated tubular handle connected to the cleaning head is used by the work person to move the cleaning head. The handle is connected to a vacuum unit with a hose that transports air, liquid and foreign materials from the cleaning head to the vacuum unit. A pump operates to deliver cleaning liquid, such as water, to a flexible tube located in the handle and hose and connected to a tube within the cleaning head. Nozzles mounted on the tube dispense cleaning liquid into the sleeve which spreads the liquid on to the surface to be cleaned. The core and sleeve have a number of holes that allow cleaning liquid to be dispensed on the surface to be cleaned and permit the vacuum to pick up liquid, film and dirt from the surface leaving the surface dry and clean. The sleeve is a porous cylinder made from fabric, plastic fibers, felt, and rubber like materials. The cleaning head effectively cleans the surface without injecting liquid sprays into the atmosphere. Environmental contamination of the atmosphere is substantially reduced. A modification of the cleaning head has a rotatable porous sleeve mounted on a core rotatably supported on a cylindrical member. The inside of core and sleeve are subjected to vacuum which draws liquid and dirt through the sleeve into the cylindrical member. A hose connected to the cleaning head transports the liquid, air, and dirt to a vacuum pump and collection sump. A liquid dispenser located adjacent the sleeve directs a cleaning liquid onto the surface to be cleaned. The cleaning liquid dislodges and incorporates foreign material, such as dusk, dirt, oils, grease, and particulates on the surface. The porous sleeve when subjected to vacuum picks up the foreign materials from the surface.
The surface cleaner is incorporated in a cleaning head having an internal chamber subjected to a vacuum. A nozzle located within the chamber directs a cleaning liquid to a porous pad mounted on a base. The pad distributes the liquid onto the surface to be cleaned. The pad also picks up that liquid, foreign materials and air from the surface when subjected to a vacuum.
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Martens Earl E.
Nelson Marc O.
Snider Theresa T.
Warden, Sr. Robert J.
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