Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – With air blast or suction
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-23
2001-09-11
Moore, Chris K. (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
With air blast or suction
C015S332000, C015S355000, C015S368000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06286181
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an extraction cleaning machine and, more particularly, to an upright extraction cleaning machine.
2. Description of Related Art
Upright extraction cleaning machines have been used for removing dirt from surfaces such as carpeting, upholstery, drapes and the like. The known extraction cleaning machines can be in the form of a canister-type unit as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,720 to Blase et al. or an upright unit as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,977 to McAllise et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,665 to Fitzwater.
Current upright extraction cleaning machines can be made easier to use by limiting the weight and number of components, such as fluid storage tanks, on the pivoting handle of the upright cleaning machine. Reducing the weight that a user must support as the handle is tilted rearwardly can also lower the center of gravity for the machine, which results in a better feel to the user.
Furthermore, the current extraction cleaning machines can be made easier to use and better adapted for a variety of cleaning conditions. For example, none of the current extraction cleaning machines includes an elevator responsive-to-handle position for restraining a floating roller-type agitation brush, which is automatically height adjustable in response to changes on the surface being cleaned. Another problem inherent with the known extraction cleaning machines is the difficulty of filling and emptying the fluid supply chamber and fluid recovery chamber, particularly with bladder-within-a-tank type assemblies. Further, none of the current upright extraction cleaning machines are simply convertible to a pre-spray applicator for directing cleaning solution to and agitating the surface to be cleaned without applying suction. Finally, current extraction cleaning machines do not use a the same motor to drive an agitation brush as well as an impeller. Is some cases a separate motor is used. In other cases, a turbine is used to drive the agitation brush or brushes which diminishes the suction power available to extract the dirty solution from the floor surface.
A more recent development in the extraction cleaning industry is the use of steam or hot water as a cleaning agent. The cleaning machine incorporates a boiler or other means for generating steam or hot water, which is pumped to an applicator where it is brought into contact with the surface being cleaned. Because the steam is airborne, it may be unsafe to include detergents and the like in the cleaning solution. Further, while the steam systems have the advantage of creating a temperature that effectively kills a wider range of microbes, bacteria, microorganisms, and mites, the steam systems generally suffer from poor cleaning performance. Additionally, the high power requirement for generating steam may not be sufficient with ordinary 120V power supplies for running a vacuum motor as well as the steam generator, so cleaning performance is further hindered. Also, by adding a heater to a fluid supply chamber, the user may be inconvenienced by the amount of time required to heat the contents of the supply chamber to the desired temperature. Conversely, conventional detergent cleaning systems are somewhat effective at cleaning surfaces, but could be made more effective by raising the temperature of the cleaning solution to some temperature below the boiling point. There is an optimal temperature at which cleaning performance is maximized without causing damage to carpets or setting stains. This temperature is around 150° Fahrenheit.
SUMMARY
According to the invention, a portable surface cleaning apparatus comprises a base module for movement along a surface and having a rear portion, an upright handle pivotably attached to the rear portion of the base module, a liquid dispensing system and a fluid recovery system. The liquid dispensing system comprises a liquid dispensing nozzle associated with the base module for applying liquid to a surface to be cleaned, a flexible bladder defining a fluid supply chamber for holding a supply of cleaning fluid and a fluid supply conduit fluidly connected to the fluid supply chamber and to the dispensing nozzle for supplying liquid to the dispensing nozzle. The fluid recovery system comprises a fluid tank on the base module having an recovery chamber for holding recovered fluid and enclosing the flexible bladder, a suction nozzle associated with the base, a working air conduit extending between the tank and the suction nozzle and a vacuum source in fluid communication with the tank for generating a flow of working air from the nozzle through the working air conduit and through the tank to thereby draw dirty liquid from the surface to be cleaned through the nozzle and working air conduit and into the tank.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a fluid passageway is provided between the fluid supply chamber and the recovery chamber of the tank, whereby the tank is in fluid communication with the fluid supply chamber and the pressure in the flexible bladder is equalized with the pressure in the tank as the cleaning fluid is dispensed and the dirty liquid is collected in the tank. The flexible bladder preferably includes an outlet opening in the bottom portion thereof connected to the fluid supply conduit. In one embodiment, the flexible bladder extends between a bottom surface of the tank and an upper portion of the tank.
In a preferred embodiment, the fluid passageway between the fluid supply chamber and the recovery chamber of the tank comprises a filling spout disposed in an upper portion of the flexible bladder. A baffle plate is mounted within the upper portion of the tank and includes an opening. The filling spout on the flexible bladder extends through the opening in the baffle plate and is supported thereby. Preferably, the tank includes a removable lid on a top portion thereof and a filling spout is disposed between the baffle plate and the lid.
Further according to the invention, in one embodiment, the tank has an outlet opening in a bottom portion thereof and a drain plug is removably mounted in the outlet opening.
In another embodiment, a lid mounted on the tank defines an expansion chamber having an inlet opening and an outlet passage between the expansion chamber and the tank. The working air conduit is connected to the lid inlet opening so that the working air is drawn through the expansion chamber in the lid and into the tank. A first diverter baffle in the expansion chamber reverses the direction of flow of the working air between the inlet opening and the outlet passage. A second diverter baffle in the outlet passage reverses the direction of flow of the working air between the expansion chamber and the tank. Thus, the working air flow reverses direction twice between the inlet opening of the expansion chamber and the tank. The lid is preferably removably mounted to the tank. In one embodiment, the outlet passage extends beneath the expansion chamber and includes an outlet opening and the filling spout in the flexible bladder includes an opening beneath the lid and substantially above the outlet opening in the outlet passage. Further, the filling spout is disposed between the baffle plate and the lid and the lid includes a shroud extending downwardly from the bottom surface thereof surrounding the filling spout to a point below the opening of the filling spout. Preferably, the shroud extends beneath the outlet opening of the outlet passage.
In another embodiment, the working air conduit includes a conversion valve for selectively opening and closing fluid communication between the tank and the suction nozzle. A manual actuator knob is connected to the conversion valve for movement between first and second positions and thereby selectively moving the conversion valve between open and closed positions. According to the invention, an over-center linkage mechanism is connected to the manual actual knob to bias the conversion valve to the open and closed positions. In a preferred embodiment, the over-c
Huffman Eric C.
Kasen Timothy E.
Kasper Gary A.
Kelly Luke E.
Lenkiewicz Kenneth M.
Bissell Homecare Inc.
Moore Chris K.
Rader, Fishman, Grauer & Mc Garry, an office of Rader, Fishman &
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