Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – With air blast or suction
Reexamination Certificate
2002-05-03
2003-08-26
Snider, Theresa T. (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
With air blast or suction
C015S328000, C015S334000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06609269
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 housing adapted for movement along a surface to be cleaned, a liquid dispensing system and a liquid recovery system. The liquid dispensing system includes a liquid dispenser mounted to the housing for applying liquid to a surface to be cleaned, a liquid supply tank for holding a supply of cleaning liquid and a liquid supply conduit fluidly connected to the liquid supply tank and to the dispenser for supplying liquid to the dispenser. The liquid recovery system comprises a recovery tank removably mounted on the housing and having a liquid recovery chamber for holding recovered liquid, a suction nozzle associated with the housing adapted to draw dirty liquid from the surface to be cleaned, a working air conduit extending between the recovery chamber and the suction nozzle and a vacuum source in fluid communication with the recovery chamber for generating a flow of working air from the nozzle through the working air conduit and through the recovery chamber to thereby draw dirty liquid from the surface to be cleaned through the nozzle and working air conduit and into the recovery chamber to thereby recover dirty liquid from the surface to be cleaned.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, an accessory hose is mounted at one end to the housing for option above floor cleaning; a unitary duct is connected at a first end to the accessory hose one end and at another end, is connected to the working air conduit at an accessory hose inlet; and a conversion valve is mounted in the working air conduit between the suction nozzle and the accessory hose inlet to selectively connect the vacuum source to either the suction nozzle or to the accessory hose.
In one embodiment, portions of the unitary duct are flat. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one of upper and lower portions of the unitary duct is flat. Further, an intermediate portion of the unitary duct extends beneath the recovery tank.
In another embodiment, the housing includes a base housing and an upright handle, and the upright handle is pivotally mounted to the base housing. Further, the recovery tank is removably mounted in the base housing. In addition, the accessory hose is mounted at the one end to a rear portion of the base horsing.
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 passa
Bissell Homecare Inc.
McGarry Bair PC
Snider Theresa T.
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