A portable surface cleaning apparatus including a base module for movement along a surface , an upright handle pivotally attached to the base module, a liquid dispensing system including a flexible bladder defining a fluid supply chamber for holding a supply of cleaning fluid , a fluid recovery system including a tank on the base module having a fluid recovery chamber for holding recovered fluid and housing the flexible bladder, and a fluid passageway between the fluid supply chamber and the recovery chamber, whereby the recovery chamber 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 from the supply chamber and the dirty liquid is collected in the recovery chamber. In a further 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, an outlet passage, and first and second diverters against which the working air flow reverses direction twice between the inlet opening of the expansion chamber and the tank. In another embodiment the working air conduit includes a manual actuator knob having an over-center linkage mechanism connected to a conversion valve for movement between first and second positions and thereby selectively moving the conversion valve between open and closed positions, whereby fluid communication between the tank and the suction nozzle is selectively opened and closed. In a further embodiment, a flow indicator is mounted to the base module and has a visibility window observable to a user and the flow indicator is disposed in the fluid supply conduit and is responsive to the flow of fluid through the fluid supply conduit to visually indicate the flow of fluid through the supply conduit to the user. Another embodiment includes a pump primer connected to the pump and having a housing defining a priming chamber with a valved opening connected to the vacuum source, an inlet opening connected to the fluid supply chamber, and an outlet opening connected to an inlet for the pump. A further embodiment includes a first mechanical connector extending between the motor drive shaft and the pump drive shaft, whereby the motor drives both the agitation brush and the pump. In a further embodiment, the base module includes an upper housing portion and a lower housing portion and an upright handle is pivotably mounted to the rear portion of the base module through at least one bearing for rotatable reception in the housing. In another embodiment , an elevator assembly is reciprocally mounted to the base module and movable in response to movement of the upright handle from an operative position to the upright position for upwardly pivoting a pivot arm mounting an agitation brush.
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0. 21. A portable surface cleaning apparatus, comprising:
a base module for movement along a surface to be cleaned and having a front portion and a rear portion;
a brush assembly having an agitation brush generally disposed in the front portion of the base module for contact with the surface to be cleaned and a support arm for supporting the agitation brush for free floating vertical movement relative to the base module;
a handle pivotally attached to the rear portion of the base module for movement between an upright position and an inclined position;
a dirt collector for holding recovered dirt;
a suction nozzle associated with the base module;
a working air conduit extending between the dirt collector and the suction nozzle;
a vacuum source in fluid communication with the dirt collector for generating a flow of working air from the nozzle through the working air conduit and into the dirt collector to thereby draw dirt and debris from the surface to be cleaned through the nozzle and working air conduit and into the dirt collector;
the improvement comprising:
an elevator reciprocally mounted to the base module and movable between free and lift positions in response to movement of the upright handle from the inclined position to the upright position;
a first end of the elevator is disposed adjacent the support arm and is adapted to lift the support arm from the surface as the elevator moves between the rear and forward positions and a second end of the elevator is engageable with the handle for moving the elevator between the free and lift positions as the handle moves between the inclined and upright positions;
whereby pivoting the upright handle from the inclined position to the upright position is translated into movement of the agitation brush away from the surface to be cleaned.
6. A portable surface cleaning apparatus, comprising:
a base module for movement along a surface to be cleaned and having a front portion and a rear portion;
a brush assembly having an agitation brush generally disposed in the front portion of the base module for contact with the surface to be cleaned and a support arm for supporting the agitation brush for free floating vertical movement relative to the base module;
a handle pivotally attached to the rear portion of the base module for movement between an upright position and an inclined position;
a dirt collector on the base module for holding recovered dirt;
a suction nozzle associated with the base module;
a working air conduit extending between the dirt collector and the suction nozzle;
a vacuum source in fluid communication with the dirt collector for generating a flow of working air from the nozzle through the working air conduit and into the dirt collector to thereby draw dirt and debris from the surface to be cleaned through the nozzle and working air conduit and into the dirt collector;
the improvement comprising:
an elevator reciprocally mounted to the base module and movable between rear and forward positions in response to movement of the upright handle from the inclined position to the upright position;
a first end of the elevator is disposed adjacent the support arm and is adapted to lift the support arm from the surface as the elevator moves between the rear and forward positions and a second end of the elevator is engagable with the handle for moving the elevator between the rear and forward positions as the handle moves between the inclined and upright positions;
whereby pivoting the upright handle from the inclined position to the upright position is translated into movement of the agitation brush away from the surface to be cleaned.
0. 16. A portable surface cleaning apparatus, comprising:
a base module for movement along a surface and having a front portion and a rear portion;
a brush assembly having an agitation brush generally disposed in the front portion of the base module and mounted therein for substantially vertical reciprocal relative floating movement with respect thereto;
a handle pivotally attached to the rear portion of the base module for movement between an upright position and an inclined position, and including a lower portion having an outer surface;
a fluid recovery system comprising:
a tank having a fluid recovery chamber for holding recovered fluid;
a suction nozzle associated with the base module;
a working air conduit extending between the recovery chamber and the suction nozzle;
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;
a liquid dispensing system comprising:
a liquid dispensing nozzle;
a fluid supply chamber for holding a predetermined amount of supply fluid;
a fluid supply conduit fluidly connected to the fluid supply chamber and to the dispensing nozzle for supplying liquid to the dispensing nozzle;
the improvement comprising:
an elevator assembly including an elevator arm reciprocally mounted to the base module and movable between free and lift positions in response to movement of the upright handle from the inclined position to the upright position;
a first end of the elevator arm is disposed adjacent the brush assembly and is adapted to lift the brush assembly from the surface as the elevator assembly moves between the free and lift positions and a second end of the arm is engageable with the handle for moving the elevator assembly between the free and lift positions as the handle moves between the inclined and upright positions;
whereby pivoting the upright handle from the inclined position to the upright position is translated into movement of the agitation brush away from the surface to be cleaned.
1. A portable surface cleaning apparatus, comprising:
a base module for movement along a surface and having a front portion and a rear portion;
a brush assembly having an agitation brush generally disposed in the front portion of the base module and a pivot arm for pivotally supporting the agitation brush relative to the base module;
a first end of the pivot arm is mounted to the agitation brush and a second end of the pivot arm is pivotally mounted to the base module, whereby the brush assembly is free floating to adjust to different surface heights;
a handle pivotally attached to the rear portion of the base module for movement between an upright position and an inclined position, and including a lower portion having an outer surface;
a fluid recovery system comprising:
a tank on the base module having a fluid recovery chamber for holding recovered fluid;
a suction nozzle associated with the base module;
a working air conduit extending between the recovery chamber and the suction nozzle;
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;
a liquid dispensing system comprising:
a liquid dispensing nozzle;
a fluid supply chamber for holding a predetermined amount of supply fluid;
a fluid supply conduit fluidly connected to the fluid supply chamber and to the dispensing nozzle for supplying liquid to the dispensing nozzle; the improvement comprising:
an elevator assembly including an elevator arm reciprocally mounted to the base module and movable between rear and forward positions in response to movement of the upright handle from the inclined position to the upright position;
a first end of the elevator arm is disposed adjacent the pivot arm and is adapted to lift the pivot arm from the surface as the elevator assembly moves between the rear and forward positions and a second end of the arm is engagable with the handle for moving the elevator assembly between the rear and forward positions as the handle moves between the inclined and upright positions;
whereby pivoting the upright handle from the inclined position to the upright position is translated into movement of the agitation brush away from the surface to be cleaned.
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This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/112,527, filed Jul. 8, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,587, issued Jan. 2, 2001, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/075,924, filed on Feb. 25, 1998, and U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/052,021, filed on Jul. 9, 1997.
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. In 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.
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-center linkage mechanism comprises a spring-biased plunger assembly mounted to the actuator knob for movement therewith. The actuator knob is preferably mounted to the base module for rotational movement between the first and second positions and the spring-biased plunger assembly is mounted to the actuator knob for rotational movement therewith. In a preferred embodiment, the conversion valve is pivotably mounted to the base for rotational movement between the open and closed positions and the conversion valve includes an arm having a distal end extending to the plunger assembly and rotatably connected thereto. The rotational motion of the actuator knob is translated to rotational movement of the conversion valve through the arm.
In yet another embodiment, a flow indicator is mounted to the base module and has a visibility window observable to a user and the flow indicator is disposed in the fluid supply conduit and is responsive to the flow of fluid through the fluid supply conduit to visually indicate the flow of fluid through the supply conduit to the user. In a preferred embodiment, the flow indicator comprises an impeller rotatably mounted in a flow indicator housing and driven by the fluid flowing through the flow indicator.
In still another embodiment of the invention, a fluid supply conduit in the liquid dispensing system includes a pump fluidly connected to the fluid supply chamber and to the dispensing nozzle for supplying cleaning fluid to the dispensing nozzle. A pump primer is connected to the pump for priming the pump and includes a valved opening connected to the vacuum source. According to the invention, the pump primer includes a housing defining a priming chamber with an inlet opening connected to the fluid supply chamber and an outlet opening connected to an inlet for the pump. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the valved opening is in an upper portion of the priming chamber. Further, the pump primer includes a valve chamber and a plunger chamber. The valve chamber has an inlet opening defined by the valved opening in the primer chamber and an outlet opening defining an inlet opening to the plunger chamber. The plunger chamber has an outlet opening in fluid communication with the vacuum source. A buoyant plunger is reciprocally mounted in the plunger chamber for generally vertical movement therein. A valve is mounted in the valve chamber and reciprocally movable between the inlet opening and the outlet opening thereof and connected to the plunger for movement therewith. By this structure, the valve closes the outlet opening to the valve chamber when fluid in the plunger chamber raises the plunger and the valve closes the inlet opening when fluid in the plunger chamber falls to a predetermined level. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the valve in the valve chamber is an umbrella valve.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the surface cleaning apparatus includes a fluid supply conduit including a pump fluidly connected to the fluid supply chamber and to the dispensing nozzle for supply cleaning fluid to the dispensing nozzle. The pump has a drive shaft for driving the pump. An agitation brush is mounted in the forward portion of the base module. A motor is mounted in the base housing and has a motor drive shaft connected to the agitation brush for rotatably driving the agitation brush. According to the invention, a first mechanical connector extends between the motor drive shaft and the pump drive shaft, whereby the motor drives both the agitation brush and the pump. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the motor drive shaft is connected to the agitation brush through a second mechanical connector between the pump drive shaft and the agitation brush. The pump drive shaft has a mechanical step-down device connecting the drive shaft to the first mechanical connector to step down the speed of rotation of the motor shaft in the pump drive shaft. Preferably, the first and second mechanical connectors are belts, with the second connector preferably being a timing belt and the first connector preferably being a stretch belt. Typically, the stretch belt rides directly on the motor drive shaft. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, inner and outer pulleys are mounted in axially spaced relationship on the pump shaft, wherein the timing belt is reeved around the outer pulley and the stretch belt is reeved around the inner pulley. Further, there is a baffle between the inner and outer pulleys to minimize liquid transfer between the inner and outer pulleys- The inner and outer pulleys are preferably of a size to step down the speed of rotation of the motor shaft at the pump drive shaft and at the agitation brush. Further according to the invention, the base module includes a housing with an opening adjacent to the first mechanical connector and a removable door is selectively mounted to the housing to cover the opening. Preferably, the removable door includes a flange and the housing includes a groove and the flange is slidably received in the groove to at least partially support the door in the opening. The housing preferably includes a second removable door which forms a portion of the baffle between the inner and outer pulleys.
Further according to the invention, the base module includes an upper housing portion and a lower housing portion and an upright handle is pivotably mounted to the rear portion of the base module through at least one bearing for rotatable reception in the housing. According to the invention, a socket is formed between the upper and lower housing portions for rotatably receiving the bearing. Preferably, the bearing is formed integral with the lower portion of the upright handle. Desirably, the socket is formed by arcuate surfaces in mated edges of the upper and lower housing portions. The lower portion of the upright handle includes diverging arms, each including a bearing. Each bearing is formed integral with the lower portion of the upright handle. Typically, wheels are mounted to an axle which are received within the bearings for rotationally mounting the wheels to the handle.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a portable surface cleaning apparatus has a base module with a brush assembly having an agitation brush generally disposed in the front portion of the base module and a pivot arm for pivotably supporting the agitation brush relative to the base module. A first end of the pivot arm is mounted to the agitation brush for rotation of the agitation brush with respect to the pivot arm and a second end of the pivot arm is pivotably mounted to the base module, whereby the brush assembly is free-floating to adjust to different surface heights. According to the invention, an elevator assembly is reciprocally mounted to the base module and movable in response to movement of the upright handle from an operative position to the upright position. The elevator assembly includes an arm disposed at one end adjacent the pivot arm and having a lifting surface for upwardly pivoting the pivot arm and a second end extending toward the handle and having a contacting surface for sliding along the outer surface of the lower portion of the handle. Movement of the arm toward the front portion of the base module by pivoting the upright handle to the storage position is translated into movement of the agitation brush away from the surface to be cleaned. Preferably, a spring biases the arm toward the handle.
The invention will now be described with reference to the drawings wherein:
Referring now to the drawings and to
As best shown in
As shown in
The motor compartment 500 includes a large circular impeller fan housing 510 and a smaller motor housing 512, further having a generally T-shaped cross section. The impeller fan housing 510 surrounds an inner housing 41 defining a vacuum source 40, which is created preferably by an impeller (not shown) disposed within the housing 41. The housing 41 includes a large aperture 516 for mounting a vacuum intake duct 530, which is sealed to the aperture 516 by a gasket 520. The vacuum intake duct 530 connects the vacuum source 40 to an air/water separation chamber 750 (shown in
The drive shaft 198 of the drive motor 196 is connected to an interim drive shaft 200 of a solution pump 202 by the stretch belt 204, which in turn, is connected to a rotatably mounted agitation brush 206 by a timing belt 208, as best illustrated in
As best seen in
Each arm member 458 comprises a back plate 460 with a pivot pin 462 provided at the rear of the plate 460. In addition, a laterally extending belt guard 466 is preferably integrally formed with the articulating arm 458. The belt guard 466, which extends laterally inwardly enough to cover the timing belt 208, minimizes the lodging of threads and other foreign material in the timing belt 208 and protects the carpet or other surface positioned below the base assembly 14 from the rotating belt 208.
As best shown in
The pivot pins 462 of the arm member 458 are rotatably supported secured in a bearing (not shown) mount integrally formed with an internal wall of the agitation brush housing 26. Further, the pivot pins 462 are held in the bearing by a support 478 on the non-belt side of the base module 14 and the an arm 258 of the second belt access door 252 on the belt side of the base module, as best shown in FIG. 5A. Both the arm 258 and support 478 are secured to the agitation brush housing 26 by a conventional fastener (not shown) inserted through an aperture in each part. The arm members 458 are preferably limited in their downward movement relative to the agitation brush housing 26 by the length of the timing belt 208 as well as the engagement of the brush guards 466 with the arm 258 and the support 478. As the floating brush assembly 400 extends further and further downwardly, the belt 208 will stretch and resist further downward movement. Eventually, the brush guards 466 on each arm 458 will contact respectively the arm 258 and the support 478, which prevents any further downward movement.
With this floating agitation brush assembly 400, the cleaning machine 12 according to the invention can almost instantaneously adapt to varying carpet naps or other inconsistencies on the surface being cleaned. The arm members 458 also allow the rotating brush 206 to drop below the normal floor plane, as shown in
As an alternative to the floating, rotatably mounted agitation brush 206, a floating strip agitation brush 224 could be incorporated into the cleaning machine 12, as seen in FIG. 5B. In this embodiment, the strip brush 224 comprises a linear brush portion 492 with bristles 494 extending downwardly therefrom, and a pair of integrally molded arms 496 having pivot pins 502, which can mount to the arm members 458 in place of the pivot pins 462 supporting the agitation brush 206. With this structure, the strip brush 224 can move vertically in response to changes to the carpet nap or other inconsistencies in the floor being cleaned.
As shown in
The arm 418 extends from within the base module 14 where it is mounted, through an aperture 402, towards the handle assembly 16. The actuating arm 418 is forced horizontally forward when the rotatably mounted handle 16 on the base module 14 is put in the upright position, which forces an upper portion 422 of the actuating arm 418 in a horizontal and forward direction. More specifically, as shown in
Thus, forward movement of the actuating arm 418 forces the support member 410 and ramped surface 414 forward, wherein the ramped surface 414 contacts the underside of the brush guards 466 on each arm 458, thereby raising the floating brush assembly 400 as the elevator assembly 410 moves from a rearward position to a forward position in the base module 14. That is, as the ramped surface 414 moves towards the front of the base module 14, the agitation brush assembly 400 slowly rises as the brush guards 466 ride the ramped surfaces 414. Such a construction eliminates the need for a manual arm for lowering and raising the agitation brush assembly 400 for storage or use of the accessory hose 22, thereby eliminating risks of damage to the brush assembly and protecting the carpet from the agitation brush assembly 400 resting thereon. When the handle 16 is moved to the in-use position, the spring assembly biases the elevator assembly to its normal, rearward position.
As seen best in
The handle assembly 16 further comprises a front portion 580 and a rear portion 582 defining a substantially hollow interior supported by multiple ribs 558. Mounts 584, disposed radially on the interior of the front and rear portions 580 and 582 support an in-line heater 54, as will be described in detail below. The substantially flat front portion 580 is secured to the mated rear portion 582 by conventional fasteners, such as screws. The rear portion 582 further includes the combined accessory hose and electrical cord mount 20.
Returning to the lower portion 560, the arms 562, 564 comprise portions of both the front portion 580 and the rear portion 582. When the assembly 16 is secured together, these arms 562, 564 pivot about the bearing 578 integrally formed with the arms 562, 564. The bearings 578, in turn, receive axles 554, on each side, respectively, for mounting wheels 552. The axles 554 extend through the wheels 552, apertures 586 through the rear portion 582 of the lower arms 562, 564, and the bearings 578 integrally formed with the arms 562, 565. The axles 554, 556 are secured by large diameter axle mounting clips 594, disposed, when installed, adjacent the bearings 578 and within the base module 14. A side edge 598 of the extraction cleaner base module 14 includes an arcuate surface 588 to accommodate the handle bearings 578 secured on inside portions of each arm 562, 564 of the rear portion 582.
Once the handle assembly 16 is mounted to each base module 14, with the axles 554 secured by the mounting clips 594, the extraction cleaner upper housing portion 17 is secured to the lower housing portion 15. The upper housing portion 17 also has an arcuate surface 589 formed in a side thereof for accommodating and securing the integral bearings 578 of the arms 562, 564. More specifically, the arcuate surfaces 588, 589 of the side walls of the housings 15, 17 are received in the central circumferential groove 576 formed in the circumference of each integral bearing 578. Thus, when the base module 14 is formed of the housings 15, 17, the bearings 578 of the arms 562 are secured therebetween such that they can only rotate between an upright, stored position and an in-use position and the wheels are mounted to axles 554,556 received through apertures in the bearings 578 and secured by mounting clips 594.
Theconcentric wheel axle and handle pivot transfers all the force on the handle assembly 16 to the wheels 552 to keep downward force on the suction nozzle 34 constant. Further, the tank assembly 50, as shown in
The handle assembly 16 is releasably locked against rotation from its upright position by a latch assembly 21, which is pivotably mounted to the rear portion of the base module 14 adjacent the rotational union of lower leg 564. The latch assembly 21 includes an upright lower portion which is pivotally mounted to the base module 14 at a rear corner thereof and an upper portion which extends upwardly and rearwardly of the lower portion. A molded-in spring arm extends rearwardly from the lower portion of the latch assembly 21 and bears against a rear portion of the base module 14 to bias the lower portion forwardly and against the rear portion of the lower leg 564. The upper end of the lower portion of the latch assembly 21 forms a horizontal latching surface which bears against the rear portion of the lower leg 564 and engages projections thereon to lock the handle in the upright position in a conventional fashion. Thus, as the handle assembly 16 is pivoted upright, the rear portion of the lower leg 564 rides along the horizontal latching surface until the edge catches the projection on the rear portion of the lower leg 564, at which point the handle assembly 16 is locked upwardly. To release the latch assembly 21, the user pushes the step downwardly and against the bias of the molded-in spring to release the horizontal latching surface from the projection. The latching mechanism is conventional and forms no part of the invention of this application- Any conventional latching mechanism can be used with the handle and base module in the invention.
The tank assembly 50 is removably supported on the rear of the base module 14. An air/water separator lid 700 seals the top of the tank assembly 50, which includes a valve mechanism 80 on a bottom portion for controlling the flow of cleaning solution fluid from the fluid supply chamber 49. The base module 14 includes a valve seat 88 complementary to the valve mechanism 80, and the bottom portion of the tank assembly 50 and the valve seat 88 are substantially complementary to one another so that the upwardly extending valve seat 88 is substantially surrounded by and received in the bottom of the tank assembly, as will be described further below.
The lid 700 is secured to the tank assembly 50 by a rotatable handle 790, as best shown in
As best shown in
The bladder 120 is disposed within the tank assembly 50 between a bottom surface 860 of the rigid tank housing 46 and a snap-in baffle plate 800, which will be explained in further detail below. An aperture 824 in the baffle plate 800 has a diameter approximately matching that of a small diameter end 125 of a funnel-shaped filling spout 124 of the bladder 120. Further, an upstanding collar 828 surrounds the aperture 824. A cylindrical shroud 770, as best shown in
The flexible bladder 120 includes an outlet 130 disposed in a lower corner of the flexible bladder 120. The outlet 130 is mated with an outlet aperture 862, as best viewed in
The funnel-shaped filling spout 124 of the bladder 120 facilitates filling the bladder 120 and equalizing air pressure between the fluid supply chamber 49 and recovery chamber 48. The filling spout 124 is always open, so as to vent air from the bladder 120 as it collapses in volume and the usable volume within the rigid outer walls of the tank housing 46 expands in volume. Further, the open filling spout 124 ensures that both chambers 48, 49 are at substantially the same atmospheric pressure, which is preferably negative relative to standard atmospheric pressure because of the communication of the vacuum source 40 to the tank assembly 50 via the air/water separator lid 700, as will be explained further below. The volume of the bladder 120 is preferably one gallon.
As best shown in
The base module 14 includes a valve seat 88, shown best in
The fluid application system 950 conducts fluid from the fluid supply chamber 49 to fluid dispensing nozzles 100, which are mounted in the brush housing 26 of the base module 14, and a fluid dispensing nozzle (not shown), which is mounted on an accessory cleaning tool (not shown), as best illustrated in FIG. 17. From the fluid supply chamber 49, clean water is conducted through conduit 140 to an inlet 332 to the mixing valve assembly 310, which also includes a detergent inlet 336 that is fluidly connected to a detergent supply tank 870 by a conduit 314. Mixed detergent and clean water form a solution that exits the mixing valve assembly 310 via an outlet 340, which is fluidly connected by a conduit 142 to a pump priming system 280 disposed adjacent the pump 202. An inlet port 282 for the pump priming system 280 is connected to the conduit 142, and pressurized fluid is expelled from the pump 202 through a pump outlet port 283, which is fluidly connected via a conduit 146 to a T-connector 150. The T-connector 150 supplies pressurized fluid to both the accessory tool (not shown) and the heater 54 via conduits 148, 138, respectively. The conduit 148 includes a grip valve 132 by which the user can manually displace a valve member, thereby enabling the flow of non-heated, pressurized fluid to the spray tip on the accessory tool.
The conduit 138 includes a trigger valve 134 having a displaceable valve member actuable by a trigger assembly 430, as best shown in
Heated while passing through the heater 54, the fluid exits the in-line heater 54 via an outlet port 74, which is fluidly connected via a conduit 136 to an inlet 652 for a flow indicator 650. An outlet 654 for the flow indicator is fluidly connected to a T-connector 156 via a conduit 134. The T-connector 156 supplies fluid dispensing nozzles 100, which are mounted in the brush housing 26 of the base module 14, and supplied with heating cleaning solution via conduits 126, 128.
A detergent supply tank 870, as best illustrated in
The mixing valve assembly 310 is positioned intermediate the tank assembly 50 and the solution pump 202. Preferably, the mixing valve 310 is a variable mixing valve to accommodate differing mixtures of detergent and clean water. As seen in
The valve assembly 310 includes an end cap 344 mounting a coaxial plunger 350 in a central body portion 346. The end cap 344 partially receives a thread 372 of a knob 374 such that the plunger 350 can be raised or lowered in the valve body 346 when the knob 374 is turned.
The plunger 350 includes an annular groove 356 formed in a distal end 276 thereof. The groove 356 is received within an O-ring 358. The distal end 276 and O-ring 358 are adapted to create a fluid seal inside the circular valve body 346 when the plunger 50 is in its lowermost portion, as shown in
The distal end 276 of the plunger 350 further includes a tapered groove 364, which is tapered so that the groove has a greater cross-sectional area immediately adjacent the head end 276 than it does a distance spaced upwardly therefrom- The tapered groove is positioned in the detergent inlet 336 opening to control the flow of detergent therethrough. That is, the tapered groove 364 accommodates varying flow rates of detergent from the detergent supply 870, through the conduit 318, and through the detergent inlet 336 into the valve body 346. The lower the plunger 350 is seated in the inlet 336, the less the area of exposure of the tapered groove 364 in the valve body 346, thereby limiting the flow of detergent thereto.
The control knob 374 is mounted on an outside wall of the upper housing of the extraction cleaner for controlling the water to detergent ratio in the cleaning solution delivered to the fluid application system 950. The control knob 374 is mounted adjacent the end cap 344 and includes a thread 372 that is received in a groove 380 of the end cap 344, so that turning the knob 374 lowers or raises the plunger 350 in the valve body 346. In a first position shown in
As should be evident, rotation of the threaded knob 374 will provide an infinite number of detergent-to-water mixing ratios between the two extremes described above. In the preferred embodiment, however, the housing adjacent the knob 374 is marked with three concentration indicators: The first indicator is a water only or“rinse” position; second, a maximum detergent-to-water mixing ratio where the tapered groove 364 is fully exposed in the valve body 346; or third, a standard mixing ratio approximately half way between the extremes described previously. Of course, any variation of the indicated concentration positions can be employed by simply rotating the knob 374 to a position between any two indicated positions. The extreme positions are defined by the shape of the length of the thread 372, which includes opposite ends defining a pair of extreme positions for limiting the rotation of the knob 374 relative the cap 344.
In use, the knob 374 is intended to be positioned at the standard mixing ratio position for the vast majority of cleaning operations. When a high-traffic or heavily stained area is encountered, the knob 374 can be rotated to the maximum detergent position. If a clean-water rinsing operation is desired, then the knob 374 can be rotated to the water only position.
As best illustrated in
Referring to
The interim pump drive shaft 200 functions as an interim drive providing a step down from the drive shaft 198 to the stretch belt 204 and the timing belt 208 to the agitation brush 206. Because of the step down structure, the drive motor 196 can be a high efficiency, high speed motor (30,000 plus rpm), which is stepped down at the interim drive pump shaft (approximately 12,000 rpm), and further stepped down at the agitation brush 206 (approximately 3,500 rpm).
The pump shaft 200 includes the pair of coaxial spaced-apart pulleys 220, 222, as best seen in
As best shown in
More specifically, as shown in
The pump priming system 280 is disposed adjacent the pump inlet nose 288, and draws from the fluid supply chamber 49 and the detergent tank 870. The fluid supply chamber 49 is under negative pressure because it is in fluid communication with the recovery chamber 48 and the vacuum source. Once primed, the pump 202 draws solution from the mixing valve assembly 310, and delivers the mixture to a spray tip 100 or an accessory tool 44 for spraying on the surface to be cleaned. When the pump 202 stops, the solution in the supply conduit is drawn into the low-pressure fluid supply chamber 49 and away from the pump 202. A centrifugal pump is incapable of developing sufficient pressure to prime itself by overcoming the negative tank pressure.
With reference to
The pump-priming assembly 280 also includes a hollow valve body 298 having a plunger chamber 286 and a valve chamber 292. A valved opening 295 joins the valve chamber 292 and the priming chamber 260. An outlet opening 291 joins the valve chamber 292 and the plunger chamber 286. Also, an aperture 294 is formed at an upper inside portion of the valve body 298 to fluidly connect the valve body 298 and the outlet 284. An elongate buoyant plunger 290 having a top portion 297 at one end and a rubber umbrella valve 296 at the other is received for reciprocal movement inside the valve body 298. More specifically, the umbrella valve 296 reciprocates between the valved opening 295 and the outlet opening 291 and within the valve chamber 292. Thus, the plunger chamber 286 substantially houses the elongate plunger 290, while the valve chamber 292 houses the umbrella valve 296, which is coaxially attached to the elongate plunger 290 for reciprocal axial movement therewith.
In operation, the pump 202 will be primed with fluid from the fluid supply chamber 49 by activating the pump 202 and the vacuum motor 196, which will exert negative pressure on the vacuum outlet 284, thereby drawing any air out of the priming chamber 260 and plunger chamber 286, and further overcoming the negative pressure exerted on the fluid in the conduits 140, 142 connecting the fluid supply chamber 49 to the pump 202. The air will be drawn through the valve body 298 into the vacuum impeller fan housing 510. Preferably, the weight and dimension of the plunger 290 is coordinated with the amount of negative air pressure applied to the pump priming assembly 280 from the vacuum source 40 so that the negative air pressure applied to the plunger chamber 286 is insufficient by itself to draw the plunger 290 upwardly and seal the outlet opening 291
As the vacuum motor operates to draw the air from the system, fluid fills the chamber 260 and enters the chambers 292, 286. Eventually, the fluid level will fill the valve chamber 292 and rise inside the plunger chamber 286, pushing the plunger 290 upwardly causing the umbrella valve 296 to seal the outlet opening 291, thereby preventing water from rising further in the plunger chamber 286 and being sucked into the vacuum source 40. Because the pump nose 288 is submersed at this point, water enters the pump 202 and primes it. As the pump 202 sucks water from the priming chamber 260, the plunger 290 is drawn downward in the plunger chamber 286, and the umbrella valve 296 descends therewith in the valve chamber 292 to activate a seal in the opposite direction, as the umbrella valve 296 seats in the valved opening 295. The reverse seal prevents air from being sucked into the priming chamber 260 from the fluidly connected chambers 292, 286. This cycle repeats each time a trigger 432 in the closed loop handle 18 is activated or the unit is powered off and on again. Once the reverse seal has been established, the chamber 260 should remain filled, the nose 288 of the pump 202 flooded, and, thus, the pump 202 sufficiently primed for normal operation.
From the pump 202, the pressurized fluid flows through a conduit 146 to a T-connector 150 for supplying both floor nozzles 100 and an accessory tool 44. The T-connector 150 includes outlets 152, 154 for supplying both the in-line block heater 54, and a floor spray nozzle 64, or an accessory cleaning tool 44, respectively. Specifically, the first outlet 152 of the T-connector 150 is connected to fluid conduit 148 that is adapted to supply non-heated and pressurized cleaning solution to a spray nozzle (not shown) on an accessory cleaning tool (not shown) mounted at the terminal end of the accessory hose 22. The second outlet 154 is fluidly connected via a conduit 138 to the in-line block beater 54, shown best in FIG. 18.
The in-line block heater 54 receives pressurized cleaning solution from the pump 202, via the T-connected 150, and further has a heating element 56 that is electrically connected to a source of electricity (not shown). As shown in
The size of the aluminum body 84 and the heating elements 56 are selected to effectively deliver approximately 500 watts of power to the heating block 54 to heat the cleaning fluid in the serpentine channel 78 to a temperature of about 150-180° during the dry cycle of the cleaner and apply that heated cleaning fluid during the wet cycle, as will be described more completely below. Use of approximately 500 watts of power for the heater 54 leaves sufficient power from a convention 120 volt power line for the vacuum motor, agitation brush and pump while beating the solution to the target temperature with a minimal warm-up time of approximately one minute. To enhance this process, hot lap water (defined as approximately 110-120° Fahrenheit) can be dispensed into the reservoir from a household tap. The solution that passes through the in-line block heater 54 is heated approximately 30° to 35° to reach a target temperature of approximately 150° Fahrenheit. A thermostatic controller is preferably mounted to a face of the heater 54 to limit the block temperature to 180° F. The solution that passes to the upholstery attachments does not get the temperature boost. A non-heated solution is preferred for upholstery, which is more sensitive to heat damage.
Powered by approximately 500 watts, the in-line block heater 54 will boost the temperature of water 16° Fahrenheit on a continuous basis at 850 milliliters a minute. Since an approximately 30° temperature increase is desired, it is necessary to store heat energy in the aluminum body 84 of the in-line heater block 54 during the dry cycle and deliver it to the solution during the wet cycle. The recommended cleaning process with the extraction cleaning machine 12 described herein is two wet strokes, defined as movement of the extraction cleaning machine 12 while cleaning solution is sprayed from the nozzles 100 to the carpet being cleaned, followed by two dry strokes, defined as cleaning solution and dirt removal through the suction action of the suction nozzle 34. There is thus an opportunity to effectively deliver 1000 watts of heat energy to the solution by storing 500 watts during the dry cycle. Furthermore, a typical cleaning stroke is about 10 seconds maximum, so the heat reservoir must have the capacity to store 500 watts for approximately 20 seconds, which equals approximately 10,000 Joules of energy.
The heating element 56 is embedded into the aluminum body 84, which is of ample mass to store the energy at some temperature below the boiling point of water (212° Fahrenheit). The larger the mass of aluminum, the smaller the differential temperature needs to be to store the required energy. On the other hand, the larger the mass, the longer the initial heat-up period becomes. Thus, there is an optimal size of aluminum block that is calculated based on a thermostat shut-off point of 180° Fahrenheit. This block temperature keeps stagnant water from boiling and also heats the solution that passes through the serpentine channels 78 on the block face 76 to a temperature of approximately 150° Fahrenheit before leaving the in-line block heater 54 through outlet port 74.
In operation, when the heater 54 is initially energized electrically, it heats to its thermostatically controlled shut-off temperature in approximately one minute. A thermostat 92 is included on a lower face 108 of the body 84. During use, the cleaning solution passes through the heating channel 78 in the in-line block heater 54, drawing energy from the aluminum body 84 and from the heating element 56 embedded therein adjacent the underside of the solution channel 78. The aluminum body 84 cools somewhat during the 20 second cycle and reaches a temperature slightly below its starting temperature. During the dry cycle, the aluminum body 84 is reheated to its previous temperature of approximately 180° Fahrenheit. The heated solution leaving the in-line block heater 54 is applied to the carpet after passing through the conduit 136 to the flow indicator 650, and the conduit 134 from the indicator 650 to the fluid dispensing nozzle 100, which are positioned between the agitation brush 206 and the suction nozzle 34.
The flow indicator 650 is placed in the fluid flow path to provide a visible indication of fluid flow to the fluid dispensing nozzles 100. As shown in
The lid 662 is clear, preferably made from the transparent plastic, so that the user can see the fluid flowing into the indicator 650 and rotating the impeller 664. Alternatively, one or more articles, such as a ball or disk can be mounted within the indicator body 660 and subjacent the lid 662, whereby the operator can determine if there is fluid flow by movement of the article. Further, while a body 660 mounting an impeller 664 is the preferred flow indicator, other suitable indicators include a float ball, spring plunger, or gravity plunger.
A float ball-type flow indicator can include a flow conduit having a T-shaped portion having a transversely oriented tube extending from a cylindrical body defining the fluid flow path. A ball or other article can be mounted at the junction of the transverse tube and cylindrical body for reciprocation within the transverse tube. When fluid is flowing through the cylindrical body, the ball or article moves into the transversely oriented tube, whereupon it is visible to the operator and indicates proper fluid flow.
A spring plunger-type flow indicator can include a light spring to bias a ball, plunger, or other article in a housing having a window visible to the operator. With fluid flowing through the housing, the ball, plunger, or other article moves against the bias of the spring to become visible in the window, thereby indicating to the operator that fluid is flowing properly. Alternatively, the ball, plunger, or other article can always be partially visible, and include portions corresponding to proper fluid flow, such as green for proper fluid flow and red for no fluid flow, whereby fluid flow causing movement of the ball, plunger, or other article against the spring bias would change the portion of the ball, plunger, or other article visible to the operator through the window, thereby indicating proper fluid flow.
A gravity plunger-type flow indicator can include a housing having a ball or other article mounted on a ramp adjacent a window. As fluid flows through the housing, the ball or other article is forced up the ramp, whereby it is visible to the operator to indicate proper fluid flow. Alternatively, like that for the spring plunger, a portion of the ball or other article previously not visible through the window can be visible when fluid flows through the housing to indicate to the operator that fluid flow is proper.
After pressurized fluid leaves the in-line heater 54, it enters the inlet 652 of the flow indicator 650 under pressure, such that it causes the impeller 664 to rotate in a clockwise direction as pictured in FIG. 20. The fluid rotates the impeller 664 until it reaches the center of the body 660, where it is forced through the screen filter 666 and outlet 654 by the continuous flow of pressurized fluid into the flow indicator body 660.
The screen filter 666 prevents any debris from exiting the flow indicator 650. Any debris trapped by the screen filter 666 remains visible to the operator through the lid 662. The operator can simply clean the flow indicator 650 by removing the threaded lid 662 and lifting the screen filter 666 from within the body 660 for cleaning. The screen filter 666 preferably includes apertures defined by the screen of a diameter smaller than the diameter a passageway through the spray nozzle 64. This is of particular importance if the spray nozzle is not easily serviceable by the operator or a service provider. Further, when using an in-line heater 54, a screen filter 666 is a precaution against plugging the passageway through the spray nozzle 64 from scales forming in the heater 54.
After the cleaning solution has been applied to the surface to be cleaned via the spray nozzle 64, or multiple spray nozzles 64, the used cleaning solution and entrapped dirt are removed from the surface being cleaned through the suction nozzle 34, which opens into the first working air conduit 704 extending along the top of the base module 14 between the upper housing portion 17 and the transport facing 19, as best shown in
The terminal end of the accessory hose 22 is secured to a hose mounting 702 at a distal end of the accessory hose intake duct 540 partially defining the second working air conduit 706, which extends, in a U-shape, to the junction 740 with the working air conduit 704, as best seen in
An over-center diverter valve assembly 110 including a movable flapper valve 114 in the junction 740 between working air conduits 704, 706, and actuable by an actuator knob 180, on the extraction cleaner housing controls the diversion between the conduits 704, 706. More specifically, the actuator knob 180 to flapper valve 114 linkage assembly, as shown best in
The actuator knob 180 includes a handle 184, and a piston assembly 190 on a back face. The piston assembly 190 includes piston housing 176, piston 172, and a compression spring 174. The piston 172 slides coaxially in the housing 176, and is biased upwardly by the spring 174 mounted therein. Specifically, the spring 174 biases the piston 172 out of an opening 196 in a top portion of a tubular piston housing 176.
When the actuator knob 180 is turned by the user, the lower leg 164 moves closer or farther from the knob rotation axis, thereby increasing or decreasing the distance between the lower leg 164 and the axis. As this distance increases, the spring-biased piston 172 forces the lower leg 164 upwardly. The arcuate path of the lower leg 164 as it travels over the center of the knob axis rotation imparts rotation to the flapper valve 114 about the fixed support axle 162. The rotation is in response to the changed distance of the mounting of the piston assembly 190 from the actuator knob 180 rotation center. As it moves away from the center, the piston 172 expands at an angle relative to the support axle 162. The lower leg 164 of the L-shaped arm 160 must rotate in the cupshaped bearing 170 at the end of the piston 172 because the axle 162 is fixed. Thus, the flapper valve 114 rotates in response to the angle of the joint between the expanded piston 172 and the lower leg 164 (not shown). Tabs formed on the back face of the knob 180 limit the rotation of the knob so as to effectively define two positions correlating to the open conduit 704/closed conduit 706 position and the open conduit 706/closed conduit 704 positions.
The diverter valve assembly 110 described above permits the upright extraction cleaner fluid dispensing mechanism to be used as a pre-spray applicator. That is, by diverting the suction to the accessory hose 22, and applying solution through the fluid dispensing nozzles 100 adjacent the agitation brush 206, the upright extraction cleaner 12 can be used to dispense fluid and agitate the carpet without having the applied solution immediately extracted from the carpet through the suction nozzle 34 adjacent the agitation brush 206 and fluid dispensing nozzles 100. Thus, the fluid application system 950 remains operable regardless of the position of the flapper valve 114.
As best seen in
From the tank air inlet 764, the air/water/debris mixture is conducted into a center portion of a tank lid separation chamber 750, where the cross sectional area is greater than the flow conduits 704, 706, junction 740, and inlets 780, 764 to slow down the velocity of the air stream for gravity separation of the air from the liquid, dirt and debris. Because the lid 700 is formed of a transparent plastic material, the user can easily observe the dirt and water passing up through the intermediate flow conduit and the fluid level inside the tank assembly 50.
The substantially rectangular chamber 750 is defined by a transparent lower portion 752 substantially surrounded on all sides by a transparent side wall integral with the underside of the air/water separation lid 700. The chamber 750 is further defined upwardly by a transparent face 756 of the lid 700. The air inlet opening 764 is disposed adjacent an air outlet opening 776. The underside of the face 756 further includes a circular downwardly extending shroud 770 adapted to surround in part the open flexible bladder filling spout 124, which is retained by the baffle plate 800 and positioned adjacent the separation chamber 750.
The working air flow enters the hollow interior of the separation chamber 750 via the air and water inlet 764 and passes horizontally beneath the transparent face 756 to a rear wall defining a first diverter baffle 755 at which it is redirected 180° forwardly through an opening 751 to a rectangular, extended outlet passage 757 formed in a lower, intermediately disposed portion of the bottom wall 752 at which it is again redirected 180° by a second diverter baffle 759 defined by a front wall disposed forward, transverse, and beneath the opening 751. The air flow then exits the separation chamber 750 through an inlet outlet 760, whose position is dictated by tank geometry, as the preferred position is a“dead spot” in tank air flow to maximize air/water separation. From here, the water is directed into the interior of the tank between the 750 and the baffle 800, and away from the separation chamber 750 to the air exit 762. It is significant that all air/water separation occurs above the baffle plate 800, thus minimizing interference with the recovered water (i.e., no foaming) in the area disposed below the baffle plate 800. This characteristic is necessitated by the inclusion of a flexible bladder disposed in the tank recovery chamber.
In summary, air and water enters the inlet 764, from where it is channeled to the air/water separation chamber 750 in which it strikes the first diverter baffle 755, is redirected approximately 180° and through the opening 751 to the outlet passage 757, where it is again redirected approximately 1800 by second diverter baffle 759, and then passes into the interior of the recovery chamber 48. The multiple changes in direction as well as the expansion in volume in the separation chamber 750 facilitate the separation of water and debris from the air. As best seen in
As best shown in
The baffle plate 800 is snapped into place by retainers 830 that are received on tabs 836 formed on the interior of tank housing 46 to secure the baffle plate 800 in the tank assembly 50. The apertures are centrally mounted in the baffle plate 800 to prevent air movement, while facilitating fluid and debris deposits, into a lower portion of tank assembly 50 so that the recovered fluid remains undisturbed. Further, the baffle plate 800 is closed at the edges to prevent sloshing of the recovered fluid into an upper portion of the tank assembly 50 during movement of the cleaning machine 12.
As shown best in
The float assembly 900 is limited primarily to vertical movement with respect to the tank assembly 50, with the closure plate 904 positioned above the fluid containment baffle 800 and the buoyant base 902 positioned below the baffle 800. A narrow slot 920 is provided in a front portion of the baffle 800 through which the support plate 906 of the float extends. Further, a housing 910 secured to the interior of the tank housing 46 guides the buoyant base, and thus the float assembly 900, in a vertical direction. In the assembled position, the closure plate 904 is positioned above the baffle 800 and the buoyant base 902 is positioned below the baffle 800.
As the recovered fluid within the tank assembly 50 rises, the float assembly 900 will also rise until, eventually, the closure plate 904 nears the tank exhaust exit opening, at which point the closure plate 904 is sufficiently drawn against the exit 762 opening by the suction from the vacuum motor to close the airflow therethrough. As discussed above and illustrated in
As best shown in
As best shown in
In use, the operator removes the tank assembly 50 from the well 36 in the base module 14, and further removes the lid 750 from the tank housing 46 to expose the open filling spout 124 of the flexible bladder 120, whereupon the bladder 120 can be filled with water from a source such as a household tap. Next, the user replaces the lid 750 and swings the handle 790 upwardly to seal the lid 750 to the tank housing 46, whereupon the tank assembly 50 can be carried to the well 36 of the base module 14 and replaced therein for use. Upon replacement, the valve member 82 in the valve mechanism 80 mounted in the bottom surface 862 of the tank housing 46 is displaced by the projection 94 in the valve seat 88, whereupon the clean water in the fluid supply chamber 49 is in fluid communication with the fluid application system 950. The detergent supply tank 870 is removed from its well 884, and then its cap 880 is removed so that the tank 870 can be filled with concentrated detergent. Once the supply tank 870 is filled and the cap 880 is replaced thereon, the supply tank 870 is replaced in its well 884, whereupon its valve mechanism 882 permits the flow of concentrated detergent through the conduit 318 to the mixing valve assembly 310.
The extraction cleaning machine 12 can then be powered by activating an main power switch 534 disposed on the handle assembly 16, whereby the motor 196 is activated, and the vacuum source 40 for the working air flow conduits 704, 708 are operable. Further, the heater 54 is separately operable by a heater power switch 536 when the main power switch 534 is in the “on” position. The user then supplies pressurized cleaning solution to the agitation brush 206 by depressing the switch 432 in the closed loop grip 18, whereupon solution flows to and through the fluid dispensing nozzles 100. As the user applies cleaning fluid and agitates the surface being cleaned with the brush 206, the user pushes the cleaning machine 12 forward and rearward, with the forward strokes being defined as wet cycles and the rearward strokes being defined as dry cycles. During the wet cycles, the cleaning solution is applied to the surface via the fluid dispensing nozzles 100 and the agitation brush 206 scrubs the subjacent surface. During the dry cycles, the suction nozzle 34 removes applied solution, as well as dirt and debris, from the surface being cleaned and carries it to the recovery chamber 49 via the working air conduit 704.
The cleaning machine 12 can also be used as a pre-spray applicator and agitator by simply diverting the air from working air conduit 704 to the working air conduit 708, which connects the vacuum source 40 to the accessory hose 22. In this use, the accessory hose 22 functions solely as a bypass aperture for the working air supplied by the vacuum source 40. Thus, fluid is applied via the fluid dispensing nozzles 100 and agitated into the surface being cleaned by the brush 206, but there is no suction at the suction nozzle 34, and thus no dry cycle. When the solution has been adequately applied and the surface adequately agitated, the user can divert suction back to the working air conduit 704, whereupon the applied solution and other debris can be removed from the surface without application of solution, which is controlled by the user through trigger 432.
To use the accessory cleaning tool (not shown), the user diverts working air flow from the conduit 704 to the conduit 708, whereupon the accessory hose 22 is fluidly connected to the vacuum source 40. Furthermore, the user can apply pressurized cleaning fluid to the surface to be cleaned by pressing the grip valve 132 on the accessory cleaning tool. In sum, cleaning solution can be applied by actuating the grip valve 132 and removed via the suction nozzle (not shown) in communication with the vacuum source 40 via the working conduit 708. Also, the accessory tool may further include an agitation brush driven by an impeller that is driven by ambient air drawn through an aperture distinct from the suction nozzle in the accessory tool, but towards the same vacuum source 40.
Once the surfaces have been cleaned, or the recovery chamber 48 has become filled and the float assembly 900 has blocked the air exit 762 from the air/water separator lid 750, power to the cleaning machine 12 is turned off and the tank assembly 50 is removed from the well in the base module 14 and carried by its handle 790, which seals the lid 750 to the tank housing 46, and carried to a point of disposal, such as a sink drain, whereupon the contents of the recovery chamber 48 can be emptied by removing the drain plug 850 from the aperture 854 through wall 852. Once removed, the contents of the recovery chamber 48 flow through the aperture 854. Furthermore, the tank assembly 50 can be rinsed with clean water, which also flows through the aperture 854 in the wall 852 of the tank housing 46.
While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited thereto since modifications may be made by those skilled in the art, particularly in light of the foregoing teachings. Reasonable variation and modification are possible within the scope of the foregoing disclosure of the invention without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Kasper, Gary A., Kasen, Timothy E.
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Feb 19 2014 | BISSELL Homecare, Inc | JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N A , AS COLLATERAL AGENT | SECURITY INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 032458 | /0759 | |
Sep 08 2015 | JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N A | BISSELL Homecare, Inc | RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 036608 | /0704 |
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