Cleaner cartridge

• US 20030019071A1
• Filed: 05/21/2002
• Published: 01/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tennant Company
• Original Assignee: Tennant Company
• Inventors: Field, Bruce F., Johnson, Jeffrey A., Krueger, Joseph K., Christensen, Bryan L., Joynt, Daniel L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,051,399 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/320
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/03 characterised by having provisions for supplying cleaning or polishing agents A47L11/065, A47L11/085, A47L11/125, A47L11/145, A47L11/161, A47L11/1625, A47L11/185, A47L11/201 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/29 Floor-scrubbing machines characterised by means for taking-up dirty liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/30 by suction
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4011 Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4016 specially adapted for collecting fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4038 Disk shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4083 Liquid supply reservoirs; Preparation of the agents, e.g. mixing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4088 Supply pumps; Spraying devices; Supply conduits
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/291 for obtaining foams or aerosols
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 13/0095 Preparation of aerosols

Abstract

A cleaner cartridge includes a container having an interior cavity, in which cleaning agent can be stored. A first end of conduit is fluidically coupled to the interior cavity. A second end of the conduit is connectable to a chemical dispenser.

Claims

1. A cleaner cartridge for containing a supply of cleaning agent for use in a hard floor surface cleaner having a chemical dispenser, the cleaner cartridge comprising:

a container having an interior cavity; and

conduit having a first end fluidically coupled to the interior cavity and a second end connectable to the chemical dispenser.

2. The cleaner cartridge of claim 1 including a flow control member mounted to the conduit and controlling a flow of fluid therethrough.

3. The cleaner cartridge of claim 1 including a connector attached to a second end of the conduit and configured to couple to a cooperating connector of the chemical dispenser.

4. The cleaner cartridge of claim 3, wherein the connector includes a flow control member for controlling a flow of fluid therethrough.

5. The cleaner cartridge of claim 1 including a seal between the first end of the conduit and the container.

6. The cleaner cartridge of claim 5, wherein the seal includes an annular neck adjoining the container and surrounding the first end of the conduit.

7. The cleaner cartridge of claim 6, wherein the seal includes a weld between the annular neck, the first end of the conduit, and the container.

8. The cleaner cartridge of claim 1, wherein the container is collapsible.

9. The cleaner cartridge of claim 1, wherein the container is formed of a clear, opaque, or translucent material.

10. The cleaner cartridge of claim 1 including a housing enclosing the container.

11. The cleaner cartridge of claim 10, wherein the housing includes an opening through which the second end of the conduit extends.

12. The cleaner cartridge of claim 10, wherein the housing includes a side wall having an opening through which the container can be viewed.

13. The cleaner cartridge of claim 10, wherein the housing includes at least one side having a removable portion.

14. The cleaner cartridge of claim 13, wherein the removable portion defines an opening through which the conduit can extend for coupling to the dispenser.

15. The cleaner cartridge of claim 13, wherein the removable portion is defined by perforations in the wall of the housing.

16. The cleaner cartridge of claim 13, wherein the removable portion is formed in a bottom of the housing.

17. The cleaner cartridge of claim 13, wherein the removable portion is formed in a side of the housing.

18. The cleaner cartridge of claim 13, wherein the removable portion is formed both in a bottom and a side of the housing.

19. The cleaner cartridge of claim 10, wherein the housing is formed of a rigid or semi-rigid material.

20. The cleaner cartridge of claim 19, wherein the housing is formed of plastic, cardboard and/or metal.

21. The cleaner cartridge of claim 20, wherein the housing is formed of a corrugated material.

22. The cleaner cartridge of claim 1, including a cleaning agent contained in the interior cavity of the container.

23. The cleaner cartridge of claim 22, wherein the cleaning agent includes an anionic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, and/or a cationic surfactant.

24. The cleaner cartridge of claim 22, wherein the cleaning agent is in a concentrated form.

25. The cleaner cartridge of claim 24, wherein the cleaning agent is approximately 38% solids.

26. A hard floor surface cleaner comprising:

a cartridge receiver;

a cleaner cartridge removably received by the cartridge receiver, the cleaner cartridge including;

a container having an interior cavity containing a supply of cleaning agent; and

conduit having a first end fluidically coupled to the interior cavity;

a primary cleaning liquid component dispenser having an output flow of primary cleaning liquid component; and

a chemical dispenser including;

a flow control device coupled to a second end of the conduit and in fluid communication with the cleaning agent and a flow of the cleaning agent therethrough; and

a fluid mixing member receiving the flows of the cleaning agent and the primary cleaning liquid component, the fluid mixing member having an output flow of cleaning liquid, which is a combination of the cleaning agent and the primary cleaning liquid component.

27. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 26 including a flow control member mounted to the conduit and controlling a flow of cleaning agent therethrough.

28. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 26 including a connector attached to a second end of the conduit and configured to couple to a cooperating connector of the chemical dispenser.

29. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 28, wherein the connector includes a flow control member for controlling a flow of fluid therethrough.

30. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 26 including a seal between the first end of the conduit and the container.

31. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 30, wherein the seal includes an annular neck adjoining the container and surrounding the first end of the conduit.

32. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 31, wherein the seal includes a weld between the annular neck, the first end of the conduit, and the container.

33. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 26, wherein the container is collapsible.

34. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 26, wherein the container is formed of a clear, opaque, or translucent material.

35. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 26 including a housing enclosing the container.

36. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 35, wherein the housing includes an opening through which the second end of the conduit extends.

37. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 35, wherein the housing includes a side wall having an opening through which the container can be viewed.

38. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 35, wherein the housing includes at least one side having a removable portion.

39. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 38, wherein the removable portion defines an opening through which the conduit can extend for coupling to the dispenser.

40. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 38, wherein the removable portion is defined by perforations in the wall of the housing.

41. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 38, wherein the removable portion is formed in a bottom of the housing.

42. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 38, wherein the removable portion is formed in a side of the housing.

43. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 38, wherein the removable portion is formed both in a bottom and a side of the housing.

44. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 35, wherein the housing is formed of a rigid or semi-rigid material.

45. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 44, wherein the housing is formed of plastic or cardboard.

46. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 44, wherein the housing is formed of a corrugated material.

47. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 26, including a cleaning agent contained in the interior cavity of the container.

48. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 47, wherein the cleaning agent includes an anionic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, and/or a cationic surfactant.

49. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 47, wherein the cleaning agent is in a concentrated form.

50. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 49, wherein the cleaning agent is approximately 38% solids.

51. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 26, wherein the primary cleaning liquid component dispenser includes:

a supply of primary cleaning liquid component;

fluid conduit in fluid communication with the supply of primary cleaning liquid component;

a pump driving the output flow of primary cleaning liquid component through the conduit; and

a flow restriction member generating a pressure drop in the conduit thereby restricting the output flow of the primary cleaning liquid component therethrough.

52. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 26 including:

an aerator in fluid communication with the flow of cleaning liquid, the aerator converting the cleaning liquid to a foam-like aerated cleaning liquid;

a fluid distributor directing the foam-like aerated cleaning liquid onto a hard floor surface;

a scrubbing member engaging the hard floor surface and the foam-like aerated cleaning liquid; and

a fluid recovery device downstream of the scrubbing member, the fluid recovery device removing at least a portion of the foam-like aerated cleaning liquid from the hard floor surface.

53. The chemical dispenser of claim 52, wherein the output flow of cleaning agent is less than 10 cubic centimeters per minute.

54. The chemical dispenser of claim 52, wherein the flow control device includes a pump driving the output flow of cleaning agent.

55. The chemical dispenser of claim 54 including a controller having a control signal, the pump electrically coupled to the control signal and driving the output flow of cleaning agent in response thereto.

56. The chemical dispenser of claim 55, wherein the control signal is a pulsed signal.

57. The chemical dispenser of claim 55, wherein the pump is powered by the control signal.

58. The chemical dispenser of claim 54, wherein the pump is a solenoid pump.

59. The chemical dispenser of claim 26, wherein the flow control device includes a flow restriction member having an upstream high pressure side adjacent the inlet and a downstream low pressure outlet.

60. The chemical dispenser of claim 59, wherein the flow control device includes a pump in line with the flow restriction member, the pump driving the output flow of cleaning agent which is restricted by the flow restriction member.

61. The chemical dispenser of claim 59, wherein the flow restriction member includes a labyrinthine fluid flow path through which the flow of cleaning agent travels.

62. The chemical dispenser of claim 59, wherein the flow control member includes a vacuum generating component downstream of the flow restriction member.

63. The chemical dispenser of claim 62, wherein the vacuum generating component includes an orifice plate inline with a flow of a primary cleaning liquid component.

64. A method of providing a supply of cleaning agent in a hard floor surface cleaner, the method comprising steps of:

a) providing a container having an interior cavity and conduit having a first end fluidically coupled to the interior cavity;

b) storing a supply of cleaning agent in the interior cavity of the container; and

c) connecting a second end of the conduit to a chemical dispenser.

65. The method of claim 64, including d) providing an output flow of cleaning agent to the chemical dispenser through the conduit.

66. The method of claim 65, including e) collapsing the container in response to the output flow of cleaning agent.