Cleaning machine for cleaning a surface

• US 20050091782A1
• Filed: 10/30/2003
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Healthy Gain Investments Limited
• Original Assignee: Healthy Gain Investments Limited
• Inventors: Durbin, Michael A., Makarov, Sergey V., Tondra, Aaron P., Gordon, Evan A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,392,566 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/320
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/34 Machines for treating carpets in position by liquid, foam, or vapour, e.g. by steam
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4036 Parts or details of the surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/30 with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes

Abstract

A cleaning machine for cleaning a surface is provided. The cleaning machine includes a base assembly that moves along the surface and a liquid distribution system associated with the base assembly for distributing the cleaning solution to the cleaning surface. A suction nozzle assembly is mounted to the base assembly and includes a front nozzle portion and a rear nozzle portion. The front nozzle portion defines a fluid flow path having an inlet opening and an outlet opening and the rear nozzle portion defines a fluid flow path having an inlet opening and an outlet opening. A suction source is in fluid communication with the suction nozzle for applying suction to draw the cleaning solution and dirt from the surface and through the suction nozzle assembly. The fluid flow path of the front nozzle portion is closed in response to the base assembly moving in one of the forward direction and rear direction. The fluid flow path of the rear nozzle portion is closed in response to the base assembly moving in other one of the forward and rear direction.

Claims

1. A cleaning machine for cleaning a surface in which cleaning solution is distributed to the surface and substantially simultaneously extracted along with the dirt on the surface in a continuous operation as it moves along the surface comprising:

a) a base assembly for movement along the surface;

b) a liquid distribution system associated with said base assembly for distributing the cleaning solution to the cleaning surface;

c) a suction nozzle assembly mounted to said base assembly, said suction nozzle assembly including a front nozzle portion and rear nozzle portion, said front nozzle portion defining a fluid flow path having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, said rear nozzle portion defining a fluid flow path having an inlet opening and an outlet opening;

d) a suction source in fluid communication with said suction nozzle for applying is suction to draw the cleaning solution and dirt from the surface and through the suction nozzle assembly; and

e) a valve assembly is associated with said suction nozzle assembly, said valve assembly substantially covering said outlet of said front nozzle portion to close said fluid flow path of said front nozzle portion in response to said base assembly moving in one of the forward direction and rear direction, said valve assembly substantially covering said outlet of said rear nozzle portion to close said fluid flow path of said rear nozzle portion in response to said base assembly moving in other one of the forward direction and rear direction.

2. The cleaning machine of claim 1 including a rotatable brush assembly positioned intermediate said front and rear nozzle portions.

3. The cleaning machine of claim 1 wherein said fluid flow path of said rear nozzle portion is open upon said valve assembly covering said outlet of said front nozzle portion to close said fluid flow path of said front nozzle portion, said fluid flow of said front nozzle portion being open upon said valve assembly covering said outlet of said rear nozzle portion to close said fluid flow path of said rear nozzle portion.

4. The cleaning machine of claim 3 wherein said valve assembly includes a valve part movable between a first position that covers said outlet of said front nozzle portion to close said fluid flow path of said front nozzle portion in response to said base assembly moving in the forward direction and a second position that covers said outlet of said rear nozzle portion to close said fluid flow path of said rear nozzle portion in response to said base assembly moving in the rear direction.

5. The cleaning machine of claim 1 including a handle portion pivotally connected to said base assembly, said liquid distribution system including a solution tank for holding the cleaning solution, said cleaning solution tank being removably mounted to one of said base assembly and said handle portion, a liquid distribution system further including a distributor fluidly connected to said source for distributing said cleaning solution to the surface.

6. The cleaning machine of claim 5 including a recovery tank removably mounted to one of said handle and said base assembly, said recovery tank in fluid communication with said suction nozzle for collecting the cleaning solution and dirt drawn through the suction nozzle assembly.

7. The cleaning machine of claim 1 wherein said liquid distribution system includes a first source providing a supply of a first cleaning solution and a second source providing a supply of a second cleaning solution, said liquid distribution system further including at least one front distributor and one rear distributor, one of said front distributor and said rear distributor dispensing said first cleaning solution and other one of said front distributor and said rear distributor dispensing said second cleaning solution.

8. The cleaning machine of claim 7 including a rotatable brush assembly positioned intermediate said front and rear distributors.

9. The cleaning machine of claim 7 wherein said front distributor dispenses the first cleaning solution in response to said base assembly moving in the forward direction, said rear distributor dispensing said second cleaning solution in response to said base assembly moving in the rear direction.

10. The cleaning machine of claim 9 wherein said rear distributor does not dispense the cleaning solution in response to said base assembly moving in the forward direction and said front distributor does not dispense the cleaning solution in response to the base assembly moving in the rear direction. The cleaning machine of claim 9 wherein said first cleaning liquid is detergent and water and said second cleaning fluid is clean water.

11. The cleaning machine of claim 1 wherein said liquid distribution system further includes at least one front distributor and one rear distributor, one of said front distributor and said rear distributor dispensing said cleaning solution in response to said base assembly moving in the forward direction and other one of said front distributor and said rear distributor dispensing said cleaning solution in response to said base assembly moving in the rear direction.

12. The cleaning machine of claim 9 wherein said rear distributor does not dispense the cleaning solution in response to said base assembly moving in the forward direction and said front distributor does not dispense the cleaning solution in response to the base assembly moving in the rear direction.

13. The cleaning machine of claim 9 including a rotatable brush assembly positioned intermediate said front and rear distributors.

14. A cleaning machine for cleaning a surface in which cleaning solution is distributed to the surface and substantially simultaneously extracted along with the dirt on the surface in a continuous operation as it moves along the surface comprising:

a) a base assembly for movement along the surface;

b) a liquid distribution system associated with said base assembly for distributing the cleaning solution to the cleaning surface;

c) a suction nozzle assembly mounted to said base assembly, said suction nozzle assembly including a front nozzle portion and rear nozzle portion, said front nozzle portion defining a fluid flow path having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, said rear nozzle defining a fluid flow path having an inlet opening and an outlet opening;

d) a suction source in fluid communication with said suction nozzle for applying suction to draw the cleaning solution and dirt from the surface and through the suction nozzle assembly; and

e) wherein said liquid distribution system further includes at least one front distributor and one rear distributor.

15. The cleaning machine of claim 14 wherein one of said front distributor and said rear distributor dispensing said cleaning solution in response to said base assembly moving In the forward direction and other one of said front distributor and said rear distributor dispensing said cleaning solution in response to said base assembly moving in the rear direction.

16. The cleaning machine of claim 15 wherein the fluid flow path of said front nozzle portion is closed in response to said base assembly moving in one of the forward direction and rear direction, the fluid flow path of said rear nozzle portion being closed in response to said base assembly moving in other one of the forward and rear direction.

17. The cleaning machine of claim 15 wherein said liquid distribution system includes a first source providing a supply of a first cleaning solution and a second source providing a supply of a second cleaning solution, one of said front distributor and said rear distributor dispensing said first cleaning solution and other one of said front distributor and said rear distributor dispensing said second cleaning solution.

18. The cleaning machine of claim 17 wherein said front distributor dispenses the first cleaning solution in response to said base assembly moving in the first direction said rear distributor dispensing said second cleaning solution in response to said base assembly moving in the second direction.

19. A cleaning machine for cleaning a surface in which cleaning solution is distributed to the surface and substantially simultaneously extracted along with the dirt on the surface in a continuous operation as it moves along the surface comprising:

a) a base assembly for movement along the surface;

b) a liquid distribution system associated with said base assembly for distributing the cleaning solution to the cleaning surface;

c) a suction nozzle assembly mounted to said base assembly,;

d) a suction source in fluid communication with said suction nozzle for applying suction to draw the cleaning solution and dirt from the surface and through the suction nozzle assembly; and

e) wherein said liquid distribution system includes at least one front distributor and one rear distributor, one of said front distributor and said rear distributor dispensing said cleaning solution in response to said base assembly moving in a first direction and other one of said front distributor and said rear distributor dispensing said cleaning solution in response to said base assembly moving in the second direction.

20. The cleaning machine of claim 19 including an agitator positioned intermediate the front and rear distributors.

21. The cleaning machine of claim 19 wherein said liquid distribution system further includes a first source providing a supply of a first cleaning solution and a second source providing a supply of a second cleaning solution, wherein said front distributor dispenses the first cleaning solution in response to said base assembly moving in the first direction, said rear distributor dispensing said second cleaning solution in response to said base assembly moving in the second direction.