Hard and soft floor surface cleaner

• US 20060236494A1
• Filed: 04/07/2006
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tennant Company
• Original Assignee: Tennant Company
• Inventors: Nelson, David Alan, Feyma, Daniel John, Albrecht, Dan Sidney, Juliot, Larry James, Wydra, Larry D.
• Application Number:
  US11/402,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20060236494A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/320
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/302 having rotary tools
• 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 11/40 Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
• 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 11/4044 Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4055 for lifting the tools to a non-working position
• 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

Abstract

A floor cleaner configured to perform both hard and soft floor cleaning operations includes a mobile body, a motorized cleaning head, a cleaning liquid dispenser, a vacuum, a first vacuum extractor tool and a vacuum squeegee connected to the mobile body. The mobile body is configured to travel over a surface. The motorized cleaning head is connected to the mobile body and includes a cleaning tool. The cleaning liquid dispenser is configured to apply a cleaning liquid to the surface or the cleaning tool. The first vacuum extractor tool is configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum through a first vacuum path.

Claims

1. A floor cleaner comprising:

a mobile body configured to travel over a surface;

a motorized cleaning head connected to the mobile body and comprising a cleaning tool;

a cleaning liquid dispenser configured to apply a cleaning liquid to one of the surface and the cleaning tool;

a vacuum supported on the mobile body;

a first vacuum extractor tool configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum through a first vacuum path; and

a vacuum squeegee connected to the mobile body.

2. The cleaner of claim 1, wherein the vacuum squeegee is configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum through a second vacuum path.

3. The cleaner of claim 1, wherein the cleaning tool comprises a hard floor surface cleaning tool.

4. The cleaner of claim 1, wherein the cleaning tool comprises a hard floor scrub brush.

5. The cleaner of claim 1, wherein the cleaning tool comprises a soft floor surface cleaning tool.

6. The cleaner of claim 5, wherein the cleaning tool comprises one of a soil transfer roller and a soft floor extraction brush.

7. The cleaner of claim 1, wherein the first vacuum extractor tool is configured to remove liquid from a surface of the cleaning tool.

8. The cleaner of claim 1, wherein the first vacuum extractor tool is configured to engage the surface.

9. The cleaner of claim 8, further comprising an extractor tool lift coupled to the first vacuum extractor tool, the lift mechanism configured to move the first vacuum extractor tool relative to the mobile body between a raised position, in which the first vacuum extractor tool is displaced from the surface, and an operating position, in which the first vacuum extractor tool engages the surface.

10. The cleaner of claim 2, further comprising a second vacuum extractor tool configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum.

11. The cleaner of claim 10, wherein the first and second vacuum extractor tools are each configured to engage the cleaning tool.

12. The cleaner of claim 10, wherein:

the first vacuum extractor tool is configured to engage the cleaning tool and the second vacuum extractor tool is configured to engage the surface; and

the second vacuum extractor tool is configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum through a third vacuum path.

13. The cleaner of claim 12, further comprising a vacuum path selector means for controlling vacuum communication between the vacuum and the first vacuum path, the second vacuum path and the third vacuum path.

14. The cleaner of claim 2, further comprising a vacuum path selector means for selectively opening and closing vacuum communication between the vacuum and the first and second vacuum paths.

15. A floor cleaner comprising:

a mobile body configured to travel over a surface;

a motorized cleaning head connected to the mobile body and comprising a cleaning tool;

a cleaning liquid dispenser configured to apply a cleaning liquid to one of the surface and the cleaning tool;

a vacuum supported on the mobile body;

a first vacuum path configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum;

a second vacuum path configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum;

a first vacuum extractor tool configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum through the first vacuum path; and

a vacuum squeegee connected to the mobile body and configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum through the second vacuum path.

16. The cleaner of claim 15, further comprising a vacuum path selector means for selectively opening and closing vacuum communication between the vacuum and the first and second vacuum paths.

17. The cleaner of claim 15, wherein the first vacuum extractor tool is configured to remove liquid from a surface of the cleaning tool.

18. The cleaner of claim 15, wherein the first vacuum extractor tool is configured to engage the surface.

19. The cleaner of claim 18, further comprising an extractor tool lift coupled to the first vacuum extractor tool, the lift mechanism configured to move the first vacuum extractor tool relative to the mobile body between a raised position, in which the first vacuum extractor tool is displaced from the surface, and an operating position, in which the first vacuum extractor tool engages the surface.

20. The cleaner of claim 15, wherein the cleaning tool is selected from the group consisting of a soft floor cleaning tool and a hard floor cleaning tool.

21. A floor cleaner comprising:

a mobile body configured to travel over a surface;

a motorized cleaning head connected to the mobile body and comprising a cleaning tool;

a cleaning liquid dispenser configured to apply a cleaning liquid to one of the surface and the cleaning tool;

a vacuum supported on the mobile body;

a first vacuum path configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum;

a second vacuum path configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum;

a third vacuum path configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum;

a first vacuum extractor tool configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum through the first vacuum path;

a second vacuum extractor tool configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum through the second vacuum path; and

a vacuum squeegee connected to the mobile body and configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum through the third vacuum path.

22. The cleaner of claim 21, wherein the first and second vacuum extractor tools are each configured to remove liquid from a surface of the cleaning tool.

23. The cleaner of claim 21, wherein the first vacuum extractor tool is configured to remove liquid from a surface of the cleaning tool and the second vacuum extractor tool is configured to engage the surface.