SURFACE CLEANING APPARATUS WITH CLEANING FLUID SUPPLY

• US 20060288518A1
• Filed: 02/16/2006
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bissell Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bissell Homecare, Inc. (Bissell Inc.)
• Inventors: Krebs, Alan J., Kasper, Gary A., Scott, Allen W., Ashbaugh, Kurt E., Trudell, Evelyn M., Ulman, Linsay M., Lenkiwicz, Kenneth M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,784,148 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/322
• 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 11/4016 specially adapted for collecting fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4044 Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4058 for adjusting the height of the tool
• 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: A47L 11/4097 Means for exhaust-air diffusion; Exhaust-air treatment, e.g. air purification; Means for sound or vibration damping
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0036 specially adapted for holding the suction hose

Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus comprises a fluid delivery system including a supply of cleaning fluid and a fluid recovery system for drawing dirty cleaning fluid from the surface to be cleaned. The apparatus can comprise a passageway that passes heated motor cooling air in heat exchange with the cleaning fluid to heat the cleaning fluid. The apparatus can further comprise a mixing manifold that mixes first and second cleaning fluids at different concentrations for different cleaning modes. The apparatus can further comprise a fluid valve having a shape memory alloy actuator.

Claims

1. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

a housing including a base and an upright handle pivotally mounted to the base for manipulation of the base along a surface to be cleaned;

a fluid delivery system mounted to the housing and including a fluid supply chamber for holding a supply of cleaning fluid and a fluid dispenser for applying cleaning fluid from the fluid supply chamber to the surface to be cleaned;

a motor mounted to the housing; and

a passageway in the housing for passing cooling air over the motor and configured to pass the heated cooling air in heat exchange with the fluid supply chamber to heat the supply of cleaning fluid in the fluid supply chamber.

2. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the passageway downstream from the motor includes a wall configured to support the fluid supply chamber for heating the supply of cleaning fluid in the fluid supply chamber.

3. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the wall comprises at least one vent for the heated cooling air.

4. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the fluid delivery systems further includes an in-line fluid heater comprising a metal body with an embedded heating element and a plastic cover with a fluid inlet fitting and a fluid outlet fitting connected in the fluid supply conduit.

5. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

a housing; and

a fluid delivery system mounted to the housing and including;

a first fluid supply tank for holding a supply of a first fluid;

a second fluid supply tank for holding a supply of a second fluid different than the first fluid;

a dispenser for distributing at least one of the first and second fluids from the respective first and second supply tanks to the surface to be cleaned; and

a mixing manifold having an inlet for the first fluid, at least two selectively controllable valved inlets in fluid communication with the second fluid supply tank for delivery of the second fluid to the mixing manifold, and an outlet coupled to the dispenser, wherein the proportion of the second fluid delivered to the dispenser can be selectively controlled.

6. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 5, wherein the valved inlets are of different size.

7. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the valved inlets each include an electrically controlled valve.

8. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the housing comprises a base and a handle mounted to the base, and the handle has at least one switch electrically connected to the electrically controlled valves.

9. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the handle has a grip at an upper portion thereof and the at least one switch is mounted adjacent to the grip on the handle.

10. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the at least one switch in mounted to a front surface of the handle.

11. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the electrically controlled valve comprises a shape memory alloy actuator.

12. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the valved inlets each include a mechanically controlled valve.

13. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 12 and further comprising a knob rotatably mounted to the housing and coupled to the mechanically controlled valves to control operation of each of the mechanically controlled valves.

14. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the knob comprises a cam surface coupled to the mechanically controlled valves for controlling the operation of each of the mechanically controlled valves.

15. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the cam surface is configured to simultaneously control the mechanically controlled valves.

16. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first fluid is water, and the second fluid is a detergent.

17. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a fluid delivery system mounted to the housing and including a fluid supply tank for holding a supply of cleaning fluid, a fluid dispenser for applying cleaning fluid from the fluid supply chamber to the surface to be cleaned, and a fluid conduit between the fluid supply tank and the fluid dispenser;

a fluid recovery system mounted to the housing and comprising a suction nozzle and a vacuum source in fluid communication with the suction nozzle to draw fluid from the surface to be cleaned through the suction nozzle; and

a dispensing valve in the fluid conduit for controlling the flow of the cleaning fluid from the fluid supply tank to the fluid dispenser and comprising;

a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;

a valve member movable relative to a valve seat to control the flow of fluid between the inlet and the outlet;

an actuator that includes a shape memory alloy part coupled to the valve member to control operation of the valve member; and

an electrical circuit that includes the shape memory alloy part and a switch that controls the flow of current through the electrical circuit for selectively actuating the valve member.

18. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the shape memory alloy part comprises a shape memory alloy wire.

19. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the valve member is suspended from the shape memory alloy wire whereby contraction of the wire when the switch is closed lifts the valve member from the valve seat.

20. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the housing forms an internal chamber that receives the shape memory alloy wire and holds the cleaning fluid to facilitate a temperature decrease of the shape memory alloy wire for reversing the contraction of the shape memory alloy wire when the switch is open.

21. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the shape memory alloy part is made of a nickel-titanium alloy.