FLOOR CLEANING DEVICE

• US 20070094836A1
• Filed: 11/29/2006
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electrolux Home Care Products North America (AB Electrolux)
• Original Assignee: Electrolux Home Care Products North America (AB Electrolux)
• Inventors: Reimer, Bill, Bobrosky, Vince, Sandlin, Randall, Sepke, Arnie
• Granted Patent: US 7,373,690 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/320
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/30 by suction
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/307 having reciprocating 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 11/4061 Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4075 Handles; levers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4083 Liquid supply reservoirs; Preparation of the agents, e.g. mixing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0483 Reciprocating or oscillating tools, e.g. vibrators, agitators, beaters
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/325 for wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2496 Self-proportioning or correlating systems

Abstract

A wet extraction floor cleaning device having a base assembly adapted for movement on a surface being cleaned, an operating handle pivotally attached to the base assembly, a supply tank having a supply tank outlet, and a recovery tank having a recovery tank inlet and a recovery tank outlet. The base assembly has an inlet nozzle that extends from an inlet slit proximal the surface being cleaned to a nozzle outlet. The device further includes a fluid deposition assembly that can be selectively placed in fluid communication with the supply tank outlet, a vacuum source, and first and second external pockets. The supply and recovery tanks are adapted to be selectively placed in the first and second external pockets, thereby placing the supply tank outlet in fluid communication with the fluid deposition system, the recovery tank inlet in fluid communication with the nozzle outlet, and the recovery tank outlet in fluid communication with the vacuum source inlet.

Claims

1-27. -27. (canceled)

28. A floor cleaning device, comprising:

a base assembly adapted to be guided across a floor during operation of the device;

an operating handle moveable between an extended position and a collapsed position, the operating handle comprising a lower handle connected to the base assembly and an upper handle connected to the lower handle, wherein the lower handle is pivotally connected to the base assembly and the upper handle is pivotally connected to the lower handle; and

wherein the lower and upper handles are each positioned above at least a portion of the base assembly when the operating handle is moved to the collapsed position.

29. The floor cleaning device of claim 28, wherein the base assembly occupies floor space defined by an outer periphery of the base assembly, and wherein the lower and upper handles do not extend laterally a substantial distance from the outer periphery of the base assembly when the operating handle is moved to the collapsed position.

30. The floor cleaning device of claim 28, wherein the operating handle is adapted to be moved to the collapsed position by folding the lower handle relative to the base assembly and folding the upper handle relative to the lower handle.

31. The floor cleaning device of claim 28, wherein the lower handle comprises a pair of spaced lower arms.

32. The floor cleaning device of claim 31, wherein the base assembly comprises a lower housing and an upper housing, and wherein the operating handle is configured such that the pair of spaced lower arms least partially rest on the lower housing and the upper handle least partially rests on the upper housing when the operating handle is moved to the collapsed position.

33. The floor cleaning device of claim 31, wherein the pair of spaced lower arms straddle at least a portion of the base assembly when the operating handle is moved to the collapsed position.

34. The floor cleaning device of claim 31, wherein the upper handle comprises a pair of spaced upper arms and the pair of spaced lower arms least partially rest on the housing and the pair of spaced upper arms are stacked on the pair of spaced lower arms when the operating handle is moved to the collapsed position.

35. The floor cleaning device of claim 34, wherein the pair of spaced lower arms straddle at least a portion of the base assembly when the operating handle is moved to the collapsed position.

36. The floor cleaning device of claim 28, wherein the lower handle comprises a pair of spaced lower arms and the upper handle comprises a single upper arm.

37. The floor cleaning device of claim 36, wherein the base assembly comprises a lower housing and an upper housing, and wherein the operating handle is configured such that the pair of spaced lower arms least partially rest on the lower housing and the upper handle least partially rests on the upper housing when the operating handle is moved to the collapsed position.

38. The floor cleaning device of claim 28, wherein the lower handle at least partially rests on the base assembly and the upper handle least partially rests on the lower handle when the operating handle is moved to the collapsed position.

39. The floor cleaning device of claim 28, wherein:

the base assembly has a base length, a base width and a base height and the floor cleaning device has a device length, a device width and a device height; and

wherein the device length, device width and device height do not substantially exceed the base length, base width and base height, respectively, when the operating handle is moved to the collapsed position.

40. The floor cleaning device of claim 28, wherein the base assembly further comprises a carrying handle, the carrying handle being accessible when the operating handle is moved to the collapsed position.

41. The floor cleaning device of claim 28, wherein the base assembly further comprises an accessory outlet, the accessory outlet being accessible when the operating handle is moved to the collapsed position.

42. The floor cleaning device of claim 28, further comprising a first lock adapted to move between a locked position to prevent pivotal movement of the upper handle relative to the lower handle and a released position to permit pivotal movement of the upper handle relative to the lower handle.

43. The floor cleaning device of claim 42, further comprising a twist lever positioned on the upper handle, wherein rotation of the twist lever causes slideable movement of the first lock between the locked position and the released position.

44. A method of collapsing an operating handle of a floor cleaning device, the operating handle comprising a lower handle connected to a base assembly of the device and an upper handle connected to the lower handle, the method comprising:

folding the lower handle relative to the base assembly; and

folding the upper handle relative to the lower handle, whereby each of the lower and upper handles are positioned above at least a portion of the base assembly when the operating handle is collapsed.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the base assembly occupies floor space defined by an outer periphery of the base assembly, and wherein the lower and upper handles do not extend laterally a substantial distance from the outer periphery of the base assembly when the operating handle is collapsed.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein:

the base assembly has a base length, a base width and a base height and the floor cleaning device has a device length, a device width and a device height; and

wherein the device length, device width and device height do not substantially exceed the base length, base width and base height, respectively, when the operating handle is moved to the collapsed position.

47. A wet extraction floor cleaning device, comprising:

a base adapted to be guided across a floor during operation of the device and having an inlet nozzle proximal the floor;

an operating handle moveable between an extended position and a collapsed position, the operating handle comprising a lower handle connected to the base assembly and an upper handle connected to the lower handle, wherein the lower handle is pivotally connected to the base assembly and the upper handle is pivotally connected to the lower handle;

a fresh water tank adapted to be selectively installed in the base or operating handle;

a waste water recovery tank adapted to be selectively installed in the base or operating handle;

a fluid deposition system adapted to selectively deposit cleaning fluid from the fresh water tank onto the floor; and

a vacuum source adapted to draw cleaning fluid from the floor into the inlet nozzle and deposit the cleaning fluid in the waste water recovery tank.

48. The wet extraction floor cleaning device of claim 47, wherein the lower and upper handles are positioned above the base assembly when the operating handle is moved to the collapsed position.

49. The wet extraction floor cleaning device of claim 47, wherein the lower handle comprises a pair of spaced lower arms.

50. The wet extraction floor cleaning device of claim 47, wherein the upper handle comprises a single upper arm.

51. The wet extraction floor cleaning device of claim 47, wherein the lower handle comprises a single lower arm and the upper handle comprises a single upper arm.

52. The wet extraction floor cleaning device of claim 47, wherein the fresh water tank and waste water recovery tank are positioned along laterally opposite sides of the wet extraction floor cleaning device.

53. The wet extraction floor cleaning device of claim 52, wherein the lower arm is positioned between the fresh water tank and the waste water recovery tank when in the collapsed position.