SURFACE CLEANING APPARATUS WITH RECOVERY TANK

• US 20070226943A1
• Filed: 06/14/2007
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bissell Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bissell Homecare, Inc. (Bissell Inc.)
• Inventors: Lenkiewicz, Kenneth, Krebs, Alan
• Granted Patent: US 7,979,951 B2
• 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 11/4016 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 recovery tank. The surface cleaning apparatus can further include a base, and the recovery tank can have side rails to facilitate alignment of the recovery tank with the base. The recovery tank can include a float assembly with a pivotable closure member. The recovery tank can have a lid with a handle and latch to secure the lid to the recovery tank. Further, the recovery tank can comprise a lid with a working air conduit mounted to the lid and removable from the recovery tank with the lid.

Claims

1. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

a housing including a base having positioning surfaces; and

a dirt recovery system mounted to the housing and including;

a suction nozzle;

a recovery tank removably mounted to the base and comprising side rails that align the recovery tank with the positioning surfaces on the base; and

a vacuum source in fluid communication with the suction nozzle and the recovery tank to draw dirt from a surface to be cleaned through the suction nozzle and into the recovery tank.

2. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the side rails project below a bottom of the recovery tank.

3. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the side rails straddle the positioning surfaces when the recovery tank is mounted to the base.

4. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the side rails each have a lower edge adapted to at least partially support the recovery tank on a support surface in a relatively level position to prevent the contents of the recovery tank from flowing out of the recovery tank.

5. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the recovery tank further comprises a tank leveling member that supports, along with the side rails, the recovery tank on the support surface in the relatively level position.

6. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the base further comprises side walls that form the positioning surfaces.

7. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a fluid delivery system mounted to the housing and including a fluid distributor adapted to distribute fluid onto a surface to be cleaned; and

a fluid recovery system mounted to the housing and including;

a suction nozzle;

a recovery tank having an inlet in fluid communication with the suction nozzle and an outlet;

a vacuum source in fluid communication with the outlet of the recovery tank to draw the fluid from a surface to be cleaned through the suction nozzle and into the recovery tank; and

a float assembly mounted in the recovery tank and comprising;

a closure member pivotally mounted to the recovery tank for movement between an open position spaced from the outlet and a closed position in blocking relationship to the outlet; and

a float mounted in the recovery tank for vertical movement in response to a level of fluid in the recovery tank and in register with the closure member when the closure member is in the open position, whereby the float is adapted to urge the closure member to pivot from the open position toward the closed position as the float is raised by the level of fluid in the recovery tank.

8. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the recovery tank further comprises a lid in which the outlet is formed, and the closure member is pivotally mounted to the lid.

9. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 7 wherein the closure member comprises a float door pivotally mounted along an axis off-center from a center of mass of the float door and a stop adapted to hold the float door in the open position.

10. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 7 wherein the vertical movement of the float pivots the closure member to a position between the open position and the closed position, and the vacuum source draws the closure member from the position between the open position and the closed position to the closed position.

11. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein the closure member is in a generally horizontal orientation in the open position and a generally vertical position in the closed position.

12. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

a housing; and

a dirt recovery system mounted to the housing and including;

a suction nozzle;

a recovery tank having;

a tank body with an open top;

a lid selectively closing the open top and removably secured to the tank body by a latch; and

a handle mounted to the lid whereby the recovery tank can be carried by a user when removed from the housing; and

a vacuum source in fluid communication with the suction nozzle and the recovery tank to draw dirt from a surface to be cleaned through the suction nozzle and into the recovery tank.

13. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the latch is an over-center latch.

14. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the over-center latch comprises a latch body pivotally mounted to one of the tank body and the lid and a corresponding receiver mounted on the other of the tank body and the lid.

15. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the latch body and the receiver have mating hooked portions.

16. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the latch body is pivotally mounted to the tank body and extends between its hooked portion at an upper end and a grip portion at a lower end, and the receiver comprises a flange depending from the lid and terminating in its hooked portion.

17. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

a housing including a base; and

a dirt recovery system mounted to the base and including;

a recovery tank having an open top removably covered with a lid;

a suction nozzle;

a working air conduit fluidly communicating the suction nozzle with the recovery tank, at least a portion of the working air conduit being mounted to and removable with the lid; and

a vacuum source in fluid communication with the suction nozzle and the recovery tank to draw dirt from a surface to be cleaned through the suction nozzle and into the recovery tank.

18. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the suction nozzle is removably mounted to the base separately from the portion of the working air conduit mounted to the lid.

19. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising a hose mounted to the housing and adapted for connection to an accessory cleaning tool, wherein the working air conduit further fluidly communicates the hose with the recovery tank.

20. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the dirt recovery system further comprises a diverter valve mounted in the working air conduit and having an external actuator for movement of the diverter valve to selectively block fluid communication between the recovery tank and one of the suction nozzle and the hose.

21. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the diverter valve is removable with the lid.

22. The surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising a fluid delivery system configured to store and dispense a cleaning fluid onto the surface to be cleaned and an air-fluid separator between the working air conduit and the recovery tank for separating recovered cleaning fluid from air drawn through the working air conduit for collection of the recovered cleaning fluid in the recovery tank.