FLOOR CARE APPLIANCE WITH A PLURALITY OF CLEANING MODES

• US 20090320233A1
• Filed: 04/07/2009
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Louis, Jeffery S., Burchfield, Brent L., Scheifele, Kevin E., Gordon, Evan A., Morgan, Jeffery A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,271,619 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/368
• 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 11/4011 Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/225 Convertible suction cleaners, i.e. convertible between different types thereof, e.g. from upright suction cleaners to sledge-type suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/30 with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/32 with means for connecting a hose hose couplings for suction cleaners A47L9/24
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/34 with height adjustment of nozzles or dust-loosening tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0027 specially adapted for holding the suction cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0494 Height adjustment of dust-loosening tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0653 with mechanical actuation, e.g. using a lever
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2842 Suction motors or blowers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2847 Surface treating elements
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays

Abstract

A floor care appliance is provided for cleaning bare surfaces such as tile, marble, linoleum and wood. The floor care appliance is comprised of a base portion having a suction nozzle and a brush block having a plurality of vertical axis rotary agitators for cleaning bare floors. The rotary agitators are driven by an independent motor for agitating the floor surface. With the addition of an accessory hose and tools, the cleaning utility can be expanded to areas wherein the suction nozzle cannot normally reach such as behind the toilet, shower walls, and the grout between tile. While used in the capacity for cleaning bare floors, the floor care appliance can be moved between three modes by a rotating a member located on the upper housing. The first mode is dry mode, the second mode is wet scrub mode and the third mode is wet pickup mode. The accessory tools are stored in an accessory caddy that is placed freestanding over the suction nozzle and in front of the housing.

Claims

1-16. -16. (canceled)

17. A floor cleaning appliance having a plurality of cleaning modes, comprising:

a base assembly having at least two features for performing a cleaning operation on a surface either alone or in combination; and

a single mode selector operatively connected to said base assembly for selectively causing one of said at least two features to perform a cleaning operation alone or in combination with another feature of said at least two features.

18. The floor cleaning appliance of claim 17, wherein one of said at least two features is a suction nozzle.

19. The floor cleaning appliance of claim 17, wherein one of said at least two features is a at least one rotary agitator.

20. The floor cleaning appliance of claim 17, wherein one of said at least two features is a plurality of rotary agitators.