CLEANING APPLIANCE HAVING MULTIPLE FUNCTIONS

• US 20100251505A1
• Filed: 03/12/2010
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC (JS Global Lifestyle Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Euro-Pro Operating LLC (Euro-Pro Operating)
• Inventors: Vrdoljak, Ognjen, Malacara, Homero Garza, Greene, Mason Isaac, Hung, Chow, Gatchell, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 8,627,543 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/320
• 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 11/4002 Installations of electric equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4013 Contaminants collecting devices, i.e. hoppers, tanks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4036 Parts or details of the surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/408 Means for supplying cleaning or surface treating agents
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4086 Arrangements for steam generation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4094 Accessories to be used in combination with conventional vacuum-cleaning devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0686 Nozzles with cleaning cloths, e.g. using disposal fabrics for covering the nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1666 with filtering means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2889 Safety or protection devices or systems, e.g. for prevention of motor over-heating or for protection of the user

Abstract

A cleaning appliance is capable of performing two or more cleaning functions. The cleaning appliance may include a vacuum cleaner and a steam cleaner such that a user can vacuum a floor prior to steam cleaning the floor.

Claims

1. A cleaning appliance comprising:

an appliance body including;

a debris inlet in communication with an air flow passage;

a source to generate steam;

a steam outlet in communication with a steam conduit, the steam conduit being in communication with the steam generation source; and

an obstruction element configured to selectively obstruct at least one of the debris inlet and the air flow passage to prevent steam from moving through the air flow passage past the obstruction element.

2. A cleaning appliance as in claim 1, further comprising a source to generate suction, wherein the debris inlet comprises a suction opening, and the air flow passage is in communication with the suction generation source.

3. A cleaning appliance as in claim 2, wherein the obstruction element is configured to selectively obstruct the suction opening.

4. A cleaning appliance as in claim 3, wherein the obstruction element and the suction opening are configured to form sealed engagement with one another.

5. A cleaning appliance as in claim 1, further comprising a cleaning head, wherein the obstruction element comprises a selectively attachable element that is configured to attach to the cleaning head and is further configured to block the debris inlet.

6. A cleaning appliance as in claim 5, wherein the selectively attachable element comprises a support for a cleaning pad.

7. A cleaning appliance as in claim 6, further comprising a cleaning pad, the cleaning pad being formed of a steam-permeable fabric, wherein the steam outlet, the cleaning pad support and the cleaning pad are constructed and arranged such that when the cleaning pad support and the cleaning pad are attached to the cleaning head, steam being emitted from the steam outlet permeates the cleaning pad.

8. A cleaning appliance as in claim 6, wherein the support for a cleaning pad includes a steam passage which passes through the support and is configured to form a sealed connection with the steam outlet.

9. A cleaning appliance as in claim 5, wherein the cleaning head includes a floor-facing surface, and the obstruction element is configured to cover substantially the entire floor-facing surface.

10. A cleaning appliance as in claim 9, wherein a lip extends upwardly from the obstruction element at or near an edge of the obstruction element, extends up a side of the cleaning head.

11. A cleaning appliance as in claim 5, wherein the cleaning head includes a floor-facing surface, and the obstruction element is configured to cover the entire floor-facing surface.

12. A cleaning appliance as in claim 1, further comprising a cleaning head, wherein the steam generation source comprises a steam generator that is located in the cleaning head.

13. A cleaning appliance capable of performing at least two different cleaning functions, comprising:

a housing;

a cleaning head;

a controller configured to control operation of a first cleaning function and a second cleaning function; and

a component selectively attachable to the cleaning appliance;

wherein when the selectively attachable component is not attached to the cleaning appliance, the controller is capable of operating the cleaning appliance to perform the first cleaning function, and when the selectively attachable component is attached to the cleaning appliance, the controller is capable of operating the cleaning appliance to perform the second cleaning function and the controller cannot operate the cleaning appliance to perform the first cleaning function.

14. A cleaning appliance as in claim 13, wherein when the selectively attachable component is not attached to the cleaning appliance, the controller cannot operate the cleaning appliance to perform the second cleaning function.

17. A cleaning appliance as in claim 13, further comprising a source to generate steam.

18. A cleaning appliance as in claim 17, further comprising a source to generate suction.

19. A cleaning appliance as in claim 13, wherein the selectively attachable component comprises a cleaning pad support.

20. A cleaning appliance as in claim 13, wherein the cleaning head includes a magnetic reed switch.

21. A cleaning appliance as in claim 13, wherein the selectively attachable component includes a magnet.

22. A cleaning appliance as in claim 21, wherein the magnet help attach the selectively attachable component to the cleaning head.

23. A cleaning appliance as in claim 13, wherein the cleaning head includes a hall effect sensor.

15. (canceled)

16. A cleaning appliance as in claim 15, wherein the first cleaning function comprises vacuuming and the second cleaning function comprises steam application.

24-41. -41. (canceled)

42. A cleaning appliance comprising:

a suction opening in communication with an air flow passage, the air flow passage being configured to communicate with a source to generate suction;

a steam outlet in communication with a steam conduit, the steam conduit being configured to communicate with a source to generate steam to create a steam path from the steam outlet;

a steam-permeable fabric; and

a selectively removable support configured to hold the steam-permeable fabric such that the steam-permeable fabric intersects the steam path and steam permeates the steam-permeable fabric when steam is emitted from the steam outlet.

43. A cleaning appliance as in claim 42, wherein the source to generate steam comprises a boiler.

44. A cleaning appliance as in claim 42, wherein the selectively removable support includes baffles.

45. A cleaning appliance as in claim 42, wherein the steam-permeable fabric and the selectively removable support form a steam distribution chamber.

46. A cleaning appliance as in claim 42, wherein the cleaning appliance includes alignment features, and the selectively removable support includes alignment features which are complementary to the alignment features of the cleaning appliance to guide the selectively removable support into alignment with the cleaning appliance.

47-76. -76. (canceled)