SURFACE CLEANING APPARATUS

• US 20170119225A1
• Filed: 10/21/2016
• Published: 05/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bissell Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bissell Homecare, Inc. (Bissell Inc.)
• Inventors: Chen, Xin, Ma, Kam Hoi, Wu, Hui, Xia, Jincheng, Ge, Jianjun, Yin, Zhenjiang, Liang, Yongsheng, Chu, Lawrence Chun-Hei, Ding, Junfeng, Smith, Scott R.
• Granted Patent: US 10,092,155 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 1/00 Brush bodies and bristles moulded as a unit
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/001 Cylindrical or annular brush bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/06 Arrangement of mixed bristles or tufts of bristles, e.g. wire, fibre, rubber
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/085 with supply of cleaning agents
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/18 the tools being roll brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/29 Floor-scrubbing machines characterised by means for taking-up dirty liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/30 by suction
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/302 having rotary tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4008 Arrangements of switches, indicators or the like
• 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 11/4083 Liquid supply reservoirs; Preparation of the agents, e.g. mixing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4086 Arrangements for steam generation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4088 Supply pumps; Spraying devices; Supply conduits
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/28 Suction cleaners with handles and nozzles fixed on the casings, e.g. wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle A47L5/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/30 with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0004 Suction cleaners adapted to take up liquids, e.g. wet or dry vacuum cleaners floor-scrubbing machines taking-up dirty liquid by suction A47L11/30
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0014 with additional means or devices between nozzle and casing
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/04 with driven brushes or agitators
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/30 : Arrangement of illuminating devices

Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus includes a housing including an upright handle assembly and a base mounted to the handle assembly and adapted for movement across a surface to be cleaned The surface cleaning apparatus is further provided with a fluid delivery system comprising a fluid dispenser and at least one fluid delivery channel forming a portion of a fluid delivery pathway. The fluid delivery channel can be formed by a portion of a suction nozzle assembly on the base. A light provided on the base can be configured to illuminate the fluid delivery channel when cleaning fluid is being delivered.

Claims

1. A surface cleaning apparatus, comprising:

a housing including an upright handle assembly and a base mounted to the handle assembly and adapted for movement across a surface to be cleaned;

a suction source;

a suction nozzle assembly provided on the base and defining a suction nozzle in fluid communication with the suction source, the suction nozzle assembly comprising a nozzle housing and a cover on the nozzle housing; and

a fluid delivery system provided on the housing, comprising;

a fluid supply chamber adapted to hold a supply of liquid;

a fluid dispenser provided on the base in fluid communication with the fluid supply chamber;

a fluid delivery pathway between the fluid supply chamber and the fluid dispenser; and

at least one fluid delivery channel forming a portion of the fluid delivery pathway, the at least one fluid delivery channel being formed between the nozzle housing and the cover.

2. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising;

an actuator provided on the upright handle assembly and operably coupled with the fluid delivery system to delivery fluid to the fluid dispenser via the fluid delivery pathway and

a light operably coupled with the actuator and provided on the base adjacent the at least one fluid delivery channel and adapted to illuminate the fluid delivery channel upon actuation of the actuator.

3. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base comprises a brush chamber and a brushroll mounted therein, and wherein the fluid dispenser is provided in the brush chamber to dispense fluid onto at least one of the brushroll and the surface to be cleaned.

4. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 3, wherein the brushroll comprises a dowel, bristles extending from the dowel, and microfiber material provided on the dowel, between the bristles.

5. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 3, and further comprising an interference wiper provided in the brush chamber and adapted to interface with a portion of the brushroll to remove excess liquid from the brushroll.

6. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 5, wherein the interference wiper is positioned at a forward side of the brush chamber and adapted to interface with a leading portion of the brushroll prior to rotation of the leading portion into contact with the surface to be cleaned.

7. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 3, and further comprising a squeegee provided on the base rearwardly of the brushroll and adapted to contact the surface to be cleaned as the base moves across the surface to be cleaned.

8. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 3, wherein the fluid dispenser comprises at least one spray tip having an outlet orifice in the brush chamber, and wherein the outlet orifice is oriented to spray fluid inwardly onto the brushroll, substantially along an axis of the brushroll.

9. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 8, wherein the outlet orifice is configured to direct a spray of liquid at approximately 15 degrees from horizontal, where horizontal is defined by the axis of the brushroll.

10. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one fluid delivery channel comprises a first terminal end and a second terminal end, and the fluid dispenser is provided on the nozzle housing at the second terminal end of the at least one fluid delivery channel.

11. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising a pivotable joint coupling the upright handle assembly to the base, wherein at least a portion of the fluid delivery pathway passes through the pivotable joint.

12. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 11, and further comprising a working air conduit fluidly coupling the suction nozzle with the suction source, wherein a portion of the working air conduit passes through the pivotable joint.

13. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 12, and further comprising at least one electrical component in the base, wherein at least one electrical wire passes through the pivotable joint to supply power to the at least one electrical component in the base.

14. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluid dispenser comprises a first spray tip mounted in the base and having a first outlet and a second spray tip mounted in the base and having a second outlet, wherein the first and second outlets are oriented in opposing directions to spray fluid inwardly onto a brushroll.

15. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the nozzle housing comprises a lens for a brush chamber of the base.

16. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 15, wherein the lens comprises a translucent or transparent material which permits a user to view a brushroll in the brush chamber through the lens.

17. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 15, wherein the cover comprises a translucent or transparent material which permits a user to view the flow of fluid through the at least one fluid delivery channel.

18. A surface cleaning apparatus, comprising:

a housing including an upright handle assembly and a base mounted to the handle assembly and adapted for movement across a surface to be cleaned;

a fluid recovery system comprising a suction source and a dirty air inlet provided on the base in fluid communication with the suction source;

a fluid delivery system provided on the housing, comprising;

a fluid supply chamber adapted to hold a supply of liquid;

a fluid dispenser provided on the base in fluid communication with the fluid supply chamber; and

a fluid delivery pathway between the fluid supply chamber and the fluid dispenser, and comprising at least one fluid delivery channel provided on the base;

an actuator provided on the housing and operably coupled with the fluid delivery system to delivery fluid to the fluid dispenser via the fluid delivery pathway; and

a light operably coupled with the actuator and provided on the base adjacent the at least one fluid delivery channel and adapted to illuminate the fluid delivery channel upon actuation of the actuator.

19. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 18, wherein the base comprises a light pipe capable of transporting or distributing light from the light.

20. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 19, wherein the light pipe extends along the length of the at least one fluid delivery channel.