Wet carpet cleaning apparatus

• US 4,458,377 A
• Filed: 11/12/1981
• Issued: 07/10/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Floor Care Company (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Frohbieter, Edwin H.
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORE, CHRISTOPHER K
• Application Number:
  US06/320,593
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• Field of Search: 15/320, 15/321, 15/353, 15/409, 15/314
• 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 11/4044 Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees

Abstract

A wet carpet cleaning apparatus having a nozzle movable over the surface to be cleaned. Structure is associated with the nozzle for selectively delivering cleaning liquid to a cleaning portion of the nozzle. A suction apparatus is removably mounted to the nozzle for removing liquid including dirt-laden water from the surface being cleaned. The suction apparatus comprises a removable suction fan or blower module which may be employed to advantage in a number of other applications. A jet pump is associated with the nozzle for discharging removed dirt-laden liquid as to a drain. The cleaning liquid is obtained from a pressurized water supply through an elongated flexible duct and the discharge to drain is through an elongated flexible duct which may be of similar construction. Manually controlled structure is provided for selectively introducing detergent into the cleaning liquid to permit selective cleaning and rinsing operations with the supplied pressurized water. The jet pump is operated by the pressurized water to effect the suction removal of the dirt-laden liquid from a collecting chamber in the nozzle to the drain duct. An auxiliary wand structure may be provided with a nozzle for cleaning elevated surfaces, such as furniture, steps, etc. An auxiliary scrubbing brush and an auxiliary squeegee may be mounted to the nozzle such as for cleaning hard floor surfaces.

Claims

1. In a wet carpet cleaning apparatus having a nozzle provided with a suction inlet, means for selectively providing cleaning liquid to a cleaning position adjacent the suction inlet for cleaning a carpet, means defining an air suction chamber connected to said nozzle, and selectively operable suction means for drawing suction air through said suction inlet to said suction chamber to remove dirt-laden cleaning liquid from the carpet, said suction means discharging the suction air from said suction chamber, the improvement comprising:

supply duct means for connecting the means for providing cleaning liquid to said cleaning position to a source of pressurized supply water;

a first jet pump communicating with said suction chamber and defining a discharge outlet;

means for causing delivery of the pressurized supply water (a) selectively to said means for providing cleaning liquid to said cleaning position for cleaning the carpet, and (b) at all times to said first jet pump;

means including a second jet pump for selectively (a) aspirating detergent into the pressurized supply water being delivered to define a detergent cleaning liquid for cleaning the carpet, or (b) permitting the pressurized supply water to be delivered free of detergent to define a clear cleaning liquid such as for rinsing the carpet subsequent to subjection thereof to the detergent-added water, said dirt-laden detergent cleaning liquid and the rinse liquid being successively drawn from said suction chamber by said first jet pump to be pumped substantially immediately to said discharge outlet by the pressurized water being delivered constantly to said first jet pump; and

discharge duct means for delivering the discharged liquid from the discharge outlet of said first jet pump.

2. The wet carpet cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein said duct means has a length of approximately 50 feet.

3. The wet carpet cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for applying suction comprises an electric suction motor defining the sole electrically operated means of the apparatus.

4. The wet carpet cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for applying suction comprises an electric suction motor removably mounted to said nozzle and defining the sole electrically operated means of the apparatus permitting the nozzle to be cleaned by submersion upon removal of said motor therefrom.

5. The wet carpet cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first jet pump comprises means defining a pump chamber having an inlet for receiving liquid from said suction chamber, a diffuser leading from said pump chamber, and an injection nozzle for directing a stream of the liquid through the dirt-laden liquid in said chamber into said diffuser for sucking the dirt-laden liquid from the chamber by jet pump action for delivery therefrom to drain.

6. The wet carpet cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first jet pump comprises means for discharging cleaning fluid at a rate greater than the maximum rate of delivery of the to said suction chamber by said suction-applying means.

7. The wet carpet cleaning apparatus of claim 1 further including means for removing the cleaning liquid from the carpet by said suction-drawing means without concurrent delivery of cleaning liquid to said cleaning position.