Mixing control for water and cleaning fluid

• US 4,575,007 A
• Filed: 03/02/1984
• Issued: 03/11/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oreck Holdings LLC (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Regina Corporation
• Inventors: Groth, Hugh F., Basile, Peter A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weldon, Kevin Patrick
• Application Number:
  US06/585,610
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 239/304, 239/310, 137/605, 137/607, 137/863, 137/871, 137/898, 251/9
• US Class Current: 239/310
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/833 Flow control by valves, e.g. opening intermittently
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87668 Single actuator operates plural flow control means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87716 For valve having a flexible diaphragm valving member

Abstract

An in-line switch and mixer control including a first restriction adjacent the outlet of a mixing device having a cleaning fluid and water inlet for controlling the flow rate from the mixer and a second restriction connected to the water inlet for varying the restriction of the water inlet to determine the mixing ratio. Initially, the first restriction is totally closed preventing any flow from the mixer and the second restriction is initially unrestricted. The first and second restrictions include a common actuator for sequentially operating the first and second restrictions to various intermediate restrictive positions.

Claims

1. A cleaning device comprising:

a source of water;

a source of cleaning fluid;

mixing means having water and cleaning fluid inlets connected to said water and cleaning fluid sources respectively for mixing said water and cleaning fluid and dispensing a mixture at an outlet of said mixing means;

a nozzle connected to said mixing means outlet;

control means connected to said mixing means and having a single moveable member for valving the flow of at least one of said water and cleaning fluid inlets to said mixing means and the flow from said mixing means outlet for determining the rate of flow at said outlet and determining the mixing ratio of water and cleaning fluid; and

said control means including a first restriction means operated by said member and connected to said mixing means outlet for determining the rate of flow at said outlet and a second restriction means operated by said member and connected to a water inlet of said mixing means for determining said mixing ratio.

2. A cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein said first restriction means includes a first anvil and a first hammer adjacent said mixing means outlet whereby the position of said first hammer relative to said first anvil determines said flow rate, and said second restriction means includes a second anvil and a second hammer adjacent said water inlet whereby the position of said second hammer relative to said second anvil determines said mixing ratio, said first and second hammer being disposed on said member.

3. A cleaning device according to claim 2 wherein said member is a rocker arm and said first and second hammers are portions of the rocker and are separated by the pivot point of said rocker arm.

4. A cleaning device according to claim 3 wherein said control means includes means for biasing said rocker arm to an angular position having said outlet completely restricted by said first hammer and anvil.

5. A cleaning device according to claim 3 wherein said rocker arm has a first pivotal position having the outlet completely restricted by said first hammer and anvil, a plurality of first intermediate angular positions having intermediate restriction of said outlet by said first hammer and anvil, and a second plurality of intermediate angular positions having intermediate restriction of said water inlet by said second hammer and anvil.

6. A cleaning device according to claim 5 wherein said water inlet is unrestricted at said first position and said plurality of first intermediate positions, and said mixing means outlet is unrestricted at said plurality of second intermediate positions.

7. A cleaning device according to claim 2 wherein said control means include means for biasing said member to bring said first hammer towards said first anvil and said second hammer away from said second anvil.

8. A cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein said control means include means connected to said member to bring said first and second restriction means for initially setting said first and second restriction means to zero flow rate and maximum water to cleaning fluid ratio respectively.

9. A cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein said control means includes a common actuator means connected to said member and thereby to said first and second restriction means, said actuator means having means for moving said member and sequentially operating said first and second restriction means.

10. A cleaning device comprising:

a source of water;

a source of cleaning fluid;

mixing means having water and cleaning fluid inlets connected to said water and cleaning fluid sources respectively for mixing said water and cleaning fluid and dispensing a mixture at an outlet of said mixing means;

a nozzle connected to said mixing means outlet;

a first restriction means connected to said outlet for varying the restriction of said outlet from an initial totally restricted position;

a second restriction means connected to said water inlet for varying the restriction of said water inlet from an initial unrestricted position; and

actuator means including a control member common to said first and second restriction means for sequentially operating said first and second restriction means to control the flow to said nozzle and then controlling the concentration of said cleaning fluid in said mixture.

11. A cleaning device according to claim 10 wherein said actuator means includes means for biasing said first and second actuator means to their initial positions.

12. A cleaning device according to claim 10 wherein said first and second restriction means includes a first and second anvil respectively, and said actuator means control member includes a rocker arm having a pivot point and first and second hammers separated by the pivot point of said rocker arm and opposite said first and second anvils, respectively.

13. A cleaning device according to claim 12 wherein said rocker arm has a first pivotal position having the outlet completely restricted by said first hammer and anvil, a plurality of first intermediate angular position having intermediate restriction of said inlet by said first hammer and anvil, and a second plurality of intermediate angular positions having intermediate restriction of said water inlet by said second hammer and anvil.

14. A cleaning device according to claim 13 wherein said water inlet is unrestricted at said first position and said plurality of first intermediate positions, and said mixing means outlet is unrestricted at said plurality of second intermediate positions.