Cleaning system

• US 4,991,254 A
• Filed: 05/04/1990
• Issued: 02/12/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Karcher North America Incorporated (Alfred Kärcher SE & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Professional Chemicals Corporation
• Inventors: Roden, James R., Roden, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORE, CHRISTOPHER K
• Application Number:
  US07/519,000
• Time in Patent Office: 284 Days
• Field of Search: 15/321, 15/320, 15/340.1, 165/51
• US Class Current: 15/321
• 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 11/4083 Liquid supply reservoirs; Preparation of the agents, e.g. mixing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4088 Supply pumps; Spraying devices; Supply conduits
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/12 with power-driven air-pumps or air-compressors, e.g. driven by motor vehicle engine vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 77/04 Cleaning of, preventing corrosion or erosion in, or preventing unwanted deposits in, combustion engines

Abstract

A cleaning system utilizes heat from an internal combustion engine to heat cleaning liquid which is sprayed onto a surface to be cleaned. The internal combustion engine drives a vacuum pump which withdraws air and cleaning liquid through a vacuum nozzle for retrieving cleaning liquid and soil. The heated air leaving a vacuum pump is combined with heated exhaust gasses from said engine and heat from the mixture is extracted to heat the cleaning liquid. The cleaning liquid may be further heated by heat extracted from the engine by a cooling system.

Claims

1. A cleaning system comprising cleaning liquid, a liquid heating system, a spray nozzle for spraying heated liquid onto a surface to be cleaned, a vacuum nozzle for retrieving liquid sprayed by said spray nozzle, a vacuum pump having an inlet and an outlet, means connecting the inlet of said vacuum pump to said vacuum nozzle for withdrawing liquid and air into said vacuum nozzle, and means connected to the outlet of said vacuum pump for conveying air leaving said pump to said liquid heating system to impart heat from said air to said cleaning liquid.

2. The cleaning system of claim 1 further comprising an internal combustion engine for driving said vacuum pump, said engine producing heated exhaust gases when operating, and means for conveying said exhaust gases to said liquid heating system to impart heat from said exhaust gases to said cleaning liquid.

3. The cleaning system of claim 2 further comprising means for mixing the heat from the air leaving said pump with the heat from said exhaust gases before conveying the heat mixture to said cleaning liquid

4. The cleaning system of claim 3 further characterized in that said last named means admixes the air leaving said pump with said exhaust gases and then conveys the mixture in heat exchange relationship with said cleaning liquid.

5. The cleaning system of claim 2 further comprising a cooling system for said engine and means for conveying heat extracted from said engine by said cooling system to said cleaning liquid.

6. The cleaning system of claim 5 further comprising a coolant pump in said cooling system, said coolant pump being driven by said engine.

7. A cleaning system comprising cleaning liquid, a liquid heating system, a spray nozzle for spraying heated liquid onto a surface to be cleaned, a vacuum nozzle for retrieving liquid sprayed by said spray nozzle, a vacuum pump having an inlet and an outlet, means connecting the inlet of said vacuum pump to said vacuum nozzle for withdrawing liquid and air into said vacuum nozzle, means connected to the outlet of said vacuum pump for conveying air away from said vacuum pump, an internal combustion engine for driving said vacuum pump, said engine producing heated exhaust gases when operating, means for conveying said exhaust gases away from said engine, means for mixing the air conveyed away from said pump with exhaust gases conveyed away from said engine and means for conveying that mixture to said liquid heating system for heating said cleaning liquid.

8. The cleaning system of claim 7 further comprising a cooling system for said engine and means for conveying heat extracted from said engine by said cooling system to said cleaning liquid.

9. The cleaning system of claim 8 further characterized in that the heat from said cooling system is conveyed to said cleaning liquid after the heat from said mixture is conveyed to the cleaning liquid.