Combination vacuum cleaner and water extractor power foot

• US 5,483,726 A
• Filed: 01/14/1994
• Issued: 01/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bissell Homecare, Inc. (Bissell Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bissell Inc.
• Inventors: Norwood, Richard L., Blase, Michael, Langeland, Brenda K., Kelly, Luke E., Meek, Steven K.
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORE, CHRISTOPHER K
• Application Number:
  US08/181,701
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 15/321, 15/331, 15/334, 15/335, 15/322
• US Class Current: 15/321
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0009 with means mounted on the nozzle; nozzles specially adapted for the recovery of liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0411 driven by electric motor

Abstract

A multi-use power foot suitable for use for both dry vacuum cleaning and water extraction procedures is disclosed. The power foot has a dry suction chamber in fluid communication with an outlet and a water suction chamber in fluid communication with the outlet. A diverter valve member is mounted within the housing to selectively restrict the air flow from one of the chambers to the outlet. A rotating brush is mounted in the opening of the dry suction chamber to agitate the surface to be cleaned in both the dry vacuum cleaning and water extraction modes. Spray nozzles are mounted to the underside of the power foot to direct a water based cleaning solution to the surface to be cleaned.

Claims

1. A combination vacuum cleaner and liquid extractor foot for cleaning a surface comprising:

a housing having a front edge, a rear edge opposite the front edge, and a bottom surface extending between the front and rear edges;

at least one suction opening formed in the housing bottom surface;

a vacuum source;

an outlet suction conduit connected to the housing and connected to the vacuum source, the outlet suction conduit comprising;

a tubular body rotatably mounted in the housing;

an inlet opening formed in the tubular body;

an outlet opening formed in the tubular body; and

a wand mounting member extending outwardly from the outlet opening, the wand mounting member having a first fluid conduit connected to the vacuum source and a second fluid conduit connected to a source of cleaning solution;

a connecting conduit mounted in the housing and fluidly interconnecting the at least one suction opening and the inlet opening of the outlet suction conduit;

wherein dirt and dust entrapped in a vacuum flow created by the vacuum source is conveyed from the connecting conduit, through the inlet opening into the tubular body of the outlet suction conduit, through the outlet opening of the tubular body and through the first fluid conduit of the wand mounting member to the vacuum source.

2. A combination vacuum cleaner and liquid extractor foot according to claim 1 and further comprising at least one spray nozzle for distributing cleaning fluid to the surface to be cleaned, the at least one spray nozzle being mounted in a recess in the bottom surface of the housing.

3. A combination vacuum cleaner and liquid extractor foot according to claim 1 wherein the outlet suction conduit is pivotably mounted to the housing.

4. A combination vacuum cleaner and liquid extractor foot according to claim 1 and further comprising a spray bar mounted to the bottom surface of the housing for distributing cleaning fluid to the surface to be cleaned.

5. A combination vacuum cleaner and liquid extractor foot according to claim 4 wherein the spray bar comprises a substantially hollow body, a solution inlet extending from an exterior surface of the spray bar to the hollow body and a plurality of solution outlets extending from the hollow body to the exterior surface, whereby cleaning solution under pressure is supplied to the hollow body through the inlet and the solution is distributed to the surface to be cleaned through the solution outlets.

6. A combination vacuum cleaner and liquid extractor foot according to claim 5 wherein the solution outlets comprise a truncated cone, whereby the truncated cone shape of the outlets produces a spray pattern for applying cleaning solution to the surface to be cleaned.

7. A combination vacuum cleaner and liquid extractor foot according to claim 5 wherein the housing comprises a top member and a bottom member, the top member being removably mounted to the bottom member such that the user can access the interior of the housing by removing the top member.

8. A combination vacuum cleaner and liquid extractor foot according to claim 7 and further comprising a cowl member mounted inside the housing between the top and bottom housing members, the outlet suction conduit being mounted intermediate the cowl member and the bottom housing member such that the top housing member can be removed without disturbing the outlet suction conduit.

9. A combination vacuum cleaner and liquid extractor foot according to claim 1 and further comprising forward and rear wheels mounted to the housing adjacent the front and rear edges, respectively, and wherein the outlet suction conduit is pivotally mounted to the housing between the forward and rear wheels so that an operator can apply downward force to the housing by applying downward force to the outlet conduit.

10. A combination vacuum cleaner and liquid extractor foot according to claim 7 and further comprising a sole plate pivotally mounted to the bottom surface of the housing and comprising at least an edge of the at least one suction opening wherein the sole plate can be pivoted downwardly to provide access to the interior of the at least one suction opening.

11. An improved combination vacuum cleaner and liquid extractor machine having a machine housing with a source of vacuum and a source of pressurized cleaning fluid mounted therein, a cleaning tool, a vacuum conduit extending between the vacuum source of the machine housing and the cleaning tool and a solution conduit extending between the machine housing and the cleaning tool, wherein the improvement comprises a combination vacuum cleaner and liquid extractor foot according to claim 1.

12. A combination vacuum cleaner and liquid extractor foot for cleaning a surface comprising:

a housing having a front edge, a rear edge opposite the front edge, a bottom surface extending between the front and rear edges, a top member and a bottom member, the top member being removably mounted to the bottom member such that the user can access the interior of the housing by removing the top member;

at least one suction opening formed in the housing bottom surface;

a vacuum source;

an outlet suction conduit connected to the housing and connected to the vacuum source;

a connecting conduit mounted in the housing and fluidly interconnecting the at least one suction opening and the outlet suction conduit; and

a spray bar mounted to the bottom surface of the housing for distributing cleaning fluid to the surface to be cleaned, the spray bar having a substantially hollow body, a solution inlet extending from an exterior surface of the spray bar to the hollow body and a plurality of solution outlets extending from the hollow body to the exterior surface, whereby cleaning solution under pressure is supplied to the hollow body through the inlet and the solution is distributed to the surface to be cleaned through the solution outlets; and

a cowl member mounted inside the housing between the housing top and bottom members and secured to the bottom member with the outlet suction conduit between the cowl member and the bottom member to retain the outlet suction conduit intermediate the cowl member and the bottom housing member when the top housing member is removed from the bottom member.