Compact wet/dry vacuum cleaner with flexible bladder
First Claim
1. A vacuum cleaner for cleaning a surface, the vacuum cleaner comprising:
- a main housing including a tank chamber;
a motor-blower assembly and a fluid pump mounted within the main housing;
a recovery tank assembly mounted in the tank chamber for storing a contaminated liquid, the recovery tank assembly including a recovery tank and a flexible bladder; and
a hose assembly including a vacuum hose and a fluid dispensing conduit for dispensing cleaning liquid on to a floor surface;
the fluid pump in fluid communication with one of the flexible bladder and the recovery tank to pump fluid therefrom to the liquid dispensing conduit; and
the other of the flexible bladder and the recovery tank in fluid communication with the vacuum hose and motor-blower assembly so that the vacuum hose may vacuum liquid from the floor surface and into the other of the flexible bladder and the recovery tank.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vacuum cleaner for cleaning a surface is disclosed. The vacuum cleaner comprises a main housing including a tank chamber, a motor-blower assembly for creating a vacuum, a recovery tank disposed within the tank chamber for storing contaminated liquid, a supply tank for providing cleaning liquid, a hose assembly and a fluid pump. The fluid pump pumps fluid from the supply tank onto a surface to be cleaned. The vacuum pump creates a vacuum across the recovery tank assembly and hose assembly to vacuum up dispensed cleaning fluid into the recovery tank assembly. Preferably, the supply tank may be a flexible bladder disposed within the recovery tank. The flexible bladder contracts as liquid is dispensed so that the volume for storing contaminated liquid within the recovery tank assembly increases. Preferably, the recovery tank may be removed from the main housing and a vacuum bag is fluidly connected between the hose assembly and the motor-blower assembly for dry vacuuming.
139 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A vacuum cleaner for cleaning a surface, the vacuum cleaner comprising:
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a main housing including a tank chamber; a motor-blower assembly and a fluid pump mounted within the main housing; a recovery tank assembly mounted in the tank chamber for storing a contaminated liquid, the recovery tank assembly including a recovery tank and a flexible bladder; and a hose assembly including a vacuum hose and a fluid dispensing conduit for dispensing cleaning liquid on to a floor surface; the fluid pump in fluid communication with one of the flexible bladder and the recovery tank to pump fluid therefrom to the liquid dispensing conduit; and the other of the flexible bladder and the recovery tank in fluid communication with the vacuum hose and motor-blower assembly so that the vacuum hose may vacuum liquid from the floor surface and into the other of the flexible bladder and the recovery tank. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A wet/dry vacuum cleaner for cleaning a surface, the vacuum cleaner comprising:
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a main housing including a tank chamber; a motor and blower assembly mounted within the main housing; a recovery tank assembly removably mountable in the tank chamber for storing a contaminated liquid, the recovery tank assembly including a recovery tank; a supply tank disposed in the main housing for providing cleaning liquid; a fluid pump fluidly connecting between the supply tank and a dispensing conduit to pump cleaning liquid on to a surface to be cleaned; and a hose assembly in fluid communication with the recovery tank and motor-blower assembly to vacuum liquid and debris into the recovery tank; and a vacuum bag for collecting dry debris therein; wherein the recovery tank assembly can be placed in the tank chamber and fluidly connected to the hose assembly to store recovered liquid within the recovery tank in a wet vacuuming mode;
or elsethe vacuum bag may be placed in the tank chamber and in fluid communication with the hose assembly to receive dry debris in a dry vacuuming mode. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A wet/dry vacuum cleaner convertible between a wet vacuuming mode and a dry vacuuming mode, the vacuum cleaner comprising:
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a main housing including a tank chamber; a recovery tank assembly removably mountable in the tank chamber, the recovery tank assembly including a flexible supply bladder therein for storing cleaning liquid; a hose assembly for vacuuming a floor surface and fluidly connecting to the tank chamber, the hose assembly including a hose and a dispensing conduit; a motor-blower assembly and a fluid pump respectively fluidly connecting to the tank chamber and the dispensing tube; wherein in a wet vacuuming mode, the recovery tank assembly is placed in the tank chamber and in fluid communication with hose assembly and motor-blower assembly to store contaminated liquid; and wherein in a dry vacuuming mode, the vacuum bag is placed in the tank chamber and in fluid communication with the hose assembly and the motor-blower assembly to store dry debris therein. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification