Window washing accessory cleaning tool for use with water extraction cleaning machine

• US 5,819,365 A
• Filed: 07/15/1996
• Issued: 10/13/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bissell Homecare, Inc. (Bissell Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bissell Inc.
• Inventors: Shing, Ng Tat, Ma Kam Hoi, Kevin, Sin, Hok Yin Timmy, Huffman, Eric C.
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORE, CHRISTOPHER K
• Application Number:
  US08/683,608
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 15/321, 15/322, 15/367
• US Class Current: 15/321
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 1/08 with provision for supplying liquids, e.g. cleaning agents A47L1/095, A47L1/13, A47L1/15 take precedence

Abstract

A window washing accessory cleaning tool adapted for use with a water extraction cleaning machine has a solution spray nozzle integrated therewith and a combination suction and scrubbing head rotatably mounted with respect to the solution spray nozzle. The cleaning solution spray nozzle is provided on one side of a dual conduit support member and a head is rotatably mounted to the dual conduit support member. A foam applicator/scrub pad is provided along one end of the head and a suction nozzle opening defined by a squeegee blade and a rigid flange are provided one the other side of the head. With this structure, the applicator/scrub pad and suction nozzle can be rotated with respect to the cleaning solution spray nozzles, thereby making the accessory cleaning tool adaptable for a wide variety of cleaning operations. Preferably, the window washing accessory cleaning tool is removably mounted to the end of the flexible hose.

Claims

1. An accessory cleaning tool adapted to be used with a water extraction cleaning machine having a vacuum conduit and a solution conduit extending therefrom, the accessory cleaning tool comprising:

a support member having a working air passageway provided therein which is fluidly connected to the vacuum conduit of the cleaning machine and a cleaning solution spray nozzle provided thereon fluidly connected to the solution conduit of the cleaning machine to distribute cleaning solution onto a surface to be cleaned; and

a cleaning head having first and second opposed edges, the first edge having an applicator pad provided thereon and the second edge having front and rear flanges defining a suction nozzle opening, a conduit between the suction nozzle opening and the working air passageway of the support member, and the cleaning head is rotatably mounted to the support member so that the alignment of the cleaning solution spray nozzle can be varied with respect to the suction nozzle opening and the applicator pad for different applications of the accessory cleaning tool.

2. An accessory cleaning tool according to claim 1 wherein the cleaning head is rotatable on the support member between a first position in which the cleaning solution spray nozzle is adjacent the applicator pad and a second position in which the cleaning solution spray nozzle is adjacent the suction nozzle opening.

3. An accessory cleaning tool according to claim 2 wherein the working air passageway has a longitudinal axis and the head is mounted to the support member for rotation about an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the working air passageway.

4. An accessory cleaning tool according to claim 3 wherein the support member further comprises a substantially tubular first bearing surface and the head further comprises a substantially tubular second bearing surface wherein the second bearing surface slides along the first bearing surface as the head is rotated with respect to the support member.

5. An accessory cleaning tool according to claim 4 and further comprising at least one groove formed in one of said first and second bearing surfaces and at least one O-ring received in said at least one groove, the O-ring being adapted to provide a substantially air and fluid tight seal between the first and second bearing surfaces.

6. An accessory cleaning tool according to claim 4 wherein the first bearing surface comprises at least a portion of the working air passageway and at least a portion of the second bearing surface is telescopically received inside the first bearing surface.

7. An accessory cleaning tool according to claim 6 and further comprising at least one flexible locking projection provided on the second bearing surface and a locking surface formed on the inner surface of the working air passageway and substantially perpendicular to the first bearing surface, the at least one flexible locking projection being adapted to contact the locking surface to prevent inadvertent removal of the head from the support member.

8. An accessory cleaning tool according to claim 1 and further comprising a locking projection provided on one of the head and support member and at least one notch provided on the other of the head and support member, the locking projection being selectively received in the at least one notch to lock the head in a particular orientation with respect to the support member.

9. An accessory cleaning tool according to claim 8 wherein two notches are provided on said other of the head and support member and the notches are positioned so that the head can be positioned in a first position in which the cleaning solution spray nozzle is adjacent the applicator pad and a second position in which the cleaning solution spray nozzle is adjacent the suction nozzle opening.

10. An accessory cleaning tool according to claim 1 and further comprising an elastomeric squeegee blade provided on one of said front and rear flanges of the cleaning head second edge.

11. An accessory cleaning tool according to claim 10 and further comprising a plurality of projections depending from the other of said front and rear flanges of the cleaning head second edge, the projections being adapted to space said other front and rear edge from the surface being cleaned so that fluid, dirt, and air can pass beneath said other front and rear edge into the suction nozzle opening.

12. In an improved water extraction cleaning machine comprising a source of cleaning solution, a pump for pressurizing said cleaning solution, a vacuum motor for creating a working airflow, a reservoir for receiving the working airflow and the used cleaning solution, dirt, and dust entrained therein, an accessory vacuum hose having a first end in fluid communication with the reservoir and vacuum motor, and a solution conduit having a first end in fluid communication with the pump, the improvement comprising:

an accessory cleaning tool comprising;

a support member having a working air passageway provided therein which is fluidly connected to the accessory vacuum hose of the cleaning machine and a cleaning solution spray nozzle provided thereon fluidly connected to the solution conduit of the cleaning machine to distribute cleaning solution onto a surface to be cleaned; and

a cleaning head having first and second opposed edges, the first edge having an applicator pad provided thereon and the second edge having front and rear flanges defining a suction nozzle opening, a conduit between the suction nozzle opening and the working air passageway of the support member, and the cleaning head is rotatably mounted to the support member so that the alignment of the cleaning solution spray nozzle can be varied with respect to the suction nozzle opening and the applicator pad for different applications of the accessory cleaning tool.

13. An improved water extraction cleaning machine according to claim 12 wherein the cleaning head is rotatable on the support member between a first position in which the cleaning solution spray nozzle is adjacent the applicator pad and a second position in which the cleaning solution spray nozzle is adjacent the suction nozzle opening.

14. An improved water extraction cleaning machine according to claim 13 wherein the working air passageway has a longitudinal axis and the head is mounted for rotation about an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the working air passageway.

15. An improved water extraction cleaning machine according to claim 14 wherein the support member further comprises a substantially tubular first bearing surface and the head further comprises a substantially tubular second bearing surface wherein the second bearing surface slides along the first bearing surface as the head is rotated with respect to the support member.

16. An improved water extraction cleaning machine according to claim 15 wherein the first bearing surface comprises at least a portion of the working air passageway and at least a portion of the second bearing surface is telescopically received inside the first bearing surface.

17. An improved water extraction cleaning machine according to claim 16 and further comprising at least one flexible locking projection provided on the second bearing surface and a locking surface formed on the inner surface of the working air passageway and substantially perpendicular to the first bearing surface, the at least one flexible locking projection being adapted to contact the locking surface to prevent inadvertent removal of the head from the support member.

18. An improved water extraction cleaning machine according to claim 12 and further comprising a locking projection provided on one of the head and support member and first and second notches provided on the other of the head and support member, the locking projection being selectively received in one of the two notches to lock the head in one of first and second positions, in the first position, the cleaning solution spray nozzle being adjacent the applicator pad and in the second position the cleaning solution spray nozzle being adjacent the suction nozzle opening.

19. An improved water extraction cleaning machine according to claim 12 and further comprising an elastomeric squeegee blade provided on one of said front and rear flanges of the cleaning head second edge.

20. An improved water extraction cleaning machine according to claim 19 and further comprising a plurality of projections depending from the other of said front and rear flanges of the cleaning head second edge, the projections being adapted to space said other front and rear edge from the surface being cleaned so that fluid, dirt, and air can pass beneath said other front and rear edge into the suction nozzle opening.

21. An accessory cleaning tool adapted to be used with a water extraction cleaning machine having a vacuum conduit and a solution conduit extending therefrom, the accessory cleaning tool comprising:

a support member having a working air passageway provided therein which is fluidly connected to the vacuum conduit of the cleaning machine, a cleaning solution spray nozzle provided thereon fluidly connected to the solution conduit of the cleaning machine to distribute cleaning solution onto a surface to be cleaned and a substantially tubular first bearing surface surrounding the working air passageway; and

a cleaning head having a substantially tubular second bearing surface depending therefrom and first and second opposed edges, the first edge having an applicator pad provided thereon and the second edge having front and rear flanges defining a suction nozzle opening, and an elastomeric blade is provided on one of the front and rear flanges, the suction nozzle opening being in fluid communication with the working air passageway of the support member and at least a portion of the cleaning head being telescopically received inside the working air passageway of the support member so that the first and second bearing surfaces contact one another and the cleaning head is rotatably mounted to the support member for rotation between first and second positions, in the first position, the cleaning solution spray nozzle being adjacent the applicator pad and in the second position, the cleaning solution spray nozzle being adjacent the suction nozzle opening.