Compact carpet and upholstery extractor

• US 5,870,798 A
• Filed: 05/03/1996
• Issued: 02/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Healthy Gain Investments Limited
• Original Assignee: Hoover Company (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Inventors: Barker, Douglas C., Maurer, Edgar A., Crouser, Darwin S.
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORE, CHRISTOPHER K
• Application Number:
  US08/642,788
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 15/321, 15/352, 15/353, 15/387, 15/320, 15/344
• 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 11/4016 specially adapted for collecting fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4083 Liquid supply reservoirs; Preparation of the agents, e.g. mixing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0009 with means mounted on the nozzle; nozzles specially adapted for the recovery of liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0028 Security means, e.g. float valves or level switches for preventing overflow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0038 with means for emptying the tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0042 Gaskets; Sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0036 specially adapted for holding the suction hose
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0045 specially adapted for holding the suction tube
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/24 Hoses or pipes; Hose or pipe couplings hoses or hose joints in general F16L
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/242 Hose or pipe couplings

Abstract

A portable compact extractor having permanent solution and recovery tanks integrally formed in a single main tank portion, with a removable power head attached to the top of the main tank. A fill port passes through the powerhead into the cleaning solution tank and a pour spout is formed in the recovery tank. With this construction, the cleaning solution tank may be filled with water and, if desired, detergent, by pouring the water and detergent into the fill port in the power head, and the recovery tank may be emptied as desired simply by tipping the unit and pouring the contents of the recovery tank out the pour spout and down the drain, without ever having to remove any tanks, bottles or the power head from the unit, or disconnect and reconnect any tubes. A carry handle is located on the powerhead to facilitate transportation of the unit, removal of the power head from the main tank for cleaning the tanks when desired, and to facilitate pouring the contents of the recovery tank out of the pour spout. A blower located in the powerhead provides suction in the recovery tank for suctioning liquid from a surface into the recovery tank and for driving a pneumatically driven pump for providing a source of pressurized cleaning solution for application to a surface to be cleaned.

Claims

1. An extractor comprising:

a cleaning solution tank for providing a source of cleaning solution, a recovery tank for storing recovered cleaning solution, and a removable lid for closing at least one of the cleaning solution tank and the recovery tank;

wherein a fill port communicates with the solution tank and a pour spout is formed on the recovery tank, whereby the solution tank may be filled with cleaning solution via the fill port and the recovery tank may be emptied of recovered cleaning solution, all without removing the lid and without removing either tank from the extractor.

2. An extractor according to claim 1, further comprising a resilient spout cover enclosing the pour spout, whereby, upon inclination of the extractor toward the pour spout, the spout cover yields under the pressure of the recovered cleaning solution, such that the spout is opened and recovered cleaning solution is discharged through the spout.

3. An extractor according to claim 1, further comprising a removable stopper releasably received in the fill port.

4. An extractor according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning solution tank and the recovery tank are integrally formed as a unitary tank having a dividing wall dividing the unitary tank into two compartments, the solution tank being defined by one of the compartments and the recovery tank being defined by the other of the compartments.

5. An extractor according to claim 4, wherein the lid sealingly closes both the cleaning solution tank and the recovery tank.

6. An extractor according to claim 5, further comprising a resilient spout cover extending from the lid, such that when the lid is mounted on the unitary tank, the spout cover resiliently seals the pour spout.

7. An extractor according to claim 6, wherein the fill port extends through the lid and a removable stopper closes the fill port.

8. An extractor according to claim 1, further comprising a cleaning solution applicator for selectively applying cleaning solution to a surface to be cleaned and a pump, driven by an air powered turbine, for pressurizing cleaning solution from the solution tank and providing pressurized cleaning solution to the cleaning solution applicator, and a blower communicating with the air turbine for powering the air turbine and driving the pump.

9. An extractor according to claim 8, further comprising a suction nozzle in fluid communication with the blower and the recovery tank, whereby the blower causes air and soiled cleaning solution on a surface to be cleaned to be drawn in the suction nozzle and deposited in the recovery tank where the soiled cleaning solution is separated from the air and recovered in the recovery tank.

10. An extractor according to claim 9, wherein the recovery tank is located between the blower and the nozzle and the blower draws air from the recovery tank and exhausts the withdrawn air to the atmosphere, thereby creating a partial vacuum in the recovery tank for drawing air and soiled cleaning solution in through the suction nozzle and into the recovery tank.

11. An extractor according to claim 10, wherein the turbine has a turbine inlet in fluid communication with ambient atmosphere and an outlet in communication with the recovery tank, whereby the partial vacuum in the recovery tank draws air through the turbine.

12. An extractor comprising:

a cleaning solution supply tank;

a pump in fluid communication with the supply tank for providing a source of pressurized cleaning solution;

a cleaning solution applicator in fluid communication with the pump for receiving pressurized cleaning solution from the pump and applying the cleaning solution to a surface to be cleaned;

a recovery tank;

a suction nozzle in fluid communication with the recovery tank; and

a suction producing means in communication with the recovery tank, for creating a partial vacuum in the recovery tank and thereby drawing air and soiled cleaning solution on a surface to be cleaned in through the suction nozzle and into the recovery tank where the soiled cleaning solution is separated from the air and recovered;

wherein the pump is driven by an air powered turbine, and the turbine has a turbine inlet in fluid communication with the external atmosphere and a turbine outlet in fluid communication with the recovery tank, whereby the partial vacuum in the recovery tank draws air from the external atmosphere through the turbine, thereby driving the pump.

13. An extractor according to claim 12, wherein the turbine outlet communicates with a vent opening in the recovery tank located at a point in the recovery tank that is above the recovered cleaning solution when the recovery tank is filled to capacity.

14. An extractor according to claim 13, wherein a check valve is located in the vent opening for allowing air to pass through the vent opening in a first direction into the recovery tank and preventing air and recovered cleaning solution in the recovery tank from passing through the vent opening in a second opposite direction and entering the turbine.

15. An extractor according to claim 13, wherein the turbine and the pump are mounted near the bottom of the recovery tank and a turbine exhaust duct extends up from the turbine outlet to the vent opening.

16. An extractor according to claim 13, wherein the vent opening is sized to limit the flow of air through the turbine to an extent sufficient to limit the speed of the pump to a speed below a speed at which the pump would overheat when run dry.

17. An extractor according to claim 12, further comprising a hand held wand;

wherein the suction nozzle is mounted to the wand, a first end of a suction hose is connected to the nozzle and a second end of the suction hose is in fluid communication with the recovery tank; and

the cleaning solution applicator is mounted to the wand, and a first end of a solution supply tube is connected to the applicator and a second end of the supply tube is in fluid communication with the pump.

18. An extractor according to claim 17, further comprising a housing enclosing the suction producing means forming a powerhead, wherein the powerhead is removably mounted to the recovery tank, such that the powerhead closes the recovery tank.

19. An extractor according to claim 18, wherein the second end of the supply tube is attached to the power head, the pump is mounted to the recovery tank, a cleaning solution supply chimney extends from the pump into fluid communication with the powerhead, when the powerhead is mounted to the recovery tank, and a solution duct in the powerhead communicates the tube with the chimney.

20. An extractor according to claim 19, further comprising a recess in a lower surface of the powerhead that is in fluid communication with the solution duct, the recess being sized, shaped, and located such that, when the powerhead is mounted to the recovery tank, the top of the cleaning solution supply chimney is slidably received in the recess in a substantially fluid tight seal.

21. An extractor according to claim 20, wherein the cleaning solution supply chimney and the recess are located in the cleaning solution supply tank, such that any cleaning solution that leaks through the seal between the supply chimney and the recess will be retained in the supply tank.

22. An extractor according to claim 18, further including an intake opening in a lower surface of the powerhead fluidly communicating the suction producing means with the recovery tank;

a float cage extending from the lower surface of the powerhead into the recovery tank, the float cage surrounds the intake opening and a float is contained in the cage to seal the intake opening when the level of recovered solution in the recovery reaches a predetermined level.

23. An extractor according to claim 22, further comprising a condenser plate suspended below the powerhead within the recovery tank defining a space between the condenser plate and the power head, with a peripheral edge of the condenser plate being spaced from an inner surface of the recovery tank;

and

wherein the inlet duct discharges air and soiled cleaning solution into the space between the power head and the condenser plate, whereby the air and soiled cleaning solution expand in the space between the plate and the powerhead, thereby causing the soiled cleaning solution to be deposited on the condenser plate, drip off the peripheral edge of the plate and be recovered in the recovery tank.

24. An extractor according to claim 23, further comprising an air opening passing through the condenser plate, the air opening being located opposite the intake opening in the powerhead, wherein the float cage surrounds the air opening and extends from a lower surface of the condenser plate into the recovery tank, and an annular wall surrounds the air opening and the intake opening and extends between a lower surface of the power head and an upper surface of the condenser plate.

25. An extractor according to claim 23, wherein the turbine outlet communicates with the recovery tank at a location that is to one side of the condenser plate;

and

a retaining wall extends between the condenser plate and the power head, and extends along said one side of the condenser plate to prevent solution in the space between the condenser plate and the power head from entering the turbine outlet.