Cordless wet mop and vacuum assembly

• US 5,933,913 A
• Filed: 06/08/1998
• Issued: 08/10/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Royal Appliance Manufacturing Company (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Royal Appliance Manufacturing Company (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Kalman, Jeffrey M., Cipolla, Mark, Saunders, Craig M., Zahuranec, Terry L., Farone, Richard C., Wright, Michael F., Shumaker, Laurie M., Specht, Glenn E., Lazzara, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORE, CHRISTOPHER K
• Application Number:
  US09/093,205
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 15/320, 15/321, 15/50.1
• US Class Current: 15/320
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/03 characterised by having provisions for supplying cleaning or polishing agents A47L11/065, A47L11/085, A47L11/125, A47L11/145, A47L11/161, A47L11/1625, A47L11/185, A47L11/201 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/30 by suction
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4008 Arrangements of switches, indicators or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4044 Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/12 Implements with several different treating devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/144 having squeezing rollers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/22 with liquid-feeding devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/26 Other cleaning devices with liquid supply arrangements such arrangements on floor-polishing machines A47L11/00, on scrapers A47L13/03, on mops A47L13/22; cloths, pads, or the like containing cleaning agents A47L13/17, A47L13/19
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/24 Hand-supported suction cleaners
• 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 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles

Abstract

The present invention relates to a suction cleaning device which provides liquid dispensing, scrubbing, squeegeeing, and suction drying in a single, compact, self contained device. The suction cleaning device includes a cleaning device housing, a handle connected to the housing, an absorbent cleaning member mounted on the housing and movable between an extended and a retracted position, and a pair of squeegee blades. The device includes a suction system which draws the water from the floor surface which has been cleaned into a tank mounted on the housing which collects the liquid from the floor surface. A clean water bottle is provided on the housing for delivering cleaning liquid to the floor and a rechargeable battery power source provides power to the suction motor. The cleaning device is compact and lightweight and leaves the floor in a substantially dry state.

Claims

1. A suction cleaning device comprising:

a cleaning device housing;

a handle extending from the housing;

a suction motor within the housing for removing a contaminated liquid from a surface to be cleaned;

a tank mounted on the housing for collecting the contaminated liquid which has been removed from the surface to be cleaned by operation of the suction motor; and

a liquid dispensing bottle removably mounted on the housing for dispensing clean liquid onto the surface to be cleaned, the liquid dispensing bottle including a first opening sealed by a sealing member, a second opening sealed by a cap including an air vent, and an actuating member passing through the cap and connected to the sealing member for opening the first opening and the air vent to allow liquid to be dispensed by manipulation of the actuating member.

2. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the actuating member is a plunger which is spring biased toward a closed position of the sealing member.

3. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the actuating member includes an O-ring seal which seals the air vent when the sealing member is in a closed position.

4. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the liquid dispensing bottle further comprises a third opening for filling the bottle.

5. A suction cleaning device comprising:

a cleaning device housing;

a handle extending from the housing;

a suction motor within the housing for removing a contaminated liquid from a surface to be cleaned;

a tank mounted on the housing for collecting the contaminated liquid which has been removed from the surface by operation of the suction motor; and

a liquid dispensing bottle removably mounted on the housing for dispensing clean liquid onto the surface to be cleaned, the liquid dispensing bottle including a first opening for dispensing liquid, a second opening sealed by a cap including an air vent, and a third opening for filling the bottle.

6. The cleaning device of claim 5, wherein the third opening for filling the bottle is formed on a side surface of the bottle which is adjacent the housing when the bottle is in a mounted position, and the third opening is closed by a measuring cap for measuring an amount of additive which is added to a liquid in the bottle.

7. A suction cleaning device comprising:

a cleaning device housing;

a handle extending from the housing;

an absorbent cleaning member mounted on the housing;

a clean liquid dispensing bottle mounted on the housing for dispensing clean liquid onto a surface to be cleaned;

a suction motor within the housing for removing a contaminated liquid from the surface to be cleaned; and

a tank mounted on the housing for collecting the contaminated liquid which has been removed from the surface by operation of the suction motor, wherein a volume of the tank is greater than a volume of the bottle to prevent overfilling of the tank.

8. The cleaning device of claim 7, wherein the volume of the tank is at least 10 percent greater than the volume of the bottle.