Water extraction cleaning machine with variable solution mixing valve
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A water extraction cleaning machine comprising:
- a housing;
a clean water reservoir mounted to the housing;
a detergent reservoir mounted to the housing;
at least one spray nozzle mounted to the housing for spraying cleaning solution onto the surface being cleaned;
a suction nozzle mounted to withdraw dirty cleaning solution from the surface being cleaned;
a vacuum motor mounted to the housing and connected to the suction nozzle for removing used cleaning solution from the surface being cleaned;
a waste water reservoir fluidly connected to the vacuum motor and to the suction nozzle, the waste water reservoir being adapted to separate the used cleaning solution and air withdrawn through the nozzle; and
a solution mixing valve fluidly connected to both the clean water reservoir and the detergent reservoir, the mixing valve comprising a valve housing having a clean water inlet fluidly connected to the clean water reservoir, a detergent inlet fluidly connected to the detergent reservoir, a solution outlet fluidly connected to) the at least one spray nozzle, a mixing chamber fluidly connected to the clean water inlet, detergent inlet and solution outlet, a variable flow rate member movably mounted intermediate the mixing chamber and one of the clean water and detergent inlets, the variable flow rate member comprising a shaft slidably received in the one of the clean water and detergent inlets and having a groove formed therein, the groove having a cross section that varies along the length thereof, the shaft being received in the one of the clean water and detergent inlets, whereby the fluid flow rate through the groove varies depending upon the position of the groove within the one of the clean water and detergent inlets.
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Abstract
The invention relates to a water extraction cleaning machine having a variable solution mixing valve adapted to create cleaning solution mixtures of variable constituent ratios. Clean water and detergent are provided from tanks supported on the water extraction cleaning machines. The size of the detergent inlet opening can be altered through rotation of a control knob provided on the outside of the water extraction cleaning machine. The knob is interconnected to at least one member which is adapted to vary the size of one of the detergent fluid inlet and the clean water inlet so that the ratio of constituent elements can be altered depending upon the cleaning application.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A water extraction cleaning machine comprising:
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a housing; a clean water reservoir mounted to the housing; a detergent reservoir mounted to the housing; at least one spray nozzle mounted to the housing for spraying cleaning solution onto the surface being cleaned; a suction nozzle mounted to withdraw dirty cleaning solution from the surface being cleaned; a vacuum motor mounted to the housing and connected to the suction nozzle for removing used cleaning solution from the surface being cleaned; a waste water reservoir fluidly connected to the vacuum motor and to the suction nozzle, the waste water reservoir being adapted to separate the used cleaning solution and air withdrawn through the nozzle; and a solution mixing valve fluidly connected to both the clean water reservoir and the detergent reservoir, the mixing valve comprising a valve housing having a clean water inlet fluidly connected to the clean water reservoir, a detergent inlet fluidly connected to the detergent reservoir, a solution outlet fluidly connected to) the at least one spray nozzle, a mixing chamber fluidly connected to the clean water inlet, detergent inlet and solution outlet, a variable flow rate member movably mounted intermediate the mixing chamber and one of the clean water and detergent inlets, the variable flow rate member comprising a shaft slidably received in the one of the clean water and detergent inlets and having a groove formed therein, the groove having a cross section that varies along the length thereof, the shaft being received in the one of the clean water and detergent inlets, whereby the fluid flow rate through the groove varies depending upon the position of the groove within the one of the clean water and detergent inlets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A water extraction cleaning machine comprising:
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a housing; a clean water reservoir mounted to the housing; a detergent reservoir mounted to the housing; at least one spray nozzle mounted to the housing for spraying cleaning solution onto the surface being cleaned; a suction nozzle mounted to withdraw dirty cleaning solution from the surface being cleaned; a vacuum motor mounted to the housing and connected to the suction nozzle for removing used cleaning solution from the surface being cleaned; a waste water reservoir fluidly connected to the vacuum motor and to the suction nozzle, the waste water reservoir being adapted to separate the used cleaning solution and air withdrawn through the nozzle; and a solution mixing valve fluidly connected to both the clean water reservoir and the detergent reservoir, the mixing valve comprising a valve housing having a clean water inlet fluidly connected to the clean water reservoir, a detergent inlet fluidly connected to the detergent reservoir, a solution outlet fluidly connected to the at least one spray nozzle, a mixing chamber fluidly connected to the clean water inlet, detergent inlet and solution outlet, a shaft having a variable flow rate groove provided therein, the shaft being movably mounted in the detergent inlet and adapted to control the flow of detergent through the inlet into the mixing chamber, the flow rate of the detergent to the mixing chamber being dependent upon the relative position of the variable flow rate groove within the detergent inlet. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A water extraction cleaning machine comprising:
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a housing including an exterior wall accessible to a user; a clean water tank mounted to the housing; a detergent tank mounted to the housing; at least one spray nozzle mounted to the housing for spraying cleaning solution onto the surface being cleaned; a suction nozzle adapted to withdraw dirty cleaning solution from the surface being cleaned; a vacuum motor mounted to the housing and fluidly connected to the suction nozzle through a working air conduit for removing used cleaning solution from the surface being cleaned; a waste water recovery tank fluidly connected to the vacuum motor and to the suction nozzle, the waste water recovery tank having an air/water separator adapted to separate the used cleaning solution and air withdrawn through the nozzle; and a variable detergent/water mixing valve comprising; a body forming a detergent/water mixing chamber; a clean water inlet port in the body fluidly connected to the clean water tank and to the mixing chamber; a detergent inlet port in the body fluidly connected to the detergent tank and to the mixing chamber; a solution outlet port in the body and fluidly connected to the at least one spray nozzle; a variable flow rate valve mounted in the body and movably associated with the clean water port or the detergent inlet port for varying the relative proportions of the clean water and detergent delivered to the solution outlet port; and an actuating knob mounted to the housing on the exterior wall for movement about an axis generally perpendicular to the exterior wall and coupled to the variable flow rate valve through a mechanical connector for movement therewith. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification