All surface cleaner

• US 6,425,958 B1
• Filed: 02/06/2001
• Issued: 07/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tennant Company
• Original Assignee: Tennant Company
• Inventors: Diekema, Richard A., Giddings, Daniel G.
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORE, CHRISTOPHER K
• Application Number:
  US09/777,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20020116783A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 153/21, 153/45, 153/23, 134/21
• US Class Current: 134/21
• 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 11/4016 specially adapted for collecting fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4044 Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4083 Liquid supply reservoirs; Preparation of the agents, e.g. mixing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4088 Supply pumps; Spraying devices; Supply conduits

Abstract

A cleaning assembly for cleaning surfaces includes a tank and motor housing with a fluid pump assembly, a blower assembly and a vacuum assembly located within the tank and motor housing. The tank and motor housing is adapted to contain a fluid. The fluid pump assembly includes a pump motor configured to pump the fluid in the tank and motor housing through a sprayer hose and onto the surfaces. The blower assembly includes a blower motor configured to blow air through a blower hose and onto the surfaces for directing movement of the fluid on the surfaces. The vacuum assembly includes a recovery tank and a vacuum motor configured to vacuum the fluid with the vacuum motor off of the surfaces, through a separate vacuum hose and into the recovery tank for cleaning the surfaces.

Claims

1. A cleaning device assembly for cleaning surfaces comprising:

a tank and motor housing adapted to contain a fluid;

a fluid pump assembly located within said tank and motor housing, said fluid pump assembly including a pump motor configured to pump the fluid in said tank and motor housing through a sprayer hose and onto the surfaces;

a blower assembly located within said tank and motor housing, said blower assembly including a blower motor configured to blow air through a blower hose and onto the surfaces for directing movement of the fluid on the surfaces;

a vacuum assembly located within said tank and motor housing, said vacuum assembly including a recovery tank and a vacuum motor configured to vacuum the fluid with said vacuum motor off of the surfaces, through a vacuum hose and into said recovery tank, thereby cleaning the surfaces.

2. The cleaning device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said tank and motor housing includes an hour meter for recording the total hours of use of the cleaning device.

3. The cleaning device as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

said tank and motor housing includes wheels for easily moving said tank and motor housing.

4. The cleaning device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said tank and motor housing includes a drain hose fluidly connected to said recovery tank for draining fluid from said recovery tank.

5. The cleaning device as set forth in claim 4, wherein:

said drain hose is configured to be fluidly connected to said blower motor for blowing said fluid from said recovery tank through said drain hose.

6. The cleaning device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said tank and motor housing includes a tool compartment housing for holding accessories used with said cleaning device;

said tool compartment housing including a power switch for powering said pump motor, said vacuum motor and said blower motor.

7. The cleaning device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said vacuum hose has a 1.5 inch diameter.

8. The cleaning device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said vacuum motor comprises a three stage motor.

9. The cleaning device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said fluid pump assembly includes a fluid tank adapted to hold a rinser fluid, a cleaner fluid hose adapted to be inserted into a container holding a cleaner fluid, and an injector fluidly connected to said fluid tank and said cleaner fluid hose for mixing the rinser fluid and the cleaner fluid in said tank and motor housing to form the fluid.

10. The cleaning device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said fluid pump assembly includes a fluid tank adapted to hold the fluid, said fluid tank being fluidly connected to said pump motor;

wherein said pump motor is configured to pump the fluid in said fluid tank through the sprayer hose and onto the surfaces.

11. The cleaning device as set forth in claim 10, wherein:

said fluid tank has flexible and collapsible walls.

12. A cleaning device assembly for cleaning surfaces comprising:

a tank and motor housing adapted to contain a fluid;

a sprayer hose connectable to said tank and motor housing;

a spray gun removably connected to said sprayer hose;

a fluid pump assembly located within said tank and motor housing, said fluid pump assembly including a pump motor configured to pump the fluid in said tank and motor housing through said sprayer hose, through said spray gun and onto the surfaces;

a blower hose connectable to said tank and motor housing;

a blower assembly located within said tank and motor housing, said blower assembly including a blower motor configured to blow air through said blower hose and onto the surfaces for directing movement of the fluid on the surfaces;

a vacuum hose connectable to said tank and motor housing; and

a vacuum assembly located within said tank and motor housing, said vacuum assembly including a recovery tank and a vacuum motor configured to vacuum the fluid with said vacuum motor off of the surfaces, through said vacuum hose and into said recovery tank, thereby cleaning the surfaces.

13. The cleaning device assembly as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

said spray gun includes a nozzle having a first position for high powered spray and a second position for low powered spray.

14. The cleaning device assembly as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

said tank and motor housing includes an hour meter for recording the total hours of use of the cleaning device.

15. The cleaning device assembly as set forth in claim 14, wherein:

said tank and motor housing includes wheels for easily moving said tank and motor housing.

16. The cleaning device assembly as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

said tank and motor housing includes a drain hose fluidly connected to said recovery tank for draining the fluid from said recovery tank.

17. The cleaning device assembly as set forth in claim 16, wherein:

said drain hose is configured to be fluidly connected to said blower motor for blowing said fluid from said recovery tank through said drain hose.

18. The cleaning device assembly as set forth in claim 17, further including:

a gulper tool configured to be connected to said tank and said vacuum motor through said vacuum hose for vacuuming water off of the surfaces while said pump motor is spraying the fluid through said sprayer hose, through said sprayer gun and onto the surfaces.

19. The cleaning device assembly as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

said tank and motor housing includes a tool compartment for holding accessories used with said cleaning device assembly;

said tool compartment including a power switch for powering said pump motor, said vacuum motor and said blower motor.

20. The cleaning device assembly as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

said vacuum hose has a 1.5 inch diameter.

21. The cleaning device assembly as set forth in claim 20, wherein:

said vacuum motor comprises a three stage motor.

22. The cleaning device assembly as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

said fluid pump assembly includes a fluid tank adapted to hold a rinser fluid, a cleaner fluid hose adapted to be inserted into a container holding a cleaner fluid, and an injector fluidly connected to said fluid tank and said cleaner fluid hose for mixing the rinser fluid and the cleaner fluid in said tank and motor housing to form the fluid.

23. The cleaning device assembly as set forth in claim 22, further including:

a first tank fill hose for connecting said fluid tank to a supply of water for adding water to said fluid tank.

24. The cleaning device assembly as set forth in claim 22, wherein:

said tank and motor housing includes a cleaner fluid toggle valve having an off position and an on position;

said off position of said cleaner fluid toggle valve moving said injector to an off position wherein the cleaner fluid does not mix with the rinser fluid; and

said on position of said cleaner fluid toggle valve moving said injector to an on position wherein the cleaner fluid mixes with the rinser fluid.

25. The cleaning device assembly as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

said fluid pump assembly includes a fluid tank adapted to hold the fluid, said fluid tank being fluidly connected to said pump motor;

wherein said pump motor is configured to pump the fluid in said fluid tank through the sprayer hose and onto the surfaces.

26. The cleaning device as set forth in claim 25, wherein:

said fluid tank has flexible and collapsible walls.

27. A method of cleaning surfaces comprising:

providing a tank and motor housing with a pump motor, a blower motor, a vacuum motor and a recovery tank;

inserting a fluid in said tank and motor housing;

pumping said fluid in said tank and motor housing through a sprayer hose and onto said surfaces with said pump motor;

blowing air through a blower hose and onto said surfaces with said blower motor;

directing said fluid on said surfaces with said air from said blower hose;

vacuuming said fluid with said vacuum motor off of said surfaces, through a vacuum hose and into said recovery tank.

28. The method of cleaning surfaces as set forth in claim 27, further including:

connecting a spray gun to said sprayer hose.

29. The method of cleaning surfaces as set forth in claim 27, further including:

recording the total hours of use of at least one of said pump motor, said blower motor and said vacuum motor with an hour meter.

30. The method of cleaning surfaces as set forth in claim 27, further including:

draining said recovery tank with a drain hose fluidly connected to said recovery tank.

31. The method of cleaning surfaces as set forth in claim 30, wherein:

said step of draining said recovery tank includes the steps of;

fluidly connecting said drain hose to said blower motor; and

blowing said fluid from said recovery tank through said drain hose.

32. The method of cleaning surfaces as set forth in claim 27, further including:

fluidly connecting a gulper tool to said vacuum motor through said vacuum hose for vacuuming water off of said surfaces during said step of pumping said fluid.

33. The method of cleaning surfaces as set forth in claim 27, further including:

providing said tank and motor assembly with a fluid tank, a cleaner fluid hose and an injector;

inserting a rinser fluid into said fluid tank;

inserting said cleaner fluid hose into a container holding a cleaner fluid;

mixing said rinser fluid and said cleaner fluid in said tank and motor housing with said injector to form said fluid.

34. The method of cleaning surfaces as set forth in claim 33, wherein:

said step of inserting rinser fluid into said fluid tank includes the step of connecting a first tank fill hose to a supply of water.