Carpet extractor with dual nozzles for dual brushrolls
First Claim
1. A carpet extractor which applies a cleaning fluid to a floor surface and vacuums dirty cleaning fluid, the carpet extractor comprising:
- a base housing;
a recovery tank, selectively mounted on the base housing, for collecting the dirty cleaning fluid; and
a nozzle assembly, mounted to the base housing, which provides a fluid flowpath for dirty cleaning fluid from the floor surface to the recovery tank, the nozzle assembly being movable from a first position, in which the nozzle assembly overlies at least a portion of the recovery tank and the fluid flowpath communicates with the recovery tank, to a second position, in which the fluid flowpath is spaced from the recovery tank to allow the recovery tank to be removed from the base housing.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A carpet extractor includes a base assembly 1 including a housing 10 which selectively receives a recovery tank 22 for collecting dirty cleaning fluid. A nozzle assembly 67 is mounted to the base housing and provides a fluid flowpath 182 for dirty cleaning fluid from the floor surface to the recovery tank. The nozzle assembly is pivotable from a first position, in which the fluid flowpath communicates with the recovery tank, to a second position, in which the nozzle assembly is spaced from the recovery tank to allow the recovery tank to be removed from the base housing. A second flowpath 138 is formed on the recovery tank between the tank and a nozzle plate 136. The flowpaths have openings 218, 140, respectively, at their lower ends, which are located either side of two longitudinally spaced brushrolls 60, 62. A flap valve 474 selectively closes both flowpaths during above floor cleaning.
111 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A carpet extractor which applies a cleaning fluid to a floor surface and vacuums dirty cleaning fluid, the carpet extractor comprising:
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a base housing;
a recovery tank, selectively mounted on the base housing, for collecting the dirty cleaning fluid; and
a nozzle assembly, mounted to the base housing, which provides a fluid flowpath for dirty cleaning fluid from the floor surface to the recovery tank, the nozzle assembly being movable from a first position, in which the nozzle assembly overlies at least a portion of the recovery tank and the fluid flowpath communicates with the recovery tank, to a second position, in which the fluid flowpath is spaced from the recovery tank to allow the recovery tank to be removed from the base housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
a second fluid flowpath for dirty cleaning fluid from the floor surface to the recovery tank.
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3. The carpet extractor of claim 1, wherein the recovery tank includes a slot which selectively receives a filter for filtering air of residual dirt before the air exits the recovery tank.
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4. The carpet extractor of claim 1, further including a vacuum source, mounted on the base housing, which draws a vacuum on the recovery tank.
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5. The carpet extractor of claim 2, further including a latch, mounted to the base housing, the latch engaging the nozzle assembly in the first position.
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6. A carpet extractor carpet extractor which applies a cleaning fluid to a floor surface and vacuums dirty cleaning fluid, the carpet extractor comprising:
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a base housing;
a recovery tank, selectively mounted on the base housing, for collecting the dirty cleaning fluid; and
a nozzle assembly, pivotally connected to a forward end of the base housing, which provides a fluid flowpath for dirty cleaning fluid from the floor surface to the recovery tank, the nozzle assembly being pivotable between a first position, in which the fluid flowpath communicates with the recovery tank, and a second position, in which the fluid flowpath is spaced from the recovery tank to allow the recovery tank to be removed from the base housing. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. A carpet extractor which applies a cleaning fluid to a floor surface and vacuums dirty cleaning fluid, the carpet extractor comprising:
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a base housing;
a recovery tank, mounted on the base housing, for collecting the dirty cleaning fluid;
a nozzle assembly, mounted to the base housing, which provides a fluid flowpath for dirty cleaning fluid from the floor surface to the recovery tank, the nozzle assembly being movable from a first position, in which the fluid flowpath communicates with the recovery tank, to a second position, in which the fluid flowpath is spaced from the recovery tank to allow the recovery tank to be removed from the base housing; and
a second fluid flowpath for dirty cleaning fluid from the floor surface to the recovery tank, the second fluid flowpath being defined between an outer surface of the recovery tank and a nozzle plate, the nozzle plate being connected to the recovery tank.
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10. A carpet extractor which applies a cleaning fluid to a floor surface and vacuums dirty cleaning fluid, the carpet extractor comprising:
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a base housing;
a recovery tank, selectively mounted on the base housing, for collecting the dirty cleaning fluid; and
a nozzle assembly, mounted to the base housing, which provides a fluid flowpath for dirty cleaning fluid from the floor surface to the recovery tank, the nozzle assembly being movable from a first position, in which the fluid flowpath communicates with the recovery tank, to a second position, in which the fluid flowpath is spaced from the recovery tank to allow the recovery tank to be removed from the base housing, the first fluid flowpath and second fluid flowpath meeting adjacent an inlet to the recovery tank so that the dirty cleaning fluid in the first flowpath and the dirty fluid in the second flowpath enter the recovery tank as a single stream. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
a valve which selectively at least partially closes both the first flowpath and the second flowpath when the carpet extractor is to be used for above floor cleaning; and
an above floor cleaning tool having a vacuum hose which is selectively fluidly connectable with the recovery tank.
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12. The carpet extractor of claim 11, wherein the valve is a flap valve which only partially closes the first flowpath and the second flowpath, the flap valve including an aperture through which dirty cleaning fluid may be drawn through the first and second flowpaths even when the valve is closed.
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13. A carpet extractor which applies a cleaning fluid to a floor surface and vacuums dirty cleaning fluid, the carpet extractor comprising:
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a base housing;
a recovery tank, selectively mounted on the base housing, for collecting the dirty cleaning fluid;
a nozzle assembly, mounted to the base housing, which provides a fluid flowpath for dirty cleaning fluid from the floor surface to the recovery tank, the nozzle assembly being movable from a first position, in which the fluid flowpath communicates with the recovery tank, to a second position, in which the fluid flowpath is spaced from the recovery tank to allow the recovery tank to be removed from the base housing;
an above floor cleaning tool having a vacuum hose for carrying dirty cleaning fluid from a surface being cleaned with the tool; and
wherein the nozzle assembly defines an accessory opening for receiving a fitting on the vacuum hose, the accessory opening communicating with the recovery tank. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A carpet extractor which applies a cleaning fluid to a floor surface and vacuums dirty cleaning fluid, the carpet extractor comprising:
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a base housing;
a recovery tank, selectively mounted on the base housing, for collecting the dirty cleaning fluid;
a nozzle assembly, mounted to the base housing, which provides a fluid flowpath for dirty cleaning fluid from the floor surface to the recovery tank, the nozzle assembly being movable from a first position, in which the fluid flowpath communicates with the recovery tank, to a second position, in which the fluid flowpath is spaced from the recovery tank to allow the recovery tank to be removed from the base housing;
a latch, mounted to the base housing, the latch engaging the nozzle assembly in the first position, the engagement of the latch with the nozzle assembly locking the recovery tank to the base housing.
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16. A carpet extractor which applies a cleaning fluid to a floor surface and vacuums dirty cleaning fluid, the carpet extractor comprising:
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a base housing;
a recovery tank, mounted on the base housing, for collecting the dirty cleaning fluid;
a nozzle assembly, mounted to the base housing, which provides a fluid flowpath for dirty cleaning fluid from the floor surface to the recovery tank, the nozzle assembly being movable from a first position, in which the fluid flowpath communicates with the recovery tank, to a second position, in which the fluid flowpath is spaced from the recovery tank to allow the recovery tank to be removed from the base housing;
a second fluid flowpath for dirty cleaning fluid from the floor surface to the recovery tank; and
first and second longitudinally spaced agitators for agitating the floor surface during cleaning, the first and second flowpaths defining nozzle openings one adjacent each agitator.
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17. A carpet extractor which applies a cleaning fluid to a floor surface and vacuums dirty cleaning fluid, the carpet extractor comprising:
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a base housing;
a recovery tank, selectively mounted on the base housing, for collecting the dirty cleaning fluid;
a means for drawing suction on the recovery tank;
a nozzle assembly, mounted to the base housing, which provides a first fluid flowpath for dirty cleaning fluid from the floor surface to the recovery tank, the nozzle assembly also providing a second fluid flowpath for dirty cleaning fluid from an associated above floor cleaning tool which is selectively connectable therewith; and
a valve with an opening which selectively only partially closes the first fluid flowpath, such that the majority of the suction is applied to the above floor cleaning tool. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A carpet extractor which applies a cleaning fluid to a floor surface and vacuums dirty cleaning fluid, the carpet extractor comprising:
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a base housing;
a recovery tank, selectively mounted on the base housing, for collecting the dirty cleaning fluid the recovery tank defining a first flowpath for dirty cleaning fluid from the floor surface to the recovery tank;
a means for drawing a vacuum on the recovery tank;
a nozzle assembly, mounted to the base housing, which provides a second fluid flowpath for dirty cleaning fluid from the floor surface to the recovery tank; and
a valve which selectively at least partially closes the first fluid flowpath.
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20. A method for cleaning a floor surface comprising:
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mounting a recovery tank to a base housing;
pivoting a nozzle assembly mounted to the base housing in a first direction from a first position, in which a fluid flowpath defined within the nozzle assembly does not fluidly communicate with the recovery tank, to a second position, in which the fluid flowpath fluidly communicates with the recovery tank; and
drawing a vacuum on the recovery tank to draw dirty cleaning fluid through the fluid flowpath and into the recovery tank, thereby cleaning the floor surface. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
after the step of drawing a vacuum, at least partially closing the fluid flowpath; and
fluidly connecting a vacuum hose of an above floor accessory tool with the recovery tank.
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22. The method of claim 20, further including:
pivoting the nozzle assembly in an opposite direction to the first direction such that a projection which extends from a lower end of the nozzle assembly engages with the floor surface, the engagement causing the base housing to pivot away from the floor surface, thereby raising brushrolls mounted to the base housing away from the floor surface.
Specification