Apparatus for cleaning fabrics, floor coverings, and bare floor surfaces utilizing a soil transfer cleaning medium

• US 6,662,402 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2002
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tennant Company
• Original Assignee: Tennant Company
• Inventors: Giddings, Daniel G., Wellens, Richard W., Wydra, Larry D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Snider, Theresa T.
• Application Number:
  US10/081,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20020194692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 153/20, 153/22, 153/83, 153/84
• US Class Current: 15/320
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/292 having rotary tools A47L11/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/302 having rotary tools
• 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 11/4011 Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4044 Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4061 Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4069 Driving or transmission means for the cleaning tools
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4091 Storing or parking devices, arrangements therefor; Means allowing transport of the machine when it is not being used

Abstract

An apparatus and method for cleaning fabrics, floor coverings, and bare floor surfaces utilizing a soil transfer cleaning medium is disclosed. A method of mechanically removing soil from a surface intended to be cleaned includes the steps of successively and repeatedly: wetting a portion of a cleaning medium with a cleaning liquid; extracting any soil and at least some of the cleaning liquid from the previously wetted portion of the cleaning medium; and wiping the surface intended to be cleaned with the portion of the cleaning medium so as to transfer soil from the surface intended to be cleaned to the cleaning medium. Portable and vehicle-based devices may be utilized to practice the method of cleaning.

Claims

1. A surface maintenance device for performing a surface cleaning process, comprising:

a revolving cleaning medium including mechanization for positioning said cleaning medium so as to wipe a surface intend d to be cleaned;

a cleaning liquid dispenser which wets a portion of the revolving cleaning medium; and

an extractor in operative engagement with the revolving cleaning medium for removing some of a dispensed cleaning liquid said wetted portion prior to said portion being wiped against the surface intended to be cleaned, wherein soil from the surface intended to be cleaned is transferred to said portion of the revolving cleaning medium as said portion is wiped against the surface intended to be cleaned, said portion being subsequently rewetted and extracted so as to remove any soil previously transferred to the cleaning medium.

2. The surface maintenance device of claim 1 wherein the cleaning liquid dispenser includes a nozzle which sprays cleaning liquid onto the cleaning medium.

3. The surface maintenance device of claim 1 further comprising a soiled solution recovery tank.

4. The surface maintenance device of claim 1 wherein said extractor includes a vacuum device for removing a soiled solution of cleaning liquid and soil transferred from the surface intended to be cleaned.

5. The surface maintenance device of claim 1 wherein the cleaning medium includes at least one generally cylindrical shaped clement.

6. The surface maintenance device of claim 5 wherein the cleaning medium is a cylindrical brush.

7. The surface maintenance device of claim 5 wherein the cleaning medium includes a pair of cylindrical brushes.

8. The face maintenance device of claim 5 wherein the cleaning medium includes a pair of generally cylindrical shaped elements which are counter-rotated relative to each other.

9. The surface maintenance device of claim 8 wherein to extractor includes a pair of vacuum apertures and each one of the pair of vacuum apertures is associated with a different one of the pair of generally cylindrical shaped elements.

10. The surface maintenance device of claim 1 wherein the surface is a carpet surface, and wherein the cleaning medium engages arid deflects fiber of the carpet surface so as to wipe soil from fibers of the carpet Surface.

11. The surface maintenance device for performing a surface cleaning process, said device being capable of moving across a surface intended to be cleaned, said surface maintenance device comprising:

a pair of cleaning mediums, said cleaning mediums being counter-rotated relative to each other and contact with the surface;

a cleaning liquid dispenser which wets a portion of at least one of the cleaning mediums with a cleaning liquid; and

an extractor in operative engagement with the cleaning mediums which removes some of a dispensed cleaning liquid from said portion prior to said portion being wiped against the surface intended to be cleaned, wherein soil from the surface is fared to said portion as said portion is wiped against the surface, said portion being subsequently rewetted and extracted so as to remove soil from the cleaning medium.

12. The surface cleaning machine of claim 11 wherein the cleaning liquid dispenser conveys cleaning liquid to a portion of the cleaning mediums and the extractor removes some of the cleaning liquid from the portion prior to the portion being wiped against the surface.

13. A surface maintenance machine performing a surface cleaning process, said machine comprising:

a chassis;

a revolving cleaning medium connected to the chassis;

a cleaning liquid dispenser which wets a portion of the revolving cleaning medium; and

a vacuum extractor in operative engagement with the revolving cleaning medium for removing some of a dispensed cleaning liquid from said portion prior in said portion being wiped against the surface intended to be cleaned, wherein soil is transferred to the revolving cleaning medium as the cleaning medium is wiped against the surface intended to be cleaned.

14. A machine for performing a surface cleaning process, said machine comprising:

a cleaning medium and means for resolving the cleaning medium;

a cleaning liquid dispensing means for wetting a portion of the cleaning medium; and

a vacuum means in operative engagement with the revolving cleaning medium for removing some of a dispensed cleaning liquid from said portion prior to said portion being wiped against the surface intended to be cleaned, wherein soil is transferred to the cleaning medium as the cleaning medium is wiped against the surface intended to be cleaned.

15. A surface maintenance machine performing a surface cleaning process, comprising:

a cleaning medium means for revolving the cleaning medium relative to a floor surface;

means for dispensing a cleaning liquid to wet a portion of the cleaning medium; and

means for extracting cleaning liquid and soil from the portion of the cleaning medium prior to said portion being wiped against the floor surface, wherein soil from the floor surface is transferred to the cleaning medium.

16. A surface cleaning machine comprising:

a chassis;

a cleaning medium connected to th chassis;

a drive assembly operatively coupled to the cleaning medium;

a cleaning liquid reservoir; and

an extractor, said machine capable of revolving the cleaning medium via the drive assembly, wetting a portion of the cleaning medium with cleaning liquid from the reservoir, extracting soil and at least some of the cleaning liquid from the portion of the cleaning medium via the extractor, and wiping a floor surface with the portion of the cleaning medium so as to transfer soil from the floor surface to the cleaning medium.

17. The surface cleaning machine of claim 16 wherein the extractor is a vacuum extraction assembly.

18. The surface cleaning machine of claim 16 further comprising:

a spray nozzle in fluid communication with the reservoir, said spray nozzle transferring cleaning liquid to the cleaning medium.

19. The surface cleaning machine of claim 16 wherein the cleaning medium is at least one generally cylindrical shaped element.