Hard floor cleaner
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A cleaning device comprising:
- a housing;
a container removably received by the housing, the container defining an inlet tube and an outlet;
a suction source mounted on the housing and fluidly connected with the outlet of the container;
an annular float which selectively closes the fluid flowpath, the float being located in the container and surrounding the inlet tube;
a first suction nozzle fluidly communicating with the container and with the suction source via a fluid flowpath when the container is received by the housing; and
a second suction nozzle interchangeable with the first suction nozzle.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A floor cleaning device (10) includes a housing (40) and a container (43) removably received by the housing. A suction nozzle (18, 18′, 18″) is fluidly connected with the container and with a suction source (52) when the container is received by the housing. A filter (114) is selectively fluidly connected with the container and with the suction source. A float (170) selectively closes the fluid connection of the filter with the container. The filter and the float may be removable as a unit (42) from the cleaning device. The nozzle may be removable, allowing an appropriate nozzle to be selected according to the type of floor surface to be cleaned.
39 Citations
51 Claims
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1. A cleaning device comprising:
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a housing; a container removably received by the housing, the container defining an inlet tube and an outlet; a suction source mounted on the housing and fluidly connected with the outlet of the container; an annular float which selectively closes the fluid flowpath, the float being located in the container and surrounding the inlet tube; a first suction nozzle fluidly communicating with the container and with the suction source via a fluid flowpath when the container is received by the housing; and a second suction nozzle interchangeable with the first suction nozzle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A cleaning device comprising:
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a housing; a container removably received by the housing, the container defining an inlet tube and an outlet; a suction source mounted on the housing and fluidly connected with the outlet of the container; an annular float which selectively closes the fluid flowpath, the float being located in the container and surrounding the inlet tube; and a filter receptacle which carries the filter, the filter including a plate which is moveable from a disengaged position to an engaged position in which the filter is locked to the filter receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A cleaning device comprising:
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a housing; a container removably received by the housing, the container defining an inlet and an outlet; a suction source fluidly connected with the outlet of the container; a suction nozzle fluidly communicating with the inlet of the container and with the suction source via a fluid flowpath when the container is received by the housing; a float and filter assembly comprising; a filter; a filter receptacle which receives the filter; a float which selectively closes the fluid flowpath, one of the float and the filter receptacle including an engagement member for engagement with the other of the float and the filter receptacle whereby the float is movable in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the container between a first position and a second position, the engagement member including a plurality of tangs. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A collection assembly for a surface cleaning device comprising:
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a container which comprises a compartment for receiving recovered cleaning fluid, an inlet tube through which the recovered fluid and entrained air enter the compartment, and an outlet; and a filter and float assembly carried by the container for filtering dirt from entrained air entering the container until a level of liquid in the container reaches a preselected level, the float surrounding the inlet tube, the filter and float assembly including a filter receptacle which carries a float and a filter, one of the filter receptacle and the float including an engagement member which engages the other of the filter receptacle and the float whereby the float is suspended from the filter receptacle during removal of the float and filter from the container. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A collection assembly for a surface cleaning device comprising:
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a container which comprises a compartment for receiving recovered cleaning fluid, an inlet tube through which the recovered fluid and entrained air enter the compartment, and an outlet; and a filter and float assembly carried by the container for filtering dirt from entrained air entering the container until a level of liquid in the container reaches a preselected level, the float surrounding the inlet tube, the filter and float assembly including a filter receptacle which carries a filter, the filter including a plate which is moveable between a disengaged position, in which the filter is removable from the filter receptacle, and an engaged position, in which the filter is locked to the filter receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method for cleaning a floor comprising:
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providing an upright cleaning device including a floor nozzle and an upper housing accommodating a container with a compartment for receiving recovered cleaning liquid, the container including an inlet tube, and a float and filter assembly carried by the container, the float and filter assembly including a filter receptacle which carries a float and a filter, one of the filter receptacle and the float including an engagement member which engages the other of the filter receptacle and the float; applying a cleaning liquid to the floor; suctioning cleaning liquid from the floor into the compartment through the inlet tube; closing a flowpath of entrained air between the compartment and the filter when a level of the dirty cleaning fluid causes the float to close, the float being guided between first and second positions in relation to the inlet tube, and removing the float and filter assembly from the container whereby the float is suspended from the filter receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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39. A cleaning device comprising:
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a base which includes an upper section; a handle assembly pivotally attached to the base; a container carried by said handle assembly for receiving dirt from a surface to be cleaned; a source of suction in fluid communication with the container; a suction nozzle carried by said base, the suction nozzle including an inlet for receiving dirt from the surface to be cleaned and an outlet; and
,an adjustment mechanism for moving the suction nozzle, relative to said upper section of said base, between a first position, in which the inlet is located adjacent the surface to be cleaned and a second position, in which the inlet is spaced from the surface, wherein the suction nozzle outlet is in fluid communication with the container and with the source of suction in both the first and second positions of the suction nozzle. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A cleaning device comprising:
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a base; a container carried by said base for receiving dirt from a surface to be cleaned; a source of suction in fluid communication with the container; a suction nozzle carried by said base, the suction nozzle including an inlet for receiving dirt from the surface to be cleaned and an outlet; an adjustment mechanism for moving the suction nozzle, relative to said base, between a first position, in which the inlet is located adjacent the surface to be cleaned and a second position, in which the inlet is spaced from the surface, wherein the suction nozzle outlet is in fluid communication with the container and with the source of suction in both the first and second positions of the suction nozzle; and
,a locking element for selectively securing the suction nozzle to the base, said locking element comprising a collar selectively rotatable in relation to a longitudinal axis of the suction nozzle.
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49. A cleaning device comprising:
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a base; a container carried by said base for receiving dirt from a surface to be cleaned; a source of suction in fluid communication with the container; a plurality of interchangeable suction nozzles configured for selective connection with the base, each of the suction nozzles including an inlet for receiving dirt from the surface to be cleaned and an outlet for connection with the base, and an adjustment mechanism mounted to said base for pivoting one of the plurality of suction nozzles, when connected to the base, relative to said base, between a first position, in which the inlet is located adjacent the surface to be cleaned, and a second position, in which the inlet is spaced from the surface. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51)
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Specification