Powered cleaner/polisher

• US 7,565,712 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2007
• Issued: 07/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Inventors: Long, David C., Wietfeldt, John R., Paas, Edward L.
• Primary Examiner(s): KARLS, SHAY LYNN
• Application Number:
  US11/903,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20080029134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 15/4, 15/221, 15/222, 15/24, 15/29, 15/971, 15/98, 15/491, 15/501, 15/502, 15/522
• US Class Current: 15/22.2
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/065 with supply of cleaning agents
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/284 having reciprocating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4005 Arrangements of batteries or cells; Electric power supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4036 Parts or details of the surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4069 Driving or transmission means for the cleaning tools

Abstract

A motorized cleaning/polishing device includes a housing and a carrier with a detachable cleaning/polishing attachment. The housing contains a rechargeable battery, motor and flex mount having flexible pillars to which the carrier is mounted. The carrier is also coupled to the motor drive shaft via an eccentric element and bearing. The carrier may have a foam layer with hook fasteners adhered to its underside for removably attaching any one of various attachments to the carrier. Cleanser is impregnated in the attachment. The device is particularly suited to orbit in the 3000 to 10,000 OPM range.

Claims

1. A portable powered cleaning device, comprising:

a housing;

a motor mounted in the housing so that a drive shaft of the motor extends adjacent a bottom opening of the housing;

a rechargeable battery disposed in the housing for powering the motor;

a carrier coupled to the drive shaft through the bottom opening and mounted to the housing so as to reciprocate with respect to the housing when the drive shaft is moved;

a cleaning attachment removably attached to the carrier by a hook and loop fastener connection so as to also reciprocate with respect to the housing at least 3,000 cycles per minute when the drive shaft is moved;

a power switch positioned on a front surface of the housing, electrically coupled between the battery and the motor; and

an interrupt switch electrically coupled between the power switch and the battery such that when the carrier is reciprocating with respect to the housing and the interrupt switch is caused to cease to be pressed this cessation of pressing will result in the carrier not reciprocating relative to the housing;

wherein the device can be operated such that the cleaning attachment moves in a non-circular orbital path, and such that the device delivers a liquid cleanser to a surface that the device is used on; and

wherein the interrupt switch is positioned on a top surface of the housing of the device so as to be depressible by virtue of a hand being placed on the top surface of the housing.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the cleaning attachment is made of a polymeric material, and the liquid cleanser comprises a surfactant.

3. The portable powered cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the carrier includes a substantially rigid body coupled to the drive shaft by a bearing having an outer race fixed with respect to the carrier.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the carrier further includes a plate attached to a bottom side of the carrier.