Bare floor cleaner

• US 7,685,671 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2004
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bissell Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bissell Homecare, Inc. (Bissell Inc.)
• Inventors: Jansen, John L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomas; David B
• Application Number:
  US10/595,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20080189901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,048 Days
• Field of Search: 153/20, 153/22, 153/28, 153/31, 153/34, 153/87, 153/39
• US Class Current: 15/328
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0028 Security means, e.g. float valves or level switches for preventing overflow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0042 Gaskets; Sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/02 Nozzles suction nozzles for fluid transport B65G51/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/04 with driven brushes or agitators
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/06 with fixed, e.g. adjustably fixed brushes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0653 with mechanical actuation, e.g. using a lever
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0666 with tilting, floating or similarly arranged brushes, combs, lips or pads
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0673 with removable brushes, combs, lips or pads
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/325 for wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle

Abstract

A bare floor cleaner for wet and dry bare floor surfaces comprises a base with wet and dry suction nozzles and a handle pivotally connected to the base. A diverter mounted in the working air conduit between each of the dry suction nozzle and the wet suction nozzle to a recovery tank is movable by movement of the handle between a dry suction position and a wet suction position for selectively at least partially blocking working air flow from the wet suction nozzle and the dry suction nozzle, respectively, to the recovery tank.

Claims

1. A wet/dry bare floor cleaner comprising:

a base;

a handle pivotally connected to the base;

a recovery system comprising;

a wet suction nozzle;

a dry suction nozzle;

a recovery tank for receiving wet and dry debris;

a working air conduit extending from each of the dry suction nozzle and the wet suction nozzle to the recovery tank;

a motor/fan assembly mounted to one of the handle and the base and adapted to create a working air flow in the working air conduit from at least one of the dry suction nozzle and the wet nozzle and to the recovery tank; and

a diverter mounted in the working air conduit, movable between a dry suction position and a wet suction position for selectively at least partially blocking working air flow from the wet suction nozzle and the dry suction nozzle, respectively, to the recovery tank, and coupled to the handle such that movement of the handle moves the diverter between the dry suction position and the wet suction position.

2. The wet/dry bare floor cleaner according to claim 1 and further comprising an agitator mounted to the base for vertical movement between a lowered position in contact with the surface to be cleaned and a raised position above the surface to be cleaned for selectively agitating the surface to be cleaned.

3. The wet/dry bare floor cleaner according to claim 2 and further comprising a connector between the agitator and the diverter for moving the agitator between the lowered position and the raised position as the diverter moves between the wet suction position and the dry suction position.

4. A wet/dry bare floor cleaner comprising:

a base;

a handle pivotally connected to the base;

a recovery system comprising;

a wet suction nozzle;

a dry suction nozzle;

a recovery tank for receiving wet and dry debris;

a working air conduit extending from each of the dry suction nozzle and the wet suction nozzle to the recovery tank;

a motor/fan assembly mounted to one of the handle and the base and adapted to create a working air flow in the working air conduit from at least one of the dry suction nozzle and the wet nozzle and to the recovery tank;

a diverter mounted in the working air conduit and movable between a dry suction position and a wet suction position for selectively at least partially blocking working air flow from the wet suction nozzle and the dry suction nozzle, respectively, to the recovery tank; and

an actuator mounted to the handle and connected to the diverter to move the diverter between the dry suction position and the wet suction position and including a connector between the handle and the diverter so that the diverter moves between the dry suction position and the wet suction position as the handle rotates between a dry suction position and a wet suction position.

5. The wet/dry bare floor cleaner according to claim 4 wherein when the handle is in the dry suction position, the handle is pivoted towards the wet suction nozzle.

6. The wet/dry bare floor cleaner according to claim 5 wherein when the handle is in the wet suction position, the handle is pivoted towards the dry suction nozzle.

7. The wet/dry bare floor cleaner according to claim 6, wherein the base has opposite end portions, and the dry suction nozzle and the wet suction nozzle are respectively positioned at the opposite end portions of the base.

8. The wet/dry bare floor cleaner according to claim 4 wherein when the handle is in the wet suction position, it overlies one end of the base, and when it is in the dry suction position, it overlies another end of the base.

9. The wet/dry bare floor cleaner according to claim 4 wherein when the handle is in the wet suction position, the handle is pivoted towards the dry suction nozzle.

10. The wet/dry bare floor cleaner according to claim 4 wherein the diverter comprises a cylindrical barrel with an inlet at one side wall portion and an outlet at another side wall portion.

11. The wet/dry bare floor cleaner according to claim 10, wherein the diverter includes a conduit forming the outlet of the cylindrical barrel, and the handle is mounted to the conduit.

12. The wet/dry bare floor cleaner according to claim 11, wherein the conduit forms the connector between the handle and the diverter.

13. The wet/dry bare floor cleaner according to claim 10, wherein the cylindrical barrel is pivotally mounted in the base.

14. The wet/dry bare floor cleaner according to claim 4 and further comprising an agitator mounted to the base for vertical movement between a lowered position in contact with the surface to be cleaned and a raised position above the surface to be cleaned for selectively agitating the surface to be cleaned.

15. The wet/dry bare floor cleaner according to claim 14 and further comprising a connector between the agitator and the diverter for moving the agitator between the lowered and raised positions.

16. The wet/dry bare floor cleaner according to claim 15, wherein the agitator is a brush that is movably mounted to the base for scrubbing the surface to be cleaned.

17. The wet/dry bare floor cleaner according to claim 16 wherein the brush is mounted to the base for rotation about a vertical axis;

and further comprising a motor for driving rotational movement of the brush with respect to the base.

18. The wet/dry bare floor cleaner according to claim 14, wherein the agitator is a brush comprising a first set of bristles and a second set of bristles wherein the first bristles are longer than the second bristles and are softer than the second bristles.

19. The wet/dry bare floor cleaner according to claim 18, wherein the first and second sets of bristles are in alternating juxtaposed rows in the brush.

20. The wet/dry bare floor cleaner according to claim 4 and further comprising a fluid delivery system including:

a fluid tank;

a fluid distributor for dispensing fluid onto a surface to be cleaned; and

a fluid distribution conduit between the fluid tank and the fluid distributor.