Surface working apparatus

• US 8,267,607 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2004
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chem-Dry Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Harris Research, Inc.
• Inventors: Harris, Robert D.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HUYEN D
• Application Number:
  US11/000,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20050095053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,850 Days
• Field of Search: 401136-140, 401261-266, 152/101, 152/201
• US Class Current: 401/139
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/22 with liquid-feeding devices

Abstract

A surface working apparatus or cleaning implement that is useful in removing soils and other undesirable items from carpeting, hard flooring or any surface. More particularly, the present invention relates to a floor cleaning apparatus having a handle and an absorbent cleaning pad which is removably attached to a cleaning head and disposable after use. An aerosol canister is connected to the apparatus and a trigger is used to selectively dispense the contents of the canister in front of the cleaning head for cleaning the flooring. Various locking means are added to the floor cleaning tool to ensure proper floor chemical application.

Claims

1. A surface working apparatus, comprising:

a main shaft;

a handle coupled to the main shaft, and having a trigger mounted thereto;

a cleaning head coupled via a coupling device to one end of the main shaft in a fashion enabling contact with a surface to be cleaned, the cleaning head comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge;

a canister holder attached to the main shaft, and configured to hold a canister containing a cleaning solution, wherein a nozzle end of the canister is exposed through a front end of the canister holder; and

an actuator functionally coupled on one end of the trigger, and positioned at a front end of the canister holder on an opposite end, such that movement of the trigger is configured to functionally engage the actuator thus liberating the cleaning solution from the canister;

wherein the cleaning head includes a smooth concave bottom surface sufficiently long to create a gap between the cleaning head and the surface to be cleaned;

wherein the smooth concave bottom surface is flexible such that the gap is collapsed when a force is applied to the main shaft;

wherein the concave bottom surface is concave in a first direction across the bottom surface and substantially flat in a second direction across the bottom surface, the first direction being perpendicular to the second direction;

wherein in a surface cleaning position the main shaft extends upwardly behind and away from the coupling device at an angle with respect to a surface to be cleaned, the trailing edge is positioned beneath at least one of the main shaft and canister holder, and the leading edge is positioned in front of the coupling device such that the coupling device is positioned between the leading edge and trailing edge; and

wherein in the surface cleaning position, the canister holder is configured to position a substantial portion of the nozzle end of the canister in front of the leading edge of the cleaning head.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coupling device comprises a swivel device configured to couple the main shaft to the cleaning head, the apparatus further comprising a cleaning pad removably attached to the bottom surface of the cleaning head.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the main canister holder attaches to a top portion of the main shaft.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a canister positioned in the canister holder and configured to release the cleaning solution onto an area directly in front of the cleaning head.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the canister holder comprises a holding cavity, positioned along a length of the canister holder and configured to retain the canister therein.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the canister holder further comprises a bottom cavity positioned below the holding cavity, designed to receive and couple to the main shaft.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the canister holder further comprises a front end housing configured to protect a nozzle of the canister from accidental activation.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the front end housing further comprises a canister top mounting bracket and a support shelf designed to allow only certain canisters that have a matching canister top design.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the canister holder further comprises:

a releasable catch, positioned opposite the front end housing, having a retaining lip mounted thereon that is designed to releasably retain the canister upon being affixed within the holding cavity; and

a ramp, positioned on the holding cavity opposite the releasable catch, designed to securely hold a canister that has a rounded top portion.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a canister locking means, wherein the canister locking means comprises:

a ramp, positioned on the holding cavity opposite the releasable catch, designed to securely hold a canister that has a rounded top portion; and

a releasable catch, positioned opposite the front end housing, having a retaining lip mounted thereon that is designed to releasably retain the canister upon being affixed within the holding cavity, and a canister top mounting bracket and support shelf, both positioned opposite the releasable catch, and designed to allow only certain canisters that have a matching canister top design.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the canister holder further comprises a housing configured to protect the canister nozzle top from accidental actuation while mounted to the canister holder.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a cleaning pad, removably mounted to the cleaning head, designed to collect quantities of surface liquid and discoloring over time of use; and

a window, positioned on the cleaning head to allow a user to view relative amounts of discoloration of the cleaning pad during operation of the cleaning apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the cleaning head further comprises an attachment means, positioned on a bottom side of the cleaning head except where there is a window, and is positioned on a periphery of a top surface of the cleaning head, so that the cleaning pad may be coupled to the bottom side of the cleaning head and the top periphery of the cleaning head.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the attachment means is a hook-and-loop design.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a canister nozzle top configured to attach to the canister;

wherein;

the canister nozzle top further includes a keyed nozzle portion that has a particular shape; and

the canister holder further comprises a keyed holder portion that is a complement to the keyed nozzle portion, and is configured to ensure that only a canister with the keyed nozzle portion that complements the keyed holder portion is placed within the canister holder.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the canister nozzle top further comprises:

a base section;

a keyed wall section with a particular shape, both positioned on the base section; and

a keyed tab positioned on the base section and adjacent the keyed wall section, and positioned to form an angle with the keyed wall section.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the canister holder further includes:

a canister top mounting bracket, positioned so that the keyed wall outer surface juxtaposes the canister top mounting bracket when the canister is positioned within the canister holder; and

a support shelf, coupled to the canister top mounting bracket, and positioned so that the keyed tab juxtaposes the support shelf when the canister is positioned within the canister holder.

18. A method of working a surface, comprising:

providing a surface working tool;

selecting a canister containing a cleaning solution;

inserting the canister containing the cleaning solution into a canister holder mounted to the surface working tool;

attaching a disposable pad to a cleaning head of the surface working tool, the cleaning head comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge;

grasping a main shaft and handle of the surface cleaning tool and begin cleaning the surface, the main shaft being coupled to the cleaning head via a coupling device;

applying sufficient pressure to the cleaning head to cause a concave cavity located under the cleaning head to become sufficiently flat relative the surface, wherein the concave cavity is defined by a bottom surface that is concave in a first direction across the bottom surface and substantially flat in a second direction across the bottom surface, the first direction being perpendicular to the second direction; and

positioning the main shaft into a surface cleaning position, wherein in the surface cleaning position the main shaft extends upwardly behind and away from the coupling device at an angle with respect to the surface to be cleaned, the trailing edge is positioned beneath at least one of the main shaft and canister holder, the leading edge is positioned in front of the coupling device such that the coupling device is positioned between the leading edge and trailing edge, and the canister holder is configured to position a substantial portion of the nozzle end of the canister in front of the leading edge of the cleaning head;

while in the surface cleaning position, periodically actuating a trigger on the handle to release the appropriate solution from the appropriate canister so that appropriate solution is projected in front of the leading edge of the cleaning head mounted to the surface working tool.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

observing a window positioned on the cleaning head to determine the amount of discoloration of the cleaning pad mounted to the cleaning head;

rotating the cleaning head 180 degrees relative to a first cleaning position upon observing that sufficient discoloration has occurred; and

continue cleaning the surface with the rotated cleaning head so that the leading edge acts as a trailing edge and the trailing edge acts as a leading edge.

20. A surface working apparatus, comprising:

a main shaft;

a handle coupled to the main shaft, and having a trigger mounted thereto;

a cleaning head pivotally coupled via a swivel device to one end of the main shaft in a fashion enabling contact with a surface to be cleaned, the cleaning head comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge;

a canister holder attached to the main shaft, and configured to hold a canister containing a cleaning solution, wherein a nozzle end of the canister is exposed through a front end of the canister holder; and

an actuator functionally coupled on one end of the trigger, and positioned at a front end of the canister holder on an opposite end, such that movement of the trigger is configured to functionally engage the actuator thus liberating the cleaning solution from the canister;

wherein the swivel device enables the cleaning head to pivot in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction relative to the shaft;

wherein in a surface cleaning position the main shaft extends upwardly behind and away from the swivel device at an angle with respect to a surface to be cleaned, the trailing edge is positioned beneath at least one of the main shaft and canister holder, and the leading edge is positioned in front of the swivel device such that the swivel device is positioned between the leading edge and trailing edge; and

wherein in the surface cleaning position, the canister holder is configured to position a substantial portion of the nozzle end of the canister in front of the leading edge of the cleaning head.