Carpet extractor with dual nozzles for dual brushrolls

• US 20030024065A1
• Filed: 09/30/2002
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Royal Appliance Manufacturing Company (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Royal Appliance Manufacturing Company (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Kalman, Jeffrey M., Saunders, Craig M., Zahuranec, Terry L., Cipolla, Mark E., Salo, Robert A., Latimer, Brett, Tiller, Wallace D. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 6,721,990 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/320
• 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 11/4016 specially adapted for collecting fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/32 with means for connecting a hose hose couplings for suction cleaners A47L9/24
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0009 with means mounted on the nozzle; nozzles specially adapted for the recovery of liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0028 Security means, e.g. float valves or level switches for preventing overflow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0038 with means for emptying the tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0042 Gaskets; Sealing means

Abstract

A carpet extractor includes a base assembly 1 including a housing 10 which selectively receives a recovery tank 22 for collecting dirty cleaning fluid. A nozzle assembly 67 is mounted to the base housing and provides a fluid flowpath 182 for dirty cleaning fluid from the floor surface to the recovery tank. The nozzle assembly is pivotable from a first position, in which the fluid flowpath communicates with the recovery tank, to a second position, in which the nozzle assembly is spaced from the recovery tank to allow the recovery tank to be removed from the base housing. A second flowpath 138 is formed on the recovery tank between the tank and a nozzle plate 136. The flowpaths have openings 218, 140, respectively, at their lower ends, which are located either side of two longitudinally spaced brushrolls 60, 62. A flap valve 474 selectively closes both flowpaths during above floor cleaning.

Claims

1. A carpet extractor of the type which applies a cleaning fluid to a floor surface and vacuums dirty cleaning fluid, the carpet extractor comprising:

a base housing;

a recovery tank, selectively mounted on the base housing, for collecting the dirty cleaning fluid; and

a nozzle assembly, mounted to the base housing, which provides a fluid flowpath for dirty cleaning fluid from the floor surface to the recovery tank, the nozzle assembly being movable from a first position, in which the fluid flowpath communicates with the recovery tank, to a second position, in which the fluid flowpath is spaced from the recovery tank to allow the recovery tank to be removed from the base housing.

2. The carpet extractor of claim 1, wherein in the first position, the nozzle assembly is overlies at least a portion of the recovery tank.

3. The carpet extractor of claim 1, wherein the nozzle assembly is pivotally connected to a forward end of the base housing and pivots between the first position and the second position.

4. The carpet extractor of claim 3, wherein the nozzle assembly includes flanges which engage hooks on the base housing, the flanges pivoting around the hooks.

5. The carpet extractor of claim 4, wherein the flanges and hooks are disengageable to allow the nozzle assembly to be completely separated from the base housing.

6. The carpet extractor of claim 1, further including:

a second fluid flowpath for dirty cleaning fluid from the floor surface to the recovery tank.

7. The carpet extractor of claim 6, wherein the second fluid flowpath is defined between an outer surface of the recovery tank and a nozzle plate, the nozzle plate being connected to the recovery tank.

8. The carpet extractor of claim 6, wherein the first fluid flowpath and second fluid flowpath meet adjacent an inlet to the recovery tank so that the dirty cleaning fluid in the first flowpath and the dirty fluid in the second flowpath enter the recovery tank as a single stream.

9. The carpet extractor of claim 8, further including:

a valve which selectively at least partially closes both the first flowpath and the second flowpath when the carpet cleaner is to be used for above floor cleaning; and

an above floor cleaning tool having a vacuum hose which is selectively fluidly connectable with the recovery tank.

10. The carpet extractor of claim 9, wherein the valve is a flap valve which only partially closes the first flowpath and the second flowpath, the flap valve including an aperture through which dirty cleaning fluid may be drawn through the first and second flowpaths even when the valve is closed.

11. The carpet extractor of claim 1, further including:

an above floor cleaning tool having a vacuum hose for carrying dirty cleaning fluid from a surface being cleaned with the tool; and

wherein the nozzle assembly defines an accessory opening for receiving a fitting on the vacuum hose, the accessory opening communicating with the recovery tank.

12. The carpet extractor of claim 11, wherein the accessory opening is longitudinally spaced from an inlet to the recovery tank, the nozzle assembly providing a baffle wall between the accessory opening and the recovery tank inlet which serves to deflect the incoming dirty fluid.

13. The carpet extractor of claim 1, wherein the recovery tank includes a slot which selectively receives a filter for filtering air of residual dirt before the air exits the recovery tank.

14. The extractor of claim 1, further including a vacuum source, mounted on the base housing, which draws a vacuum on the recovery tank.

15. The extractor of claim 1, further including a latch, mounted to the base housing, the latch engaging the nozzle assembly in the first position.

16. The extractor of claim 15, wherein the engagement of the latch with the nozzle assembly locks the recovery tank to the base housing.

17. The extractor of claim 6, further including first and second longitudinally spaced agitators for agitating the floor surface during cleaning, the first and second flowpaths defining nozzle openings one adjacent each agitator.

18. A carpet extractor of the type which applies a cleaning fluid to a floor surface and vacuums dirty cleaning fluid, the carpet extractor comprising:

a base housing;

a recovery tank, selectively mounted on the base housing, for collecting the dirty cleaning fluid;

a nozzle assembly, mounted to the base housing, which provides a first fluid flowpath for dirty cleaning fluid from the floor surface to the recovery tank, the nozzle assembly also providing a second fluid flowpath for dirty cleaning fluid from an associated above floor cleaning tool; and

a valve which selectively at least partially closes the first fluid flowpath.

19. The carpet extractor of claim 18, further including a lid which selectively closes the second fluid flowpath.

20. The carpet extractor of claim 18, wherein the recovery tank defines a third flowpath for dirty cleaning fluid from the floor surface to the recovery tank.

21. A method for cleaning a floor surface comprising:

mounting a recovery tank to a base housing;

pivoting a nozzle assembly mounted to the base housing to a position in which a fluid flowpath defined within the nozzle assembly fluidly communicates with the recovery tank; and

drawing a vacuum on the recovery tank to draw dirty cleaning fluid through the fluid flowpath and into the recovery tank.

22. The method of claim 21, further including:

at least partially closing the fluid flowpath; and

fluidly connecting a vacuum hose of an above floor accessory tool with the recovery tank.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of pivoting includes:

engaging a projection on a lower end of the nozzle assembly with the floor surface, thereby raising brushrolls mounted to the base housing away from the floor surface.