Air and liquid separator for a carpet extractor

• US 6,368,373 B1
• Filed: 06/02/2000
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Healthy Gain Investments Limited
• Original Assignee: Hoover Company (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Inventors: Mueller, David G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hopkins, Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US09/587,029
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 554/43, 554/44, 55D/IG.3, 153/50, 153/53
• US Class Current: 55/443
• 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 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
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/102 Dust separators cyclones A47L9/16
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 45/08 by impingement against baffle separators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/03 Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

An air/liquid separator is disclosed that is formed by a recovery tank having a hollow, preferably transparent, removable lid on a recovery tank of a wet pickup suction cleaner. The lid has a wall therein dividing the lid into an inlet/separating chamber and an exit chamber. Liquid and dirt entrained working air enters the inlet chamber and flows horizontally across the inlet chamber over a discharge opening passing through the lid bottom plate, such that the stream of dirty liquid and air is redirected downward through the discharge openings into the recovery tank by a pair of ribs in the inlet chamber. The exit chamber fluidly communicates with the interior of the recovery tank through an exit opening passing through the lid bottom plate. A vacuum is preferably drawn upon the exit chamber by an electric fan for providing the required working air flow through the combined air/liquid separator.

Claims

1. An air and liquid separator comprising:

a separation chamber formed between a pair of side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall, said separation chamber having an input end for receiving a stream of liquid-laden air and an outlet end;

a first rib extending inwardly from one of the side walls of the separation chamber adjacent to the outlet end thereof; and

wherein the first rib and an inwardly extending wall form a corner in the one of the side walls of the separation chamber for receiving a portion of the liquid-laden air.

2. A The air and liquid separator defined in claim 1 in which an outlet opening is formed in the outlet end of the separation chamber.

3. The air and liquid separator defined in claim 2 in which at least a portion of the first rib extends over the outlet opening.

4. The air and liquid separator defined in claim 2 further including a second rib positioned within the separation chamber between the first rib and the input end.

5. The air and liquid separator defined in claim 4 in which the second rib extends angularly relative to the stream of liquid-laden air.

6. The air and liquid separator defined in claim 4 further including a third rib positioned within the separation chamber between the first rib and the second rib.

7. The air and liquid separator defined in claim 6 in which the third rib extends angularly relative to the stream of liquid-laden air.

8. An air and liquid separator comprising:

a separation chamber formed between a pair of side walls, a top wall and a

bottom wall, said separation chamber having an input end for receiving a stream of liquid-laden air and an outlet end;

a first rib extending inwardly from one of the side walls of the separation chamber adjacent to the outlet end thereof;

an outlet opening formed in the outlet end of the separation chamber; and

a baffle extending downwardly from a peripheral edge of the outlet opening for directing a portion of the liquid separated within the separation chamber.

9. The air and liquid separator defined in claim 8 in which at least a portion of the first rib extends over the outlet opening.

10. The air and liquid separator defined in claim 8 further including a second rib positioned within the separation chamber between the first rib and the input end.

11. The air and liquid separator defined in claim 10 in which the second rib extends angularly relative to the stream of liquid-laden air.

12. The air and liquid separator defined in claim 10 further including a third rib positioned within the separation chamber between the first rib and the second rib.

13. The air and liquid separator defined in claim 12 in which the third rib extends angularly relative to the stream of liquid-laden air.

14. An air and liquid separator comprising:

a separation chamber formed between a pair of side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall, said separation chamber having an input end for receiving a stream of liquid-laden air and an outlet end;

a first rib extending inwardly from one of the side walls of the separation chamber adjacent to the outlet end thereof;

an outlet opening formed in the outlet end of the separation chamber;

a second rib positioned within the separation chamber between the first rib and the input end;

a third rib positioned within the separation chamber between the first rib and the second rib; and

at least a portion of the second and third ribs extends over the outlet opening.

15. An air and liquid separator comprising:

an elongated separation chamber formed between a pair of side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall, said separation chamber having an input end for receiving a stream of liquid-laden air and an outlet end;

an arcuate wall formed at the outlet end of the separation chamber;

a first rib extending inwardly from one of the side walls of the separation chamber adjacent to the outlet end thereof; and

wherein the first rib and an inwardly extending wall form a corner in the one of the side walls of the separation chamber for receiving a portion of the liquid-laden air.

16. The air and liquid separator defined in claim 15 in which an outlet opening is formed in the outlet end of the separation chamber.

17. The air and liquid separator defined in claim 16 in which at least a portion of the first rib extends over the outlet opening.

18. The air and liquid separator defined in claim 16 further including a second rib positioned within the separation chamber between the first rib and the input end.

19. The air and liquid separator defined in claim 18 in which the second rib extends angularly relative to the stream of liquid-laden air.

20. The air and liquid separator defined in claim 18 further including a third rib positioned within the separation chamber between the first rib and the second rib.

21. The air and liquid separator defined in claim 20 in which the third rib extends angularly relative to the stream of liquid-laden air.

22. An air and liquid separator comprising:

an elongated separation chamber formed between a pair of side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall, said separation chamber having an input end for receiving a stream of liquid-laden air and an outlet end;

an arcuate wall formed at the outlet end of the separation chamber;

a first rib extending inwardly from one of the side walls of the separation chamber adjacent to the outlet end thereof;

an outlet opening formed in the outlet end of the separation chamber; and

a baffle extending downwardly from a peripheral edge of the outlet opening for directing a portion of the liquid separated within the separation chamber.

23. An air and liquid separator comprising:

an elongated separation chamber formed between a pair of side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall, said separation chamber having an input end for receiving a stream of liquid-laden air and an outlet end;

an arcuate wall formed at the outlet end of the separation chamber;

a first rib extending inwardly from one of the side walls of the separation chamber adjacent to the outlet end thereof;

an outlet opening formed in the outlet end of the separation chamber;

a second rib positioned within the separation chamber between the first rib and the input end;

a third rib positioned within the separation chamber between the first rib and the second rib; and

at least a portion of the second and third ribs extends over the outlet opening.

24. An air and liquid separator comprising:

an elongated separation chamber formed between a pair of side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall, said separation chamber having an input end for receiving a stream of liquid-laden air and an outlet end;

an arcuate wall formed at the outlet end of the separation chamber;

a first rib extending inwardly from one of the side walls of the separation chamber adjacent to the outlet end thereof;

an outlet opening formed in the outlet end of the separation chamber;

a second rib positioned within the separation chamber between the first rib and the input end;

a third rib positioned within the separation chamber between the first rib and the second rib; and

the second and third ribs deflect the stream of liquid-laden air into one side of the first rib and the arcuate wall deflects the stream of liquid-laden air into the other side of the first rib.

25. A separator for separating a liquid from a stream of liquid-laden air, said separator comprising:

a separation chamber formed between a pair of side walls and having an inlet opening through which the stream of liquid-laden air enters said separation chamber and an outlet opening;

a first rib extending inwardly from one of the side walls of the separation chamber adjacent to the outlet end thereof;

an outlet opening formed in the outlet end of the separation chamber;

a second rib positioned within the separation chamber between the first rib and the input end;

a third rib positioned within the separation chamber between the first rib and the second rib; and

wherein the second and third ribs have a height which is less than the height of the first rib.

26. An air and liquid separator comprising:

an elongated separation chamber formed between a pair of side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall, said separation chamber having an input end for receiving a stream of liquid-laden air and an outlet end;

an arcuate wall formed at the outlet end of the separation chamber;

a first rib extending inwardly from one of the side walls of the separation chamber adjacent to the outlet end thereof;

an outlet opening formed in the outlet end of the separation chamber;

a second rib positioned within the separation chamber between the first rib and the input end;

a third rib positioned within the separation chamber between the first rib and the second rib; and

the second and third ribs deflect the stream of liquid-laden air into one side of the first rib and the arcuate wall deflects the stream of liquid-laden air into the other side of the first rib.