Upright extracton cleaning machine with handle mounting

• US 6,401,294 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2001
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bissell Homecare, Inc. (Bissell Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bissell Homecare, Inc. (Bissell Inc.)
• Inventors: Kasper, Gary A.
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORE, CHRISTOPHER K
• Application Number:
  US09/864,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20010022010A1
• Time in Patent Office: 383 Days
• Field of Search: 153/20, 154/10
• US Class Current: 15/320
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/30 by suction
• 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 11/4044 Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4061 Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4083 Liquid supply reservoirs; Preparation of the agents, e.g. mixing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4088 Supply pumps; Spraying devices; Supply conduits
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/30 with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0036 specially adapted for holding the suction hose
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/49 Mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 2111/46 applying energy, e.g. irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/0031 Carpet, upholstery, fur or leather cleansers
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/39 Organic or inorganic per-compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3905 Bleach activators or bleach catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3917 Nitrogen-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3947 : Liquid compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 7/3254 : Esters or carbonates thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/54 : with pinion and rack
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/00 : Ohmic-resistance heating

Abstract

A portable surface cleaning apparatus including a base module for movement along a surface, an upright handle pivotally attached to the base module, a liquid dispensing system including a fluid supply chamber in the form of a bladder for holding a supply of cleaning fluid, a fluid recovery system including a tank on the base module having a fluid recovery chamber for holding recovered fluid and housing the flexible bladder, wherein the recovery chamber is in fluid communication with the fluid supply chamber and the pressure in the flexible bladder is equalized with the pressure in the tank as the cleaning fluid is dispensed from the supply chamber and the dirty liquid is collected in the recovery chamber. The base module includes upper and lower housing portions and the upright handle is pivotably mounted to the base module through at least one bearing for rotatable reception in the housing.

Claims

1. A portable surface cleaning apparatus, comprising:

a base module for movement along a surface and comprising a base housing having a rear portion;

the base housing including an upper housing portion and a lower housing portion which have arcuate surfaces that between them define sockets;

an upright handle having depending arms spanning the base housing, the arms having inner and outer sides, with the inner sides being adjacent the base housing, the inner sides of the arms having bearings which are rotatably received in the sockets defined by the arcuate surfaces of the upper and lower housing portions, for pivotally mounting the handle to the base housing;

a fluid recovery system comprising;

a tank having a fluid recovery chamber for holding recovered fluid;

a suction nozzle;

a working air conduit extending between the recovery chamber and the suction nozzle;

a vacuum source in fluid communication with the recovery chamber for generating a flow of working air from the nozzle through the working air conduit and through the recovery chamber to thereby draw dirty liquid from the surface to be cleaned through the nozzle and working air conduit and into the recovery chamber; and

a liquid dispensing system comprising;

a liquid dispensing nozzle associated with the base module for applying liquid to a surface to be cleaned;

a fluid supply chamber for holding a predetermined amount of cleaning fluid; and

a fluid supply conduit fluidly connected to the fluid supply chamber and to the dispensing nozzle for supplying liquid to the dispensing nozzle.

2. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the bearings are formed integrally with the arms.

3. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the arcuate surfaces are formed by sidewalls of the upper and lower housing portions.

4. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 2 and further comprising:

each bearing having an axis about which the handle pivots with respect to the base housing;

an axle mounted to each of the bearings and coaxial with respect to the axis of the bearings; and

a wheel rotatably mounted to each of the axles.

5. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the bearings have a large diameter relative to the axles.

6. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the arcuate surfaces are formed by sidewalls of the upper and lower housing portions.

7. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each bearing has a circumferential slot in which the arcuate surfaces are received.

15. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the suction nozzle is mounted on the base module.

8. A portable surface cleaning apparatus, comprising:

a base module for movement along a surface and comprising a housing having a rear portion;

the housing including an upper housing portion and a lower housing portion;

an upright handle pivotally attached to the rear portion of the base module and including a lower portion having a bearing for rotatable reception in the housing;

a fluid recovery system comprising;

a tank on the base module having a fluid recovery chamber for holding recovered fluid;

a suction nozzle;

a working air conduit extending between the recovery chamber and the suction nozzle;

a vacuum source in fluid communication with the recovery chamber for generating a flow of working air from the nozzle through the working air conduit and through the recovery chamber to thereby draw dirty liquid from the surface to be cleaned through the nozzle and working air conduit, and into the recovery chamber;

a liquid dispensing system comprising;

a liquid dispensing nozzle associated with the base module for applying liquid to a surface to be cleaned;

a fluid supply chamber for holding a predetermined amount of cleaning fluid;

a fluid supply conduit fluidly connected to the fluid supply chamber and to the dispensing nozzle for supplying liquid to the dispensing nozzle;

the improvement comprising a socket formed between the upper and lower housing portions for rotatably receiving the bearing.

9. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the bearing is formed integrally with the lower portion of the upright handle.

10. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the socket is formed by arcuate surfaces in sidewalls of the upper and lower housing portions.

11. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the socket is formed by arcuate surfaces in sidewalls of the upper and lower housing portions.

12. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the bearing has a circumferential slot in which the arcuate surfaces are received.

13. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 12 wherein wheels are mounted to the base module housing rear portion through axles and the bearing has a diameter substantially larger than the diameter of the axles.

14. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the suction nozzle is mounted on the base module.