Chemical dispenser for a hard floor surface cleaner

• US 6,671,925 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2002
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tennant Company
• Original Assignee: Tennant Company
• Inventors: Pouliot, Joseph L., McHugh, Daniel J., Field, Bruce F., Krueger, Joseph K., Joynt, Daniel L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Till, Terrence R.
• Application Number:
  US10/152,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20030019070A1
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 153/20, 153/401, 153/402, 153/403, 153/404, 222/82, 222/88, 222/95, 222/105, 222/136, 222/145.5, 222/145.6, 222/145.7, 222/190, 222/630
• US Class Current: 15/320
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/03 characterised by having provisions for supplying cleaning or polishing agents A47L11/065, A47L11/085, A47L11/125, A47L11/145, A47L11/161, A47L11/1625, A47L11/185, A47L11/201 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/30 by suction
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/302 having rotary tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/305 the tools being disc brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4011 Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4016 specially adapted for collecting fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4038 Disk shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4044 Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees
• 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: B01F 23/291 for obtaining foams or aerosols

Abstract

A chemical dispenser for use in a hard floor surface cleaner includes a supply of cleaning agent and a flow control device. The flow control device is fluidically coupled to the supply of cleaning agent and includes an output flow of cleaning agent therethrough having a flow rate that is substantially independent of a volume of the supply of cleaning agent.

Claims

1. A chemical dispenser for use in a hard floor surface cleaner comprising:

a supply of cleaning agent; and

a flow control device fluidically coupled to the supply of cleaning agent including a flow restriction member having an upstream high pressure inlet and a downstream low pressure outlet and configured to restrict an output flow of the cleaning agent therethrough to less than 10 cubic centimeters per minute.

2. The chemical dispenser of claim 1, wherein the output flow of cleaning agent is restricted to less than 5.0 cubic centimeters per minute.

3. The chemical dispenser of claim 1, wherein the flow control device includes a pump configured to drive the output flow of cleaning agent through the flow restriction member.

4. The chemical dispenser of claim 3 including a controller having a control signal, the pump electrically coupled to the control signal and configured to drive the output flow of cleaning agent in response thereto.

5. The chemical dispenser of claim 4, wherein the control signal is a pulsed signal.

6. The chemical dispenser of claim 4, wherein the pump is powered by the control signal.

7. The chemical dispenser of claim 3, wherein the pump is a solenoid pump.

8. The chemical dispenser of claim 1, wherein the flow restriction member includes a labyrinthine fluid flow path through which the output flow of cleaning agent travels.

9. The chemical dispenser of claim 1, wherein the flow control device includes a vacuum generating component adjacent the outlet of the flow restriction member.

10. The chemical dispenser of claim 9, wherein the vacuum generating component includes an orifice plate in line with a fluid flow path of a primary cleaning liquid component.

11. The chemical dispenser of claim 1, wherein the cleaning agent includes an anionic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, and/or a cationic surfactant.

12. The chemical dispenser of claim 11, wherein the cleaning agent is in a concentrated form.

13. The chemical dispenser of claim 11, wherein the cleaning agent is approximately 38% solids.

14. The chemical dispenser of claim 1, including a cleaner cartridge comprising:

a collapsible bag having an interior cavity in which the supply of cleaning agent is contained; and

conduit having a first end fluidically coupled to the interior cavity and a second end connectable to an inlet of the flow restriction member.

15. The chemical dispenser of claim 1, wherein the output flow of the cleaning agent is restricted to less than 2.0 cubic centimeters per minute.

16. A chemical dispenser for use in a hard floor surface cleaner, the hard floor surface cleaner including a primary cleaning liquid component dispenser configured to provide an output flow of primary cleaning liquid component, the chemical dispenser comprising:

a supply of cleaning agent;

a flow control device fluidically coupled to the supply of cleaning agent and including a flow restriction member having an upstream high pressure inlet and a downstream low pressure outlet and adapted to restrict an output flow of the cleaning agent therethrough; and

a fluid mixing member adapted to combine the output flows of cleaning agent and primary cleaning liquid component to form an output flow of cleaning liquid.

17. The chemical dispenser of claim 16, wherein the output flow of cleaning agent is restricted to less than 10 cubic centimeters per minute.

18. The chemical dispenser of claim 16, wherein the flow control device includes a pump configured to drive the output flow of cleaning agent through the flow restriction member.

19. The chemical dispenser of claim 18 including a controller having a control signal, the pump electrically coupled to the control signal and configured to drive the output flow of cleaning agent in response thereto.

20. The chemical dispenser of claim 19, wherein the control signal is a pulsed signal.

21. The chemical dispenser of claim 19, wherein the pump is powered by the control signal.

22. The chemical dispenser of claim 18, wherein the pump is a solenoid pump.

23. The chemical dispenser of claim 16, wherein the flow restriction member includes a labyrinthine fluid flow path through which the output flow of cleaning agent travels.

24. The chemical dispenser of claim 16, wherein the flow control device includes a vacuum generating component adjacent the outlet of the flow restriction member.

25. The chemical dispenser of claim 24, wherein the vacuum generating component includes an orifice plate in line with a fluid flow path of a primary cleaning liquid component.

26. The chemical dispenser of claim 16, wherein the cleaning agent includes an anionic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, and/or a cationic surfactant.

27. The chemical dispenser of claim 26, wherein the cleaning agent is in a concentrated form.

28. The chemical dispenser of claim 26, wherein the cleaning agent is approximately 38% solids.

29. The chemical dispenser of claim 16, including a cleaner cartridge comprising:

a collapsible bag having an interior cavity in which the supply of cleaning agent is contained; and

conduit having a first end fluidically coupled to the interior cavity and a second end coupled to the chemical dispenser.

30. A chemical dispenser for use in a hard floor surface cleaner, the hard floor surface cleaner including a primary cleaning liquid component dispenser configured to provide an output flow of primary cleaning liquid component, the chemical dispenser comprising:

a plurality of cleaning agent supplies;

a plurality of flow control devices, each fluidically coupled to one of the cleaning agent supplies and including a flow restriction member having an upstream high pressure inlet and a downstream low pressure outlet and configured to restrict an output flow of the corresponding cleaning agent therethrough; and

a fluid mixing member configured to selectively combine at least one of the output flows of the cleaning agent with the output flow of primary cleaning liquid component to form an output flow of cleaning liquid.

31. The chemical dispenser of claim 30, wherein at least one of the output flows of cleaning agent is restricted to less than 10 cubic centimeters per minute.

32. The chemical dispenser of claim 30, wherein at least one of the flow control devices includes a pump configured to drive the output flow of cleaning agent through the corresponding flow restriction member.

33. The chemical dispenser of claim 32, including a controller having a control signal, the pump electrically coupled to the control signal and configured to drive the output flow of cleaning agent in response thereto.

34. The chemical dispenser of claim 33, wherein the control signal is a pulsed signal.

35. The chemical dispenser of claim 33, wherein the pump is powered by the control signal.

36. The chemical dispenser of claim 32, wherein the pump is a solenoid pump.

37. The chemical dispenser of claim 30, wherein at least one of the flow restriction members includes a labyrinthine fluid flow path through which the output flow of cleaning agent travels.

38. The chemical dispenser of claim 30, wherein at least one of the flow control devices includes a vacuum generating component adjacent the outlet of the corresponding flow restriction member.

39. The chemical dispenser of claim 38, wherein the vacuum generating component includes an orifice plate in line with a fluid flow path of the primary cleaning liquid component.

40. The chemical dispenser of claim 30, wherein at least one of the cleaning agents includes an anionic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, and/or a cationic surfactant.

41. The chemical dispenser of claim 30, wherein at least one of the cleaning agents is in a concentrated form.

42.The chemical dispenser of claim 41, wherein the concentrated cleaning agent is approximately 38% solids.

42. The chemical dispenser of claim 30, including at least one cleaner cartridge comprising:

a collapsible bag having an interior cavity in which one of the supplies of cleaning agent is contained; and

conduit having a first end fluidically coupled to the interior cavity and a second end connected to an inlet of one of the flow control devices.

43. The chemical dispenser of claim 30, including a plurality of cleaner cartridges each comprising:

a container having an interior cavity in which one of the supplies of cleaning agent is contained; and

conduit having a first and fluidically coupled to the interior cavity and a second end connected to an inlet of one of the flow control devices.

44. A hard floor surface cleaner including the chemical dispenser of claim 30.

45. A hard floor surface cleaner comprising:

a supply of cleaning agent;

a primary cleaning liquid component dispenser configured to provide an output flow of primary cleaning liquid component;

a chemical dispenser comprising;

an inlet fluidically coupled to the supply of cleaning agent;

a flow control device fluidically coupled to the inlet and including a flow restriction member having an upstream high pressure side adjacent the inlet and a downstream low pressure outlet and configured to restrict an output flow of the cleaning agent therethrough; and

a fluid mixing member configured to receive the output flows of the cleaning agent and the primary cleaning liquid component, the fluid mixing member adapted to provide an output flow of cleaning liquid, which is a combination of the cleaning agent and the primary cleaning liquid component.

46. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 46, wherein the output flow of cleaning agent is restricted to less than 10 cubic centimeters per minute.

47. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 46, wherein the flow control device includes a pump configured to drive the output flow of cleaning agent through the flow restriction member.

52. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 46, wherein the flow restriction member includes a labyrinthine fluid flow path through which the output flow of cleaning agent travels.

53. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 46, wherein the flow control member includes a vacuum generating component adjacent the outlet of the flow restriction member.

55. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 46, wherein the cleaning agent is in a concentrated form.

57. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 46, wherein the cleaning agent includes an anionic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, and/or a cationic surfactant.

58. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 46, wherein a ratio of the output flow of cleaning agent to the output flow of primary cleaning liquid component is approximately 1:

1000.

59. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 46, wherein the primary liquid component dispenser includes:

a supply of primary cleaning liquid component;

fluid conduit in fluid communication with the supply of primary cleaning liquid component;

a pump configured to drive the output flow of primary cleaning liquid component through the conduit; and

a flow restriction member generating a pressure drop in the conduit to restrict the output flow of the primary cleaning liquid component therethrough.

60. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 46, including:

an aerator configured to receive the output flow of cleaning liquid and convert the cleaning liquid to a foam-like aerated cleaning liquid;

a fluid distributor directing the foam-like aerated cleaning liquid onto a hard floor surface;

a scrubbing member engaging the hard floor surface and the foam-like aerated cleaning liquid; and

a fluid recovery device downstream of the scrubbing member, the fluid recovery device removing at least a portion of the foam-like aerated cleaning liquid from the hard floor surface.

61. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 46, including:

a cartridge receiver; and

a cleaner cartridge comprising;

a container removably receivable in the cartridge receiver and including a collapsible bag having an interior cavity in which the supply of cleaning agent is contained; and

conduit having a first end fluidically coupled to the interior cavity and a second end connectable to the inlet of the chemical dispenser.

48. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 48 including a controller having a control signal, the pump electrically coupled to the control signal and configured to drive the output flow of cleaning agent in response thereto.

51. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 48, wherein the pump is a solenoid pump.

49. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 49, wherein the control signal is a pulsed signal.

50. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 49, wherein the pump is powered by the control signal.

54. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 54, wherein the vacuum generating component includes an orifice plate inline with a flow path of a primary cleaning liquid component.

56. The hard floor surface cleaner of claim 56, wherein the cleaning agent comprises approximately 38% solids.

62. A chemical dispenser for use in a hard floor surface cleaner comprising:

a cleaner cartridge including a collapsible bag having an interior cavity;

a supply of cleaning agent contained in the interior cavity of the collapsible bag;

conduit having a first end receiving the supply of cleaning agent from the collapsible bag; and

a flow control device having an inlet connected to a second end of the conduit, the flow control device including a flow restriction member having an upstream high pressure inlet and a downstream low pressure outlet and configured to restrict an output flow of the cleaning agent therethrough.

63. The chemical dispenser of claim 63, wherein the flow restriction member is configured to restrict the output flow of the cleaning agent to less than 10 cubic centimeters per minute.

64. The chemical dispenser of claim 63, wherein the flow restriction member is configured to restrict the output flow of the cleaning agent to less than 5.0 cubic centimeters per minute.

65. The chemical dispenser of claim 63 including a cartridge receiver configured to removably receive the cleaner cartridge.

66. A chemical dispenser for use in a hard floor surface cleaner that includes a primary cleaning liquid component dispenser configured to provide an output flow of a primary cleaning liquid component, the chemical dispenser comprising:

a cleaner cartridge including a collapsible bag having an interior cavity containing a supply of cleaning agent; and

a fluid mixing member adapted to combine an output flow of the cleaning agent from the collapsible bag and the output flow of primary cleaning liquid component to form an output flow of cleaning liquid.

67. The chemical dispenser of claim 67, wherein the output flow of cleaning agent is restricted to less than 10 cubic centimeters per minute.

68. The chemical dispenser of claim 67, wherein the output flow of cleaning agent is restricted to less than 2.0 cubic centimeters per minute.

69. A chemical dispenser kit for installation in a hard floor surface cleaner that includes a primary cleaning liquid component dispenser configured to provide an output flow of a primary cleaning liquid component, the chemical dispenser comprising:

a cleaner cartridge mountable to hard floor surface cleaner and including a collapsible bag having an interior cavity configured to contain a supply of cleaning agent; and

a fluid mixing member that is configured for installation in the hard floor surface cleaner such that the fluid mixing member combines the output flow of primary cleaning liquid component and an output flow of the cleaning agent from the collapsible bag to form an output flow of cleaning liquid.

70. The chemical dispenser kit of claim 70 including a cartridge receiver configured for attachment to the hard floor surface cleaner, the cartridge receiver further configured to receive the cleaner cartridge.

71. The chemical dispenser of claim 70, wherein the output flow of the cleaning agent is restricted to less than 10 cubic centimeters per minute.

72. The chemical dispenser kit of claim 70, wherein the output flow of cleaning agent is restricted to less than 2.0 cubic centimeters per minute.