Apparatus and method for cleaning a surface

• US 6,681,442 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2001
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Healthy Gain Investments Limited
• Original Assignee: Hoover Company (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Inventors: Durbin, Michael A., Bauman, Robert W., Tondra, Aaron P., Gordon, Evan A., Sclafani, Adam C., Theiss, William H. Jr., Coates, Donald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Till, Terrence R.
• Application Number:
  US09/861,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20030135952A1
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 153/20, 153/401, 153/402, 153/403, 153/404
• 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 11/34 Machines for treating carpets in position by liquid, foam, or vapour, e.g. by steam
• 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

Abstract

A cleaner for cleaning a surface comprises a floor-engaging portion for moving along the surface. A source supplies a liquid to a distributor, which distributes the liquid from the source on the surface wherein an activating device is operatively connected to the source to activate the source to supply liquid to the distributor to distribute liquid on the surface in response to a force moving the floor engaging portion in a first direction.

Claims

1. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning a surface in which cleaning solution is dispensed to the surface and substantially simultaneously extracted along with the dirt on the surface in a continuous operation comprising:

a) a floor-engaging portion for moving along said surface;

b) a distributor;

c) a first source for supplying a first liquid to said distributor, said distributor being operatively connected to said floor-engaging portion for distributing said first liquid from said first source onto said surface;

d) an activating device operatively connected to said first source to activate said first source to supply said first liquid to said distributor to distribute said first liquid onto said surface in response to said floor-engaging portion being moved in a first direction;

e) a handle pivotally connected to said floor-engaging portion;

f) said activating device including a hand grip reciprocally mounted on said handle; and

g) said hand grip being moved a distance along said handle in said first direction to activate said first source to supply said first liquid to said distributor in response to said floor-engaging portion being moved in said first direction.

2. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said activating device includes a grip rod connected to said hand grip and extending down from said hand grip, a valve assembly operatively connected to said grip rod, said first source, and said distributor, wherein said hand grip being moved said distance along said handle in said first direction thereby moving said grip rod to cause said valve assembly to open and activate said source to allow said first source to supply liquid to said distributor.

3. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 2 including a second source for supplying a second liquid to said distributor, said valve assembly being operatively connected to said second source, wherein said hand grip being moved a distance along said handle in said second direction opposite said first direction thereby moving said floor-engaging portion in said second direction, and moving said grip rod to cause said valve assembly to fluidly connect said second source to said distributor allowing said second source to supply said second liquid to said distributor to distribute said second liquid onto said surface.

4. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said valve assembly comprises:

a) a valve body having a first bore and a second bore formed therein, said valve body having a first inlet fluidly connected to said first source and said first bore, said valve body having a second inlet fluidly connected to said second source and said second bore;

b) a first valve stem being operatively connected to said grip rod and being slidably received in said first bore, said first valve stem fluidly communicating with said distributor, said first valve stem having an inlet formed therein;

c) a second valve stem being operatively connected to said grip rod and being sildably received in said second bore, said second valve stem fluidly communicating with said distributor, said second valve stem having an inlet formed therein; and

d) wherein said hand grip being moved said distance along said handle in said first direction thereby moving said grip rod to move said first valve stem to align said inlet of said first valve stem with said first inlet of said valve body thereby activating and allowing said first source to supply said first liquid to said distributor, said hand grip being moved said distance along said handle in said second direction thereby moving said grip rod to cause said valve assembly to fluidly connect said second source to said distributor allowing said second source to supply said second liquid to said distributor.

5. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 including a second source for supplying a second liquid to said distributor, wherein said hand grip being moved a distance along said handle in a second direction opposite said first direction to activate said second source to supply said second liquid to said distributor to distribute said second liquid on said surface in response to said floor-engaging portion being moved in said second direction.

6. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said first liquid is detergent and clean water and said second liquid is clean water.

7. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said hand grip includes a lockout device that can be selectively actuated to prevent said hand grip from being moved along said handle to one of said distance in said first direction to activate said first source to supply said first liquid to said distributor and said distance in said second direction to activate said second source to supply said second liquid to said distributor.

10. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said activating device includes a detecting unit operatively connected to said hand grip, said detecting unit outputting a control signal for activating said first source to supply said first liquid to said distributor in response to said hand grip moving said distance along said handle in said first direction.

11. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 10 including a second source for supplying a second liquid to said distributor, said detecting unit outputting a second control signal for activating said second source to supply said second liquid to said distributor in response to said hand grip being moved a second distance along said handle in a second direction opposite said first direction in response to said floor-engaging portion being moved in said second direction.

12. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said detecting unit comprises a hall effect sensor and a magnet, said magnet having north and south magnetic poles, said magnet being secured to said hand grip and positioned with respect to said hall sensor such that said hand grip reciprocally moves said magnet so that said hall sensor positions between said north and south magnetic poles during the movement of said magnet, said hall effect sensor outputs said first mentioned control signal upon being positioned at one of said north magnetic pole and said south magnetic pole, and said hall sensor outputs a second control signal upon being positioned away from said one of said north magnetic pole and said south magnetic pole.

13. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said cleaning apparatus is a carpet extractor and said surface is carpeted.

8. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said hand grip includes a locking device, said hand grip selectively locking said hand grip to said handle such that said hand grip is prevented from moving along said handle said distance in said first direction and said distance in said second direction.

9. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said locking device includes a control lever pivotally mounted to said hand grip, said control lever having a protrusion, said protrusion engaging an aperture formed in said handle to lock said hand grip to said handle.

14. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning a surface in which cleaning solution is dispensed to the surface and substantially simultaneously extracted along with the dirt on the surface in a continuous operation comprising:

a) a floor-engaging portion for moving along said surface;

b) a distributor;

c) a first source for supplying a first liquid to said distributor, said distributor being operatively connected to said floor-engaging portion for distributing said first liquid from said first source onto said surface;

d) an activating device operatively connected to said first source to activate said first source to supply said first liquid to said distributor to distribute said first liquid onto said surface in response to said floor-engaging portion being moved in a first direction; and

wherein said activating device includes an engaging member rotatably connected to said floor-engaging portion and extending to said surface, said engaging member bearing against said surface and causing said engaging member to rotate in one direction to activate said first source to supply said first liquid to said distributor upon said floor-engaging portion being moved in said first direction.

15. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 14 including a second source for supplying a second liquid to said distributor, and said floor-engaging portion being moved in a second direction opposite said first direction thereby causing said engaging member to rotate in the other direction and activate said second source to supply said second liquid to said distributor.

16. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning a surface in which solution is dispensed to the surface and substantially simultaneously extracted along with the dirt on the surface in a continuous operation comprising:

a) a floor-engaging portion for movement along the surface;

b) a liquid distribution system operatively connected to said floor-engaging portion, said liquid distribution system including a distributor for dispensing liquid on said cleaning surface, said liquid distribution system supplying at least a first liquid and a second liquid to said distributor;

c) an activating device operatively connected to said liquid distribution system to activate said liquid distribution system to supply at least one of said first liquid and said second liquid to said distributor; and

d) wherein moving the floor-engaging portion in a first direction places said activating device in a first state which activates said liquid distribution system to supply said first liquid to said distributor and moving the floor-engaging portion in a second direction opposite said first direction places said activating device in a second state which activates said liquid distribution system to supply said second liquid to said distributor.

17. The cleaning apparatus of claim 16 further comprising a handle operatively connected to said floor-engaging portion, said activating device includes a hand grip movably mounted to said handle, said hand grip being moved a distance along said handle in said first direction to place said activating device in said first state, said hand grip being moved a distance along said handle in said second direction to place said activating device in said second state.

18. The cleaning apparatus of claim 16 wherein said activating device includes an engaging member movably connected to said floor-engaging portion and contacting said surface, wherein moving said floor-engaging portion in said first direction moves said engaging member to a first position to place said activating device in said first state and moving said floor-engaging portion in said second direction moves said engaging member to a second position to place said activating device in said second state.

19. The cleaning apparatus of claim 16 including a fluid release valve operatively connected to said distributor to selectively allow the liquid to flow to the distributor.

20. The cleaning apparatus of claim 19 including a handle pivotally connected to said floor-engaging portion, a trigger switch connected to said handle and operatively connected to said fluid release valve to selectively operate said valve.

21. The cleaning apparatus of claim 16 wherein said first liquid is clean water mixed with detergent and said second liquid is clean water.

22. The cleaning apparatus of claim 21 wherein said liquid distribution system includes a clean water tank and a detergent tank.

23. The cleaning apparatus of claim 16 wherein said activating device includes a detecting system, said detecting system outputting a first control signal to activate said liquid distribution system to supply said first liquid to said distributor in response to said detecting system detecting said floor-engaging portion being moved in said first direction, said detecting system outputting a second control signal to activate said liquid distribution system to supply said second liquid to said distributor in response to said detecting unit detecting said floor-engaging portion being moved in said second direction.

24. The cleaning apparatus of claim 16 wherein said activating device includes an actuating part, wherein moving said floor-engaging portion in said first direction actuates said actuating member to place said activating device in said first state and moving said floor-engaging portion in said second direction actuates said actuating member to place said activating device in said second state.