1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a floor care appliance, and more particularly, to a carpet cleaning machine for distributing and working into the carpet a dry powder carpet cleaning composition.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
Carpet cleaning machines utilizing a dry powder cleaning composition are known in the art. Typically, these carpet cleaners have a hopper for holding a quantity of a dry powder carpet cleaning composition. The dry powder is distributed onto the carpet to absorb dirt contained in the carpet. Usually, a short period of time is given to allow the dry powder to absorb the dirt before the dry powder is vacuumed up. Some of these known carpet cleaners have a vacuum source and dirt collecting chamber onboard for this purpose.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,532 issued to Dyson et al. provides a method and apparatus for controlling dispensing of “dry” powdered compositions particularly carpet cleaning compositions wherein the confined finely divided particles descend in a stream under gravity and have oscillatory movement imparted thereto next before discharge through an orifice leading therefrom so as to agitate, separate and propel the particles therethrough; and in the case of carpet cleaning operations depositing the finely divided discharged particles onto the surface of the fibres in a substantially uniform pattern thereover followed by working same into the fibres through the application thereto of a rotary brush or beater and thereafter recovering the residues by a suitable suction or vacuum unit utilizing a rotary brush or beater and an associated two stage cyclone separator.
There are other dry powder carpet cleaners that are add-on devices for existing vacuum cleaners. Examples of these types are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,240,569 and 4,268,935 issued to Bessinger. There are others that attach to the accessory hose of a canister type vacuum cleaner. Examples of these types are found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,447,930 issued to Glenn, III et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,042 issued to Jones et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,549,328 issued to Martin et al.
Further, there are carpet cleaners designed for use with dry chemical cleaning compositions which do not dispense the dry chemical composition but work the composition into the carpet and later vacuum up the chemical composition and the absorbed dirt. Examples of these types of carpet cleaners are found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,538 issued to Rench et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,539 issued to Rench.
The present invention is distinguished from all of these cleaners, inter alia, because it is designed exclusively to be a dry powder carpet cleaner dispenser with agitators for working the powder into the carpet. It does not have a vacuum source to remove the dry powder and the absorbed dirt. It is designed to be used in conjunction with an ordinary vacuum cleaner which is present in almost every household. This is a benefit to the consumer in terms of saving the extra cost incorporating a vacuum source for particulate removal into the device.
It is an object of the invention to provide a dry powder carpet cleaner having a dispensing system for uniform application of a dry powder carpet cleaning composition on carpet.
It is another object of the invention to provide a dry powder carpet cleaner for working the recently dispensed powder into the carpet.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a dry powder carpet cleaner with a hopper having a rotary powder mixing agitator contained therein.
It is yet still another object of the invention to provide a dry powder carpet cleaner with a hopper having a rotary powder mixing agitator contained therein driven by the cleaners wheels.
It is another object of the invention to provide a dry powder carpet cleaner with a a plurality of vertical axis rotary agitators for working the dry powder carpet cleaning composition into the carpet.
The invention is a carpet cleaning machine for uniformly spreading a powder onto a surface and working the powder into the surface. The cleaning machine includes a base having a hopper integrally formed therein, distribution slots on the bottom of the hopper, a rotary powder agitator inside the hopper, wheels for supporting the base over a floor surface and for rotating the powder agitator, a metering gate for controlling the dispensing of the powder, a trigger located on the cleaner handle for controlling the metering gate, and a plurality of motor driven vertical axis rotary brushes for working the powder into the carpet. The powder is dispensed onto the carpet and allowed to sit for a short period of time to allow the powder to absorb the dirt contained in the carpet. After the powder has dried and the dirt absorbed, the powder and dirt are vacuumed from the carpet with an ordinary vacuum.
In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the plurality of vertical axis rotary agitators are replaced by one or more horizontal axis rotary agitators.
In another alternate embodiment of the invention, the hopper is replaced with a bottle on the cleaner handle containing the dry powder carpet cleaning composition. The neck of the bottle is received by an aperture formed in the handle which serves as a conduit which extends to a chamber from which the dry powder is distributed. The conduit may contain a rotary auger to prevent the powder from clumping and to feed the dry powder to the distribution chamber.
In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the dry powder is distributed by a broadcast type spreader. When the release trigger is pulled on the cleaner handle, dry powder is dispensed onto a rotating wheel with radially extending guide vanes. The dry powder is driven in an outward radial direction onto the carpet guided by the guide vanes.
Reference may now be had to the accompanying drawings for a better understanding of the invention, both as to its organization and function, with the illustration being only exemplary and in which:
a is an exploded side front perspective view of a portion of the handle of the dry powder carpet cleaner of
Referring now to
Referring now to
The plurality of vertical axis rotary agitators 205 are part of a brush block 200 secured removably secured to the base 100. Brush block 200 is comprised of a brush support plate 207 and an upper plate 209 having a plurality of apertures for receiving a spindle from each of the plurality of brushes 205. The plurality of brushes 205 and the brush block encasing them are similar to the plurality of brushes and brush block in U.S. Pat. No. 6,009,593 issued to Crouser et al., owned by a common assignee, and incorporated by reference fully herein. The plurality of brushes 205 are rotatably driven by an electric drive motor 210 encased in a housing comprised of an upper section 205 and a lower section 208. Motor 210 is controlled by a pedal 156 operated switch 157.
The rotary power of motor 260 is transmitted to one of the plurality of brushes 205 on one end of the brush block 200 by a first gear 256 which engages the motor drive shaft and a second gear 257 which engages one of said plurality of brushes 205. Because of the spur gear design, the driven brush 205 in turn rotates the brush 205 adjacent to it which in turn engages the next adjacent brush. Each brush 205 then rotates each brush 205 adjacent to it in this manner until all of said plurality of brushes 205 are rotated. The brush block 200 is installed in a cavity 203 (
The rotary powder agitator 125 is rotated by one or more wheels 135 via a first gear 136 and a second gear 137. Alternately, rotary powder agitator 125 can be rotated by an electric motor. The handle 50 is comprised of an upper section comprised of a first upper handle portion 51 and a second upper handle portion 52. Handle 50 is further comprised of a mid handle portion 53 and a lower portion 54. Handle 50 is pivotally connected to foot 100 by a pair of sidewardly extending trunnions 54a secured to main body 120 by a pair of trunnion covers 49. The metering gate 130 is operably connected to trigger 75 via a multi-part rod assembly comprised of an upper rod section 76, mid rod section 77, and a lower rod section 78. The lower rod section engages a lever 79 which is operably connected to a cable 80 which is connected to metering gate 130. The operation and assembly of lower rod section 78, lever 79, and cable 80 is shown in detail in
Referring now to
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In another alternate embodiment of the invention, shown in
In an alternate embodiment of the invention (not shown), the dry powder is distributed by a broadcast type spreader. When the release trigger is pulled on the cleaner handle, dry powder is dispensed onto a rotating wheel beneath the main body. Radially extending guide vanes on the wheel propel the dry powder in an outwardly radial direction onto the carpet. After waiting a pre-determined period of time, the dry powder and absorbed dirt are vacuumed with a regular vacuum cleaner.
It should be clear from the foregoing that the described structure clearly meets the objects of the invention set out in the description's beginning. It should now also be obvious that many changes could be made to the disclosed structure which would still fall within its spirit and purview.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3781937 | Jacobs | Jan 1974 | A |
4097953 | McKinney et al. | Jul 1978 | A |
4121733 | McRoskey et al. | Oct 1978 | A |
4183112 | Brown et al. | Jan 1980 | A |
4240569 | Bessinger | Dec 1980 | A |
4268935 | Bessinger | May 1981 | A |
4447930 | Glenn, III | May 1984 | A |
4457042 | Jones et al. | Jul 1984 | A |
4549328 | Martin et al. | Oct 1985 | A |
4615068 | Martin et al. | Oct 1986 | A |
4699537 | Cook, Jr. | Oct 1987 | A |
5077862 | Rench | Jan 1992 | A |
5077863 | Rench | Jan 1992 | A |
5086539 | Rench | Feb 1992 | A |
5101532 | Dyson et al. | Apr 1992 | A |
5307538 | Rench et al. | May 1994 | A |
5427283 | Whittaker et al. | Jun 1995 | A |
Number | Date | Country |
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182230 | Nov 1985 | EP |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20040238004 A1 | Dec 2004 | US |