Patent Application
20110027003
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to carpet cleaning devices and more particularly to a hand-held carpet cleaning device that dispenses cleaning fluid from a reservoir, includes a unique mesh pad removably mounted to the front of the device to absorb fluid from the carpet, a funnel-shaped fluid entrance port to facilitate refilling the reservoir and a liquid level observation window, and to a wall mount for the device including a compartment to retain extra pads.
2. Description of Prior Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Various types of carpet cleaning devices are known in the art. However, none of those devices include a hand-held housing which dispenses cleaning fluid to the carpet area being cleaned and utilizes a mesh pad mounted to the front that glides over the carpet area and absorbs the dispensed fluid. Further, none include a structure for removably mounting the pad that carries multiple resilient protrusions for working the cleaning fluid into the carpet as the device is moved.
A problem with carpet cleaning devices that have a refillable fluid reservoir is that the reservoirs are difficult and messy to refill because of the location and/or configuration of the fluid entrance port. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have a fluid entrance port which will funnel the fluid into the reservoir in order to facilitate refilling of the fluid reservoir.
Another problem with carpet cleaning devices that include a housing enclosing a fluid reservoir is that it is difficult to determine when the reservoir is empty and requires refilling, without removing the fluid entrance port closure. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have a means for ascertaining the fluid level in the reservoir without having to remove the closure of the fluid entrance port.
Another problem with hand-held devices is that there is no means for mounting same to the wall such that the device is readily available when needed. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have a wall mounting bracket for the device.
Another problem with carpet cleaning devices that utilize disposable and/or reusable absorbent pads is that there is no way to store extra pads. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a mounting bracket capable of retaining extra absorbent pads.
It is, therefore, a prime object of the present invention to provide a hand-held carpet cleaning device.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a hand-held carpet cleaning device that dispenses cleaning fluid and utilizes a mesh pad that glides over the carpet area being cleaned and absorbs the dispensed fluid from the carpet.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a hand-held carpet cleaning device wherein the absorbent pad is removably mounted to the front of the device.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a hand-held carpet cleaning device wherein the absorbent pads are disposable and/or reusable after washing.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a hand-held carpet cleaning device that has a structure for removably mounting the absorbent pad carries multiple resilient protrusions for working the cleaning fluid into the carpet as the device is moved.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a hand-held carpet cleaning device that has a fluid entrance port structured to funnel fluid into the port.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a hand-held carpet cleaning device that has means for observing the fluid level in the reservoir without having to remove the closure of the fluid entrance port.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a hand-held carpet cleaning device that has a wall mounting bracket.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a hand-held carpet cleaning device that has a mounting bracket with a compartment for retaining extra absorbent pads.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a hand-held carpet cleaning device is provided including a housing enclosing a fluid reservoir, a fluid exit port and absorbent pad mounted to the housing. The pad has a layer of absorbent material and a mesh layer situated over the absorbent material layer.
The device has means for removably mounting the pad to the housing. The mounting means includes carpet agitating means. The carpet agitating means takes the form of a plurality of resilient protrusions.
The pad mounting means includes a member with a rim defining an opening smaller than the pad. The member is adapted to engage a flange on the housing. Preferably, the member is also formed of resilient material.
The fluid exit port is mounted on the housing and directs fluid exiting the port towards the carpet area in front of the device.
The mesh layer of the absorbent pad is made of nylon. It has a substantially flat, low friction surface with a plurality of openings of approximately 4 mm diameter.
The device also has a window in the housing for observing the fluid level in the reservoir. Preferably, the window is elongated.
The housing is preferably arcuate.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a hand-held carpet cleaning device is provided having a housing enclosing a fluid reservoir. A fluid entrance port for the reservoir is provided. A funnel-shaped recess is associated with the fluid entrance port.
The device also includes a cap for closing the entrance port. The cap has external screw threads. The entrance port has internal screw threads adapted to engage the external screw threads of the cap to removably mount the cap in the port.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a combination including a hand-held carpet cleaning device having a housing and a bracket for hanging the housing is provided. A cleaning pad is mounted to the housing. The bracket is adapted to hang the housing on a surface, such as a wall.
The bracket includes a compartment for retaining absorbent pads when not in use.
To these and to such other objects that may hereinafter appears, the present invention relates to a hand-held carpet cleaning device as described in detail in the following specification and recited in the annexed claims, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts and in which:
As seen in
Reservoir 16 is a bladder with a flexible wall generally the shape of the interior surface of housing portion 14. A fluid exit port 18 is mounted in a recess 20 on the top surface of the housing. Also located on the top surface of housing 10, at a location behind port 18 and toward the rear of portion 14, is a pushbutton 22.
Pushbutton 22 is mounted to housing 10 by a flexible ring 24 that permits the button to be depressed relative to the housing. Depressing button 22 squeezes the fluid reservoir bladder 16 such that fluid from the bladder is expelled through port 18, when the device is held in the orientation shown in
Mounted on the front end of housing 10 is an absorbent pad 26. Pad 26 includes a layer 28 of absorbent material and a mesh layer 30 situated over the absorbent layer, see
A ring-like mounting member 32 is provided for removably mounting the absorbent pad to the front of the housing. Member 32 is made of resilient material such as rubber and defines an opening that is slightly smaller than the size of pad 26 such that the pad is held securely in place on the front of the housing when member 32 is mounted on the housing.
As seen in
Member 32 carries a plurality of carpet agitating protrusions 40. Protrusions 40 are formed of resilient material, preferably the same resilient material as member 32 and may be integral with member 32. The purpose of protrusions 40 is to agitate the carpet fibers as the housing is moved relative to the carpet surface after cleaning fluid from port 18 is sprayed on the carpet. This will facilitate the removal of dirt from the carpet fibers as the fluid is absorbed by pad 26.
Pad 26 consists of mesh layer 30 which is preferably made of nylon. The nylon mesh has a substantially flat, low friction surface with a plurality of openings approximately 4 mm diameter, as illustrated in
Mesh layer 30 overlays absorbent layer 28 and functions to hold the surface of absorbent layer 28 in place and at the same time allows the dirt containing fluid from the carpet to pass through the mesh layer so that it can be absorbed by absorbent layer 28 as the device is moved over the surface of the carpet.
As seen in the figures, housing 10 has a window for observing the fluid level in reservoir 16. The window is elongated so as to follow the lines of the arcuate housing.
As seen in
A cap 50 is provided for closing fluid entrance port 44. The cap has external screw threads 52 adapted to engage internal screw threads in the port throat such that the cap can be removed by rotating it relative to the housing.
As best seen in
It will now be appreciated that the present invention is a hand-held carpet cleaning device including a generally arcuate housing enclosing a fluid reservoir, a fluid exit port and an absorbent pad mounted to the front of the housing. The fluid exit port is mounted on the housing and directs fluid exiting the port towards the carpet area in front of the device.
The pad has a layer of absorbent material and a mesh layer situated over the absorbent material layer. The mesh layer is nylon. It has a substantially flat, low friction surface. The mesh layer has a plurality of openings of approximately 4 mm diameter.
The device has means for removably mounting the pad to the housing. The mounting means includes carpet agitating means which takes the form of a plurality of protrusions formed of resilient material.
The pad mounting means includes a member with a rim defining an opening smaller than the pad. The member is adapted to engage a flange on the housing. Preferably, the member is also formed of resilient material.
The device also has a window in the housing for observing the fluid level in the reservoir. Preferably, the window is elongated.
A fluid entrance port for the reservoir a funnel-shaped recess associated with it to facilitate refilling the reservoir through the entrance port.
A bracket is provided for hanging the housing on a wall. The bracket includes a compartment for retaining cleaning pads when not in use.
While only a single preferred embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed for purposes of illustration, it is obvious that many modifications and variations could be made thereto. It is intended to cover all of those modifications and variations which fall within the scope of the present invention, as defined by the following claims.
