Patent Grant
11730333
The present disclosure relates to a cleaning apparatus, and more specifically to a portable extractor-type cleaning apparatus.
An extraction cleaner, such as an upright extractor or a canister extractor, typically dispenses cleaning fluid from a supply tank onto a surface, for example carpet, upholstery, or a hard floor, to clean the surface. The extraction cleaner then draws the cleaning fluid along with dirt from the surface into a recovery tank, leaving the surface relatively clean. It may also be possible to deliver water from the supply tank to the surface to rinse the surface before and/or after the cleaning fluid is applied.
In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a portable cleaner. The portable cleaner has a recovery tank, including a container for receiving and storing recovered liquid and/or dirt and an openable tank lid for covering the container. The container and the tank lid are removable from the cleaner as a unit. The portable cleaner also has a main housing configured to removably support the recovery tank in a vertical orientation in which the tank lid at least partially defines a top side of the portable extraction cleaner. In addition, a tank latch is provided in the tank lid, the tank latch configured to selectively secure and release the tank lid to the main housing when the recovery tank is supported by the main housing.
Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent by consideration of the following description and the appended claims when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Before any embodiments are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The present disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. It should be understood that the description of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the disclosure from covering all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined in the appended claims. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As used herein, the term “horizontal” or “horizontally” is not limited to a direction or plane that is substantially or approximately parallel to a floor or other support surface on which the portable extractor is sitting, but also refers more generally to an orientation that is more lying over than upright. Similarly, the term “vertical” or “vertically” is not limited to a direction or plane that is substantially or approximately perpendicular to a floor or other support surface on which the portable extractor is sitting, but also refers more generally to an orientation that is more upright than lying over. The terms “top,” “bottom,” “upper” and “lower” refer to relative positions in a vertical direction. The terms “front” and “rear” refer to relative positions in a horizontal direction along a longitudinal axis of the portable extractor. The term “cleaning liquid” refers to water, a detergent, a sanitizer, or a mixture of water and detergent/sanitizer for cleaning or rinsing.
Referring now to the figures,
The portable extractor 100 includes a base 102 and a main housing 104 mounted on top of the base 102. A supply tank 106 for holding a cleaning liquid to be dispensed onto a surface being cleaned and a recovery tank 108 for receiving and storing recovered liquid and dirt drawn up from the surface being cleaned are removably supported by the main housing 104. The recovery tank 108 is arranged at the front side 110 of the portable extractor 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the recovery tank 108 has portions at least partially defining the front side 110 and the top side 118 of the portable extractor 100. More specifically, the recovery tank 108 includes a tank lid 212 at least partially defining the top side 118 of the portable extractor. In addition, the supply tank 106 is arranged rearwardly of the recovery tank 108 at the first lateral side 114 of the portable extractor 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the supply tank 106 has portions at least partially defining at least one of the top side 118 and the first lateral side 114. The portable extractor 100 further includes a battery pack 180 spaced rearwardly of the supply tank 106 and supported by the main housing 104 at the rear side 112 of the extractor opposite the front side 110.
In one embodiment, the main housing 104 is configured to removably support the recovery tank 108 in an upward orientation in which the tank lid 212 at least partially defines the top side 118 of the portable extractor 100. A tank latch 220 is provided in a top portion of the tank lid 212 configured to selectively secure and release the tank lid 212 to the main housing 104 when the recovery tank 108 is supported by the main housing 104.
A cleaning tool 120 is fluidly coupled to the recovery tank 108 via a flexible hose 122 for transporting recovered liquid and dirt drawn up from the surface by the cleaning tool 120 to the recovery tank 108. The cleaning tool 120 is also in fluid communication with the supply tank 106, for example, via a conduit carried in the flexible hose 122, for dispensing cleaning liquid onto the surface to be cleaned. The cleaning tool 120 may be detachably coupled to the main housing 104 at the second lateral side 116 of the portable extractor 100 opposite the first lateral side 114.
With reference to
In the illustrated embodiment, a pair of peripheral flanges 128 are provided respectively at the oppositely facing front and rear ends of the lower base portion 124. The illustrated peripheral flanges 128 form a pair of access recesses 129 between them, which are located on opposite sides of the lower base portion 124. Preferably, the sides of the access recesses 129 are beveled to inhibit catching or snagging the flexible hose 122 upon removal from its stored position. In some embodiments, such as shown in
The upper base portion 126 is configured to support or carry a suction source 130 and a pump assembly 132 thereon. The suction source 130 is in fluid communication with the recovery tank 108 and is operable to draw recovered liquid and dirt from the surface being cleaned through a suction nozzle of the cleaning tool 120 and into the recovery tank 108 via the flexible hose 122. For example, the suction source 130 may include a motor and fan assembly 134 comprising a suction motor that rotates a fan or impeller to generate a suction airflow. In the illustrated embodiment, the suction source 130 is mounted on top of the upper base portion 126 proximate a rear end of the upper base portion 126 and the midpoint of the width of the upper base portion 126. The motor and fan assembly 134 may be arranged in an upright or vertical orientation such that the suction motor and the impeller thereof are aligned vertically and rotate about a common vertical axis. With this arrangement, a portion of the motor and fan assembly 134 is received in a seat 140 that is integrally formed in the top of the upper base portion 126. The seat 140 is generally shaped and sized to match the shape and size of the portion of the motor and fan assembly 134 being received therein. Also, a suction source housing 142 is secured to the upper base portion 126 over the motor and fan assembly 134. The suction source housing 142 is configured to cooperate with the upper base portion 126 to sandwich and securely hold the motor and fan assembly 134 therebetween.
The motor and fan assembly 134 is fluidly coupled to the recovery tank 108 via a working air conduit formed with a suction port 136. The suction port 136 is arranged proximate a front end of the upper base portion 126 and extends upwardly from the upper base portion 126 in generally a vertical orientation to a distal open end 138 to provide a fluid coupling with the recovery tank 108, as described further below. The suction port 136 may be integrally formed with the upper base portion 126 or may be separately formed from the upper base portion 126. The proximal end of the suction port 136 opposite the distal open 138 extends through the upper base portion 126 and is in fluid communication with the motor and fan assembly 134. For example, one or more passages may be formed by partitions or channels defined between the upper base portion 126 and the lower base portion 124 for delivering the working air drawn from the recovery tank 108 via the suction port 136 to the motor and fan assembly 134, where it can be discharged as exhaust. In some embodiments, a baffle 143 (
The pump assembly 132 is in fluid communication with the supply tank 106 and the cleaning tool 120. The pump assembly 132 is operable to draw cleaning liquid from the supply tank 106 and to supply or deliver the cleaning liquid to the cleaning tool 120 where it can be dispensed onto a surface to be cleaned via a distribution nozzle of the cleaning tool 120. The pump assembly 132 may include a pump 144, for example, a DC pump or other suitable pump, and tubing or other conduits fluidly coupling the pump 144 to the supply tank 106 and the cleaning tool 120. In the illustrated embodiment, the pump 144 is mounted on top of the suction source housing 142 above the motor and fan assembly 134. In the illustrated embodiment, the pump 144 is arranged horizontally with its longitudinal pump axis transverse to the front-to-rear longitudinal axis 105 of the portable extractor 100. A pump cover 146 may be secured to the suction source housing 142 over the pump 144 to secure the pump 144 between pump cover 146 and the suction source housing 142. In other embodiments, the suction source 130 and the pump assembly 132 may be positioned elsewhere in the main housing 104.
The pump 144 of the pump assembly 132 is fluidly connected to the cleaning tool 120 via tubing 148 having one or more portions received or carried within or adjacent the flexible hose 122 to deliver cleaning liquid to the surface to be cleaned.
In addition, referring to
With reference to
Referring to
The housing body 160 also includes a rear portion 174 arranged opposite the front portion 162. The rear portion 174 defines one or more vent portions 176 for venting the cooling air entering and exiting the suction source 130 and a battery compartment 178. In the illustrated embodiment, a plurality of slot-shaped vent portions 176 are formed symmetrically on opposite sides of the rear portion 174 proximate a lower end of the rear portion 174. Alternatively, the vent portions 176 may have any shape or location relative to the housing body 160 suitable for venting the cooling air entering and exiting the suction source 130.
The battery compartment 178 is configured to removably receive and to support the battery pack 180 at the rear side 112 of the portable extractor 100 opposite the front side 110. The battery pack 180 may include one or more battery cells for supplying power to operate the portable extractor 100, including the suction source 130 and the pump assembly 132. For example, the battery pack 180 may be a rechargeable battery pack 180 having one or more lithium-based cells. In the illustrated embodiment, the battery compartment 178 is formed at an upper end of the rear portion 174 of the housing body 160 and defines a longitudinal battery insertion axis extending in a vertical orientation. Thus, the battery pack 180 may be inserted into the battery compartment 178 along the vertical battery insertion axis. In particular, the battery compartment 178 is open at its top end to removably receive and to support a battery pack 180 in an upright or vertical orientation. The battery compartment 178 may include mating features shaped and configured to releasably engage complimentary features on the battery pack 180 when the battery pack 180 is inserted in the battery compartment 178. When the battery pack 180 is installed in the battery compartment 178, battery contacts on the battery pack 180 come into an electrically conductive connection with corresponding contacts in the battery compartment 178, which are electrically connected to the suction source 130 and the pump assembly 132.
Referring to
Referring back to
A handle 188 is coupled on top of the housing body 160 for carrying the portable extractor 100. The illustrated handle 188 has an elongated shape and extends longitudinally of the housing body 160. More specifically, a horizontal, longitudinal axis of the handle 188 extends generally along or parallel to the front-to-rear longitudinal axis 105 of the portable extractor 100 between the recovery tank 108 and the battery pack 180. The handle 188 may be integrally formed with the housing body 160 as a single component or may be separately formed from the housing body 160. In the illustrated embodiment, a first end of the handle 188 is coupled to a top surface of the housing body 160. In the illustrated embodiment, the main housing 104 includes a support member 190, and a second end of the handle 188 opposite the first end is coupled to a top surface of the support member 190. Alternatively, the handle 188 extends transverse to the housing body 160. Specifically, the horizontal, longitudinal axis of the handle 188 may extend across the longitudinal axis 105 of the portable extractor 100.
In the illustrated embodiment, the support member 190 is connected to the vertical face 164 of the front portion 162 of the housing body 160 at an upper end of the front portion 162 and projects forwardly above the platform 166, and may be positioned above the recovery tank 108. The support member 190 may be arranged substantially flush with the top of housing body 160. In one alternative, a display or other user interface is provided on the support member 190 in view of an operator. One or more portions of the support member 190 may be integrally formed with the housing body 160 as a single component or may be separately formed from the rest of the housing body 160. In other embodiments, the handle 188 may have any shape or orientation relative to the housing body 160 and support member 190 and may be coupled to others parts of the housing body 160.
In addition, as shown in
With reference to
When the recovery tank 108 is installed on the platform 166 with the rear wall 204 of the container 200 adjacent the vertical face 164 of the front portion 162, the front wall 202 of the container 200 defines at least a portion of the front side 110 of the portable extractor 100, the side walls 206 and 208 of the container 200 define at least a portion of the lateral sides 114 and 116 of the portable extractor 100, and the tank lid 212 defines at least a portion of the top side 118 of the portable extractor 100. The recovery tank 108 is configured to be removable from the main housing 104 as a single unit, including the container 200 and the tank lid 212, as described below.
A rear top portion of the tank lid 212 defines a handle recess area 218 that is open at its top end and its rear end. The handle recess area 218 is configured to receive the support member 190 therein when the recovery tank 108 is installed on the platform 166. Preferably, the support member 190 is received with a clearance fit and the top of the tank lid 212 is substantially flush with the top of the support member 190 and the top of the housing body 160. Also, the handle recess area 218 and the support member 190 may cooperate with each other to provide a tilt clearance area between them to facilitate removing the recovery tank 108 from the main housing 104. In particular, the handle recess area 218 may be provided with an interior bottom surface 218a that may be generally flat or planar, and which is oriented in generally a horizontal direction when the recovery tank 108 is installed on the platform 166. A bottom surface 190a of the support member 190 is spaced above the handle recess area 218 to provide clearance for the top rear end of the recovery tank 108 when the recovery tank is tilted forwardly. The bottom surface 190a of the support member 190 may be inclined from a front end thereof to a rear end thereof. Thus, the bottom surface 190a of the support member 190 may be inclined rearwardly relative to the bottom surface 218a of the handle recess area 218. This arrangement provides a clearance area for the top rear end of the recovery tank 108 to be tilted away from the main housing 104 when the recovery tank 108 pivots forwardly and downwardly about its forward bottom end into a tilted working position. Once in the tilted working position, the recovery tank 108 can be conveniently lifted out of tank receptacle 168 and removed from the main housing 104.
The tank lid 212 further includes the tank latch 220 that is manually operable to selectively secure and release the recovery tank 108 to the main housing 104. In the illustrated embodiment, the tank latch 220 is provided at a front top portion of the tank lid 212 forwardly of the handle recess area 218. The tank latch 220 may be a spring-loaded push-button type latch having a release button for operating a pawl or other suitable latch actuator 220a to engage and disengage a latch engagement member 220b coupled to the main housing 104. For example, the latch engagement member 220b may be an aperture or a catch, such as a flange or a tab, formed at the front end of the support member 190 or at the second end of the handle 188. In one embodiment, the tank latch forms the only connection between the tank lid 212 and the main housing 104.
With this arrangement, the tank latch 220 secures the tank lid 212 to the support member 190 when the recovery tank 108 is installed on the platform 166. At the same time, the container 200 is held firmly in place between the tank lid 212 and the platform 166 of the housing body 160. As a result, the recovery tank 108 can be secured to the main housing 104 between the support member 190 at the top end of the recovery tank 108 and the platform 166 at the bottom end of the recovery tank 108. In addition, when carrying the portable extractor 100 by grasping the handle 188 with one hand, the position of the tank latch 220 on the tank lid 212 proximate the handle 188 permits a user to release the recovery tank 108 by depressing the tank latch 220 with the thumb of the carrying hand. At the same time, the user can remove the recovery tank 108 as a single unit, including the container 200 and the tank lid 212 which are attached separately to each other, by grasping a recovery tank handle 222 (described below) positioned below the tank latch 220 with the other hand. In the illustrated embodiment, the tank latch 220 does not secure the tank lid 212 to the container 200 when the recovery tank 108 is released from the main housing 104. In one embodiment, the recovery tank is a collection bin having a cover, for example for a dry vacuum or other wet or dry suction cleaner, wherein the cover defines at least a portion of the top side of the portable extractor and the latch connects the cover to the body of the cleaner as disclosed herein.
The recovery tank handle 222 preferably is provided on a front surface of the front wall 202 of the container 200 in order to facilitate removing and carrying the recovery tank 108. The recovery tank handle 222 may be integrally formed with the container 200 as a single component or may be separately formed from the recovery tank 108. In the illustrated embodiment, the recovery tank handle 222 may be a tab or other protrusion integrally formed with the container 200 as a single component so as to define a well or opening into which the fingertips of a user may be inserted to remove the recovery tank 108 from the main housing 104. More preferably, the position of the recovery tank handle 222 on the front wall 202 of the container 200 is below and proximate the tank latch 220 such that a user may remove the recovery tank 108 with one hand by sliding fingers into the finger well defined by the recovery tank handle 222 and depressing the tank latch 220 with the thumb. In other embodiments, the recovery tank handle 222 may be separately formed from the container 200 or coupled to another part of the container 200.
The bottom wall 210 of the container 200 defines an air outlet 214 through which working air is drawn from the recovery tank 108 and a recovery inlet 216 through which recovered liquid and dirt enters the recovery tank 108. Each of the air outlet 214 and the recovery inlet 216 may be in the form of a pipe that extends from a corresponding opening in the bottom wall 210 upwardly into the recovery tank 108. When the recovery tank 108 is installed on the platform 166, the distal open end 138 of the suction port 136 sealingly engages the air outlet 214 of the container 200 to enable fluid communication between the recovery tank 108 and the suction source 130, and the distal open end 150a of the hose connector 150 sealingly engages the recovery inlet 216 to enable fluid communication between the hose 122 and the recovery tank 108. For example, a seal may be arranged about each of the distal open end 138 of the suction port 136 and the distal open end 150a of the hose connector 150 for sealing against the bottom wall 210 of the container 200.
With reference to
The supply tank 106 includes a cap 234 closing a neck 230 for filling the supply tank. With reference to the illustrated embodiment, the neck 230 may extend from the bottom wall 226 to form a discharge opening of the supply tank 106. The cap 234 may include a release valve 232 to control the flow of cleaning liquid from the supply tank 106. The release valve 232 can have a normally closed configuration to prevent the flow of cleaning liquid out of the supply tank 106 when the supply tank 106 is removed from the recessed supply tank cavity 184. For example, the release valve 232 can be a poppet valve that is closed when the supply tank 106 is removed from the portable extractor 100. In the illustrated embodiment, a portion of the release valve 232 may be matingly received in a socket 236 formed in the bottom surface of the recessed supply tank cavity 184 when the supply tank 106 is installed in the recessed supply tank cavity 184. The socket 236 may be configured to create a sealed connection with the release valve 232 and to form a sealed reservoir that fills with cleaning liquid or clean water flowing through the neck 230 when the release valve 232 is opened. For example, a valve release pin extends axially upward through the socket 236 and aligns with the release valve 232. When the supply tank 106 is installed in the recessed supply tank cavity 184, the valve release pin in the socket 236 (
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/577,156, filed Sep. 20, 2019, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/734,769, filed Sep. 21, 2018, the entire contents of all of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16577156 | Sep 2019 | US |
| Child | 18053032 | US |
