Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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VACUUM CLEANER WITH SMALL AREA EXTRACTION
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No.
62/769,298, filed November 19, 2018, which is incorporated herein by reference
in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Vacuum cleaners are provided with a vacuum collection system for
creating a partial
vacuum to suck up debris (which may include dirt, dust, soil, hair, and other
debris) from a
surface to be cleaned and collecting the removed debris in a space provided on
the vacuum
cleaner for later disposal. Vacuum cleaners are usable on a wide variety of
common household
surfaces such as soft flooring including carpets and rugs, and hard or bare
flooring, including tile,
hardwood, laminate, vinyl, and linoleum.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
[0003] According to an aspect of the disclosure vacuum cleaner includes an
upright body, a base
operably coupled to the upright body and including a dry suction nozzle and
adapted for
movement along a surface to be cleaned, a wet extraction module selectively
operably couplable
and removable from the base, the wet extraction module including a wet suction
nozzle, and a
suction source at least selectively fluidly coupled to the dry suction nozzle
and the wet suction
nozzle via a fluid recovery pathway.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] The present disclosure will now be described with respect to the
drawings in which:
[0005] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner according to one
aspect of the
disclosure.
[0006] FIG. 2 is a partially-exploded view of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.
[0007] FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.
[0008] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a dry recovery tank of the vacuum
cleaner taken
through line IV-IV of FIG. 2.
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[0009] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a portion of a wet extraction module 88
of the vacuum
cleaner of FIG. 1.
[0010] FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a wet pathway and a dry pathway of the
vacuum cleaner of
FIG. 1.
[0011] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an air flow diverter assembly of
the vacuum cleaner of
FIG. 1.
[0012] FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a fluid delivery system of the vacuum
cleaner of FIG. 1.
[0013] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a base of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.
[0014] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a base of the vacuum cleaner according
to another aspect
of the disclosure.
[0015] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a base of the vacuum cleaner according
to another aspect
of the disclosure.
[0016] FIG. 12 is a schematic view of a combination recovery tank that can be
used in vacuum
cleaner according to another aspect of the disclosure.
[0017] FIG. 13 is an exploded view of the combination recovery tank of FIG.
12.
[0018] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the combination recovery tank of
FIG. 12.
[0019] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the combination recovery tank of
FIG. 12 showing a
wet pathway.
[0020] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the combination recovery tank of
FIG. 12 showing a
dry pathway.
[0021] FIG. 17 is an exploded view of a portion of the wet extraction module
88 of the vacuum
cleaner according to another aspect of the disclosure.
[0022] FIG. 18 is a schematic view of a control system for the vacuum cleaner
of FIG. 1
according to another aspect of the disclosure.
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[0023] FIG. 19A is a schematic view of a wet suction nozzle for the vacuum
cleaner in a lowered
condition according to another aspect of the disclosure.
[0024] FIG. 19B is a schematic view of the wet suction nozzle of FIG. 19A in
the raised
condition.
[0025] FIG. 20A is a schematic view of the wet suction nozzle for the vacuum
cleaner in a
lowered condition according to another aspect of the disclosure.
[0026] FIG. 20B is a schematic view of the wet suction nozzle of FIG. 20A in
the raised
condition.
[0027] FIG. 21 is a schematic view of a control system for the vacuum cleaner
of FIG. 1.
[0028] FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a base that can optionally be included
in the vacuum
cleaner of FIG. 1 in a dry mode of operation according to another aspect of
the disclosure.
[0029] FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the base of FIG. 22 in a wet mode of
operation.
[0030] FIG. 24 is a schematic view of an area rug mode of operation that can
optionally be
utilized in the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 according to another aspect of the
disclosure.
[0031] FIG. 25 is a schematic view of the area rug mode of operation that can
optionally be
utilized in the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 according to another aspect of the
disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0032] The present disclosure generally relates to a vacuum cleaner. Typical
vacuum cleaners do
not dispense or collect liquid, although some vacuum cleaners have been
adapted for wet
cleaning and can include liquid delivery and/or recovery systems. Aspects of
the disclosure relate
to an improved vacuum cleaner adapted for liquid delivery and/or recovery.
[0033] According to one aspect of the disclosure, a vacuum cleaner is provided
with a vacuum
collection system for creating a partial vacuum to suck up debris, which may
include dirt, dust,
soil, hair, and other debris from a surface to be cleaned and collecting the
removed debris in a
space provided on the vacuum cleaner for later disposal, a fluid delivery
system for storing
cleaning fluid (e.g. liquid) and delivering the cleaning fluid to the surface
to be cleaned, and a
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recovery system for removing the spent cleaning fluid (e.g. liquid) and debris
from the surface to
be cleaned and storing the spent cleaning fluid and debris. The fluid delivery
and recovery
systems can be particularly configured for small area extraction, such as in
treating spots and
stains on a carpet or area rug.
[0034] The functional systems of the vacuum cleaner can be arranged into any
desired
configuration, such as an upright device having a base and an upright body for
directing the base
across the surface to be cleaned, a canister device having a cleaning
implement connected to a
wheeled base by a vacuum hose, a portable or hand-held device adapted to be
hand carried by a
user for cleaning relatively small areas, or an autonomous/robotic device. At
least some of the
aforementioned cleaners can be adapted to include a flexible vacuum hose,
which can form a
portion of the working air path between a nozzle and the suction source.
Aspects of the
disclosure may also be incorporated into a steam apparatus, such as surface
cleaning apparatus
with steam delivery.
[0035] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner 10 according to one
aspect of the
disclosure. As discussed in further detail below, the vacuum cleaner 10 can be
adapted for
selective use in small area extraction, as well as dry vacuum cleaning of any
size area. As
illustrated herein, the vacuum cleaner 10 is an upright vacuum cleaner 10
having a housing that
includes an upright body 12 that is pivotally connected to a floor cleaning
head or base 14 for
directing the base 14 across the surface to be cleaned. For purposes of
description related to the
figures, the terms "upper," "lower," "right," "left," "rear," "front,"
"vertical," "horizontal,"
"inner," "outer," and derivatives thereof shall relate to the vacuum cleaner
10 as oriented in FIG.
1 from the perspective of a user behind the vacuum cleaner 10, which defines
the rear of the
vacuum cleaner 10. However, it is to be understood that the vacuum cleaner 10
may assume
various alternative orientations, except where expressly specified to the
contrary.
[0036] A pivot coupling 16 can connect the upright body 12 with the base 14
for movement
between an upright storage position, shown in FIG. 1, and a reclined use
position (not shown).
The pivot coupling 16 can be a single axis or multi-axis coupling. The vacuum
cleaner 10 can
also be provided with a detent mechanism, such as a pedal pivotally mounted to
the base 14, for
selectively releasing the upright body 12 from the storage position to the use
position. The details
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of such a detent pedal are known in the art, and will not be discussed in
further detail herein.
Wiring and/or conduits optionally supplying air and/or liquid (or other
fluids) between the base
14 and the upright assembly, or vice versa, can extend though the pivot
coupling 16.
[0037] With additional reference to FIG. 2, the upright body 12 includes a
main support section
or frame 18 having an elongated handle 20 extending upwardly from the frame 18
that is
provided with a hand grip 22 at one end that can be used for maneuvering the
base 14 of the
vacuum cleaner 10 over a surface to be cleaned.
[0038] The vacuum collection system can include a working air path 24 through
the housing of
the vacuum cleaner 10. The working air path 24 can include a dirty air inlet
26 and a clean air
outlet 28 (FIG. 4). The dirty air inlet 26 may be defined by a dry suction
nozzle 30 in the base
14. In addition, the vacuum collection system may include one or more of a
suction source 32,
one example of which includes a suction motor, having an exhaust outlet. The
suction source 32
can be in fluid communication with the dry suction nozzle 30 for generating a
working airstream,
and a working air treatment assembly, illustrated herein as a dry recovery
tank 34, for removing
and collecting debris from the working airstream for later disposal, portions
of which can define
the working air path 24 through the housing. The clean air outlet 28 (FIG. 4)
can be defined by a
tank exhaust opening (FIG. 4) downstream of the suction motor or suction
source 32. The
working air path 24 can extend at least partially through the pivot coupling
16, or can extend at
least partially exteriorly of the pivot coupling 16.
[0039] In the illustrated vacuum cleaner 10, the suction motor or suction
source 32 and dry
recovery tank 34 are provided on the upright body 12, although other locations
are possible. The
upright body 12 further includes a receiver 36 on a front side of the frame
18, which can
detachably receive and support the dry recovery tank 34 on the upright body
12.
[0040] The suction motor or suction source 32 is provided in fluid
communication with the dry
recovery tank 34, and can be positioned downstream or upstream of treatment
assembly; in the
illustrated vacuum cleaner 10, the suction source 32 is downstream of the dry
recovery tank 34.
The suction source 32 can be electrically coupled to a power source, such as a
battery or by a
power cord plugged into a household electrical outlet. A power switch or power
button (not
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shown) disposed between the suction source 32 and the power source can be
selectively closed
by the user upon pressing the power button or other actuator on the housing of
the vacuum
cleaner 10, thereby activating the suction source 32.
[0041] Further still, according to aspects of the present disclosure an
extraction pathway or fluid
recovery pathway 38 is also formed through the housing of the vacuum cleaner
10. The fluid
recovery pathway 38 can include a dirty liquid inlet 40 and the clean air
outlet 28, which can be
the same clean air outlet 28 of the vacuum collection system. The dirty liquid
inlet 40 may be
defined by a wet suction nozzle 42 for removing liquid and debris from the
surface to be cleaned.
In addition, the recovery system can include a wet recovery tank 44 wet
recovery tank storing
collected liquid and debris until emptied by the user.
[0042] The wet recovery tank 44 can be mounted to the housing in any
configuration. In the
present example, the wet recovery tank 44 is provided on the base 14. More
specifically, the wet
recovery tank 44 can be removably mounted on the base 14, such that the wet
recovery tank 44
can be removed for emptying or cleaning. The wet recovery tank 44 may extend
substantially the
full width or depth of the base 14, or may extend less than that full width or
depth of the base 14,
including less than or equal to half the width of the dry suction nozzle
inlet, less than or equal to
a third of the width of the dry suction nozzle inlet, or less than or equal to
a quarter of the width
of the dry suction nozzle 30.
[0043] In one specific arrangement, the wet recovery tank 44 is at an upper
side of the base 14,
so that it is easily visible to the user of the vacuum cleaner 10. The wet
recovery tank 44 can be
at least partially formed of a transparent or tinted translucent material,
which permits a user to
view the contents thereof.
[0044] A separator (FIG. 5) can be formed in or by a portion of the wet
recovery tank 44 and/or
wet suction nozzle, such as within an underside or lower surface of the wet
suction nozzle, for
separating fluid and entrained debris from the working airstream. The recovery
system can also
be provided with one or more additional filters (not shown) upstream or
downstream of the wet
recovery tank 44.
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[0045] It will be understood that a portion of the extraction pathway or fluid
recovery pathway
38 can be coextensive with a portion of the working air path 24, and at least
some of the
component of the vacuum collection system can be shared with the recovery
system. For
example, the fluid recovery pathway 38 can converge with the vacuum collection
system
downstream of the wet recovery tank 44 in order to share the suction source
32, such that the wet
suction nozzle 42 and wet recovery tank 44 are in selective fluid
communication with the suction
source 32, as described in further detail below. In addition, the dry recovery
tank 34 can
selectively define a portion of the fluid recovery pathway through the
housing. The clean air
outlet 28 of the recovery system can be the same as that of the vacuum
collection system, i.e. the
exhaust opening 48 downstream of the suction source 32.
[0046] FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of a portion of the vacuum cleaner
10, including the
base 14. The base 14 includes a base housing 50 having a pair of wheels 52 for
maneuvering the
vacuum cleaner 10 over a surface to be cleaned. The dry suction nozzle 30 and
wet suction
nozzle 42 are provided on the base 14 and are in selective fluid communication
with the suction
source 32. More specifically, the dry suction nozzle 30 and wet suction nozzle
42 can be at least
partially disposed at a front of the base housing 50 and open toward the
underside of the base
housing 50. In the present aspect, the dry suction nozzle 30 is configured to
suction dry debris
from the surface to be cleaned and the wet suction nozzle 42 is configured to
suction liquid
and/or wet debris from the surface to be cleaned.
[0047] A dry mode agitator or rotatable agitator 54 can be provided adjacent
to the dirty air inlet
26 provided in the dry suction nozzle 30 for agitating the surface to be
cleaned so that the debris
is more easily ingested into the working air path 24. The agitator illustrated
herein is a rotatable
agitator 54 in the form of a brushroll positioned within the base 14 adjacent
the dry suction
nozzle 30 for rotational movement about an axis X, labeled as 56. Some other
examples of
agitators include, but are not limited to, dual horizontally-rotating
brushrolls, one or more
vertically-rotating brushrolls, or a stationary brush.
[0048] The brushroll can be provided at a forward portion of the base 14 and
received in a brush
chamber 58 on the base 14. The dry suction nozzle 30 can be defined within the
brush chamber
58. The brushroll can comprise a dowel 60 and a plurality of bristles 62
extending from the
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dowel 60. In the example vacuum cleaner 10, the brushroll can be operably
coupled to and
driven by a drive assembly including a dedicated brush motor (not shown) in
the base 14.
Alternatively, the suction source 32 can provide both vacuum suction and
brushroll rotation.
[0049] A wet mode agitator 64 can be provided adjacent to the wet suction
nozzle 42 for
agitating the surface to be cleaned. The agitator illustrated herein is a
stationary brush 66
positioned behind the wet suction nozzle 42. Some other examples of agitators
include, but are
not limited to, at least one horizontally-rotating brushroll or at least one
vertically-rotating
brushroll.
[0050] The stationary brush 66 can comprise a plurality of bristles, arranged
in one or more
rows, extending downwardly from the base 14 toward the surface to be cleaned.
The stationary
brush 66 may extend substantially the full width of the base 14, or may extend
less than that full
width of the base 14, including less than or equal to half the width of the
brushroll, less than or
equal to a third of the width of the brushroll, or less than or equal to a
quarter of the width of the
brushroll.
[0051] As illustrated herein, the dry suction nozzle 30 can be wider than the
wet suction nozzle
42. By way of non-limiting example, the dry suction nozzle 30 can extend
substantially the full
width of the base 14, while the wet suction nozzle 42 can extend less than the
full width of the
base 14, including less than or equal to half the width of the dry suction
nozzle 30, less than or
equal to a third of the width of the dry suction nozzle 30, or less than or
equal to a quarter of the
width of the dry suction nozzle 30.
[0052] The wet suction nozzle 42 is positioned both in front of and on top of
the dry suction
nozzle 30. This makes the wet suction nozzle 42 easily viewed by a user. By
locating the wet
suction nozzle 42 in front of the dry suction nozzle 30 on the base 14, rather
than, for example,
the wet suction nozzle 42 being behind the dry suction nozzle 30 or underneath
the base 14, a
user can easily see where the wet suction nozzle 42 needs to be directed in
order to recover the
liquid dispensed by the small area extraction system. This aids in having the
liquid and wet
debris selectively suctioned by the wet suction nozzle 42 and not the dirty
air inlet 26 provided in
the dry suction nozzle 30.
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[0053] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the dry recovery tank 34 of the
vacuum cleaner 10.
The dry recovery tank 34 serves as a filter assembly or a debris removal
assembly for separating
contaminants from a working airstream and includes a dirt tank 74 for
receiving and collecting
separated contaminants. The debris removal assembly can include any of a
cyclonic or
centrifugal separator, a flexible and air-permeable filter bag, or other air
filtering means, or
combinations thereof, provided downstream of the dirty air inlet 26 and
upstream of the
motor/fan assembly, with the working air path 24 extending through the debris
removal
assembly.
[0054] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the debris removal assembly,
provided herein as
the dry recovery tank 34, includes at least a body 70 having an air inlet 72
in fluid
communication with the dirty air inlet 26 of the base 14 and with the clean
air outlet 28 of the
dry recovery tank 34, such that the body 70 of the dry recovery tank 34
defines at least a portion
of the working air path 24. The air inlet 72 of the dry recovery tank 34 is
fluidly upstream of the
clean air outlet 28. The dry recovery tank 34 as illustrated herein comprises
a cyclonic separation
module with the body 70 defined by a dirt tank 74 comprising a housing at
least partially
defining a cyclone chamber for separating contaminants from a dirt-containing
working
airstream and an associated dirt collection chamber 76 which receives
contaminants separated by
the cyclone chamber. The dry recovery tank 34 can further and optionally
include a multi-layer
filtration stage, defined by a pre-motor filter chamber 78, also referred to
herein as a second
filtration stage. The first cyclone stage and second filtration stage can be
centered on a central
axis Y, labeled as 80, of the dry recovery tank 34, which can extend
longitudinally through the
dirt tank 74. Further, the first and second stages can be concentric, with the
second stage
positioned within the first stage and both centered on the central axis Y 80.
It is noted that while
a single stage cyclone separator is illustrated herein, it is also
contemplated that aspects of the
disclosure can be configured with additional cyclonic separation stages.
[0055] The dirt tank 74 includes a side wall 82, a bottom wall 84, and a cover
86. The side wall
82 can be at least partially transparent or translucent in order for a user to
view the contents of
the dry recovery tank 34. The side wall 82 is illustrated herein as being
generally cylindrical in
shape, with a diameter that remains constant or increases in a direction
toward the bottom wall
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84. The side wall 82 includes a lower or bottom edge that defines a debris
outlet for the
collection chamber 76. The bottom wall 84 in the illustrated aspects comprises
a dirt door 84a
that can be selectively opened, such as to empty the contents of the
collection chamber 76. The
dirt door 84a can be pivotally mounted to the side wall by a hinge (not
shown). A door latch (not
shown) is provided on the side wall, opposite the hinge, and can be actuated
by a user to
selectively release the dirt door 84a from engagement with the bottom edge of
the side wall 82.
The door latch can comprise a latch that is pivotally mounted to the side wall
and spring-biased
toward a closed position. By pressing the upper end of the door latch toward
the side wall 82, the
lower end of the door latch pivots away from the side wall 82 and releases the
dirt door 84a,
under the force of gravity, to an open position, allowing accumulated dirt to
be emptied from the
collection chamber 76 through the debris outlet defined by the bottom edge of
the dirt tank 74.
[0056] The cover 86 can include the carry handle 86a that can be gripped by a
user to facilitate
lifting and carrying the entire vacuum cleaner 10 or just the dry recovery
tank 34. The cover 86
is removably connected to the dirt tank 74 via one or more connections there
between. In one
example, the connection can comprise one or more bayonet hooks on the cover 86
that engage
one or more corresponding recesses on an upper inside portion of the side wall
(not shown). The
cover 86 can be removed from the dirt tank 74 by twisting the cover 86
relative to the dirt tank
74 to release the bayonet hooks from the recesses and then lifting the cover
86 off of the dirt tank
74.
[0057] The air inlet 72 can comprise an air inlet 72 to the cyclone chamber,
and can be at least
partially defined by an inlet conduit 72a. The inlet conduit 72a can extend
tangentially from the
side wall 82 to define a tangential air inlet. The clean air outlet 28 from
the dry recovery tank 34
can be at least partially defined by an outlet conduit 86b extending from the
cover 86. The inlet
conduit 72a is in fluid communication with the air inlet 72, and can further
be in fluid
communication with the dry suction nozzle 30, depending on the operational
mode of the
vacuum cleaner 10. The outlet conduit 86b is in fluid communication with the
suction source 32
via a duct (not shown).
[0058] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a portion of a wet extraction module 88
88 of the vacuum
cleaner 10 of FIG. 1. The wet extraction module 88 can be thought of as
comprising the wet
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suction nozzle 42, the wet recovery tank 44, a wet suction nozzle coupler 89
having a coupler
inlet 89a and a coupler outlet 89b, and a wet conduit 90a. The wet conduit 90a
fluidly couples
the coupler outlet 89b of the wet suction nozzle coupler 89 to an air flow
diverter assembly 92
(FIG. 6). The wet suction nozzle 42 defines both a dirty liquid inlet 40 and a
wet suction nozzle
outlet 42b. The wet suction nozzle outlet 42b is coupled to the coupler inlet
89a of the wet
suction nozzle coupler 89 and can be thought of as a working air outlet from
the wet suction
nozzle 42. A wet recovery chamber 94 is defined at least partially by both the
wet suction nozzle
42 and the wet recovery tank 44. The wet suction nozzle 42 can at least
partially overlie the wet
recovery tank 44 such that the wet recovery tank 44 is positioned underneath
at least a portion of
the wet suction nozzle 42, the wet suction nozzle 42 covering an open top of
the wet recovery
tank 44 and in sealing engagement with the wet recovery tank 44.
[0059] At least the wet suction nozzle 42 and the wet recovery tank 44 can be
removably
mounted on the base 14 including above the dry suction nozzle 30. The wet
recovery tank 44,
and optionally the wet suction nozzle 42 can be configured to mount within a
recessed pocket 96
(FIG. 2) provided in a portion of the base 14. The wet suction nozzle 42 and
the wet recovery
tank 44 can nestably mount within the recessed pocket 96 such that, when the
wet suction nozzle
42 and the wet recovery tank 44 are operably coupled on the base 14, the wet
suction nozzle 42
and the wet recovery tank 44 form a seal about one another, for example about
the periphery
where the wet suction nozzle 42 and the wet recovery tank 44 contact one
another, such that fluid
does not leak out between the wet suction nozzle 42 and the wet recovery tank
44 when they are
coupled to one another. The wet suction nozzle 42 and the wet recovery tank 44
can also be
selectively coupled together by a suitable coupling mechanism, non-limiting
examples of which
include a latch, a snap fit, or a clasp. The selective coupling between the
wet suction nozzle 42
and the wet recovery tank 44 allows the two pieces to be separated for ease of
cleaning or
emptying liquid from the wet recovery chamber 94 of the wet recovery tank 44
by a user.
[0060] Liquid and debris that enter the wet suction nozzle 42 through the
dirty liquid inlet 40
pass through the wet suction nozzle 42 and over the open top of the wet
recovery tank 44. As the
liquid and debris is moved by suction through the wet suction nozzle 42, the
heavier liquid
collects in the wet recovery chamber 94 as it is passed over the open top of
the wet recovery tank
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44, while the debris and dirty air continue to the working air outlet at the
wet suction nozzle 42
outlet, through the coupler inlet 89a into the wet suction nozzle coupler 89,
and from the coupler
outlet 89b to the wet conduit 90a to the air flow diverter assembly 92, which
is fluidly coupled to
the dry recovery tank 34. The wet suction nozzle 42 can also have features,
such as ribs or
baffles (not shown), that can constitute at least a portion of the separator,
and are formed in or
protruding from an underside of the wet suction nozzle 42 to form the sealing
engagement with
the wet recovery tank 44 and to guide liquid that enters the wet suction
nozzle 42 into the wet
recovery chamber 94.
[0061] FIG. 6 is a partial schematic view of a wet pathway and a dry pathway
that are fluidly
connected to the air flow diverter assembly 92 and each define a portion of
the working air path
24, the working air path 24 partially defined by and passing through the air
flow diverter
assembly 92. The base 14 includes both the dry suction nozzle 30 and the wet
suction nozzle 42.
The dry suction nozzle 30 is defined within the brush chamber 58 and is in
fluid communication
with a dry conduit 90b. The dry suction nozzle 30 is fluidly coupled to the
air flow diverter
assembly 92 by the dry conduit 90b. As described above, the wet suction nozzle
42 is fluidly
coupled to the air flow diverter assembly 92 by the wet conduit 90a. The
working air path 24
extends through the air flow diverter assembly 92, from either the wet suction
nozzle 42 or the
dry suction nozzle 30, in order to place the suction source 32 in fluid
communication with either
the wet suction nozzle 42 or the dry suction nozzle 30, depending on whether
the dry vacuum
mode or the wet extraction mode is selected.
[0062] The air flow diverter assembly 92 can be mounted on the handle 20
portion of the
vacuum cleaner 10. However, it will be understood that this is not limiting
and that other
locations are possible, including on the base 14 or the upright body 12 of the
vacuum cleaner 10.
The air flow diverter assembly 92 comprises a wet inlet 92a, to which the wet
conduit 90a is
coupled, and a dry inlet 92b, to which the dry conduit 90b is coupled.
Further, the air flow
diverter assembly 92 includes a diverter outlet 92c that is coupled to the dry
recovery tank 34.
The air flow diverter assembly 92 can be located downstream from both the wet
suction nozzle
42 and the dry suction nozzle 30, and upstream from the dry recovery tank 34
inlet. The air flow
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diverter assembly 92 can further comprise a leak hole (not shown) that reduces
the suction force
when the air flow is selectively diverted to the wet suction nozzle 42 and the
wet pathway.
[0063] The air flow diverter assembly 92 is configured to selectively divert
working air flow
through either the wet suction nozzle 42 or the dry suction nozzle 30 such
that working air flows
only through one or the other of the wet inlet 92a or the dry inlet 92b at one
time. In one
configuration, the air flow diverter assembly 92 comprises a barrel diverter
valve, though it will
be understood that other types of diverter valves can be used. In such a
configuration, and as
illustrated in FIG. 7 in a cross-sectional view of the air flow diverter
assembly 92, the air flow
diverter assembly 92 includes a rotatable inner cylinder 98 having at least
two rotational
positions, at least one position corresponding to the wet pathway (shown) and
another position
corresponding to the dry pathway (not shown). It will be understood that the
air flow diverter
assembly 92 can be manually moveable or connected to any suitable actuator
mechanism.
[0064] By way of non-limiting example, the rotatable inner cylinder 98 can
comprise a first inlet
opening 98a and a second inlet opening 98b, and at least one outlet opening
98c. In a first
rotational position, associated with the user-selectable dry vacuum mode, the
first inlet opening
98a can be substantially aligned with the dry inlet 92b such that air flows
from the dry inlet 92b
through the outlet opening 98c and the diverter outlet 92c. When the rotatable
inner cylinder 98
is in the first rotational position, no inlet opening is aligned with the wet
inlet 92a, such that
working air cannot flow from the wet conduit 90a into the air flow diverter
assembly 92. In a
second rotational position, associated with the user-selectable wet vacuum
mode, the second inlet
opening 98b can be substantially aligned with the wet inlet 92a such that air
flows from the wet
inlet 92a through the second outlet opening 98b on the rotatable inner
cylinder 98, and through
the outlet opening 98c to the diverter outlet 92c. In the second rotational
position, no inlet
opening is aligned with the dry inlet 92b, such that working air cannot flow
from the dry conduit
90b into the air flow diverter assembly 92.
[0065] In an alternate configuration, the air flow diverter assembly can
comprise the wet inlet, to
which the wet conduit is coupled, and the dry inlet, to which the dry conduit
is coupled. The air
flow diverter assembly can further comprise a dedicated wet diverter outlet,
which can be fluidly
connected directly to the suction source (i.e. bypassing the dry recovery
tank) and a dry diverter
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outlet fluidly connected to the dry recovery tank. In this configuration, when
the air flow diverter
assembly is set in a wet vacuum mode, or an extraction cleaning mode, the
working airflow,
which can contain some amount of fluid or moisture, bypasses the dry recovery
tank, thereby
avoiding comingling of fluid and dry debris within the dry recovery tank, and
is guided to the
downstream suction source.
[0066] FIG. 8 is an exploded partially schematic view of the fluid delivery
system 100. The fluid
delivery system 100 can include a fluid delivery or supply pathway, including
and at least
partially defined by at least one supply tank 102 for storing a supply of
cleaning fluid and at least
one fluid distributor 104 provided on the base 14 in fluid communication with
the supply tank
102 for depositing a cleaning fluid onto the surface. The cleaning fluid
stored by the supply tank
102 can comprise one or more of any suitable cleaning liquids, including, but
not limited to,
water, compositions, concentrated detergent, diluted detergent, etc., and
mixtures thereof. For
example, the fluid can comprise a mixture of water and concentrated detergent.
[0067] The supply tank 102 can be mounted to the housing in any configuration.
In the present
example (illustrated in FIG. 2), the supply tank 102 is removably mounted at
an upper rear
portion of the frame 18 and can be removed for filling. However, it will be
understood that the
supply tank 102 can be removably mounted to the frame 18, the upright handle
20, or any other
suitable location on the vacuum cleaner 10 including the base 14. The supply
tank 102 can be at
least partially formed of a transparent or tinted translucent material, which
permits a user to view
the contents thereof.
[0068] The fluid distributor 104 is illustrated herein in the form of a spray
tip 106 provided on
the base 14. The fluid distributor 104 can be provided at any suitable
position on the base 14
such that fluid can be distributed to the surface to be cleaned. In one aspect
of the disclosure, the
fluid distributor 104 can be mounted to the wet suction nozzle 42. The supply
tank 102 can be
fluidly coupled to the fluid distributor 104 by a fluid delivery conduit 108.
The fluid distributor
104 includes at least one outlet 110 for applying the cleaning fluid to the
surface to be cleaned.
In one aspect, the fluid distributor 104 can be one or more spray tips on the
base 14 configured to
deliver cleaning fluid to the surface to be cleaned directly by spraying
outwardly from the base
14 in front of the vacuum cleaner 10. Other types of fluid distributors are
possible, such as a
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spray manifold having multiple outlets or a spray nozzle configured to spray
cleaning fluid onto
the stationary brush 66.
[0069] In addition to the supply tank 102 and fluid distributor 104, various
combinations of
optional components can be incorporated into the fluid delivery system 100,
such as a fluid
pump, a heater, and/or fluid control and mixing valves, as well as suitable
conduits or tubing
fluidly connecting the components of the fluid delivery system 100 together to
create the supply
of cleaning fluid from the supply tank 102 to the fluid distributor 104. For
example, in the
aspects shown herein, the fluid delivery system 100 can further comprise a
flow control system
for controlling the flow of fluid from the supply tank 102 to the fluid
distributor 104 via the fluid
delivery conduit 108. In one configuration, the flow control system can
comprise a pump 112,
which selectively pressurizes the system. The pump 112 can be provided within
the fluid supply
pathway, between the supply tank 102 and the fluid distributor 104.
[0070] An actuator 114 can be provided to selectively dispense fluid from the
fluid distributor
104. The actuator can, for example, include a trigger on the hand grip 22.
While the actuator 114
is illustrated herein as a trigger, it will be understood that other suitable
types of actuators can be
used, non-limiting examples of which include a press button, a slidable
selector, or a switch. The
actuator 114 can be operably coupled to the pump 112 such that pressing the
actuator 114 will
activate the pump 112, or can be operably coupled to a flow control valve
which controls the
delivery of fluid from the pump 112 to the distributor such that pressing the
actuator 114 will
open the valve. The actuator 114 can be operably coupled to the pump 112 via a
switch 116, such
that pressing the trigger controls the switch 116 to actuate the pump 112,
allowing fluid to be
provided from the supply tank 102 to the fluid distributor 104 via the fluid
delivery conduit 108.
[0071] The pump 112 can be positioned within a housing of the frame 18, and in
the illustrated
aspects the pump 112 is beneath and in fluid communication with the supply
tank 102 via a valve
assembly. In one example, the pump 112 can be a solenoid pump having a single,
dual, or
variable speed. In another example, the pump 112 can be a centrifugal pump.
[0072] In another configuration of the fluid supply pathway, the pump 112 can
be eliminated and
the flow control system can comprise a gravity-feed system having a valve
fluidly coupled with
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an outlet of the supply tank 102, whereby when valve is open, fluid will flow
under the force of
gravity to the fluid distributor 104.
[0073] Optionally, a heater (not shown) can be provided for heating the
cleaning fluid or
generating steam prior to delivering the cleaning fluid or steam to the
surface to be cleaned. In
one example, an in-line heater can be located downstream of the supply tank
102, and upstream
or downstream of the pump 112. Other types of heaters can also be used. In yet
another example,
the cleaning fluid can be heated using exhaust air from a motor-cooling
pathway for a suction
source 32 of the recovery system.
[0074] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the base 14 showing in greater detail a
target light 120
that can be included on the vacuum cleaner 10. The target light 120 can be
provided on the base
14 near the fluid distributor 104 or spray tip 106, which defines a spray area
122 on the surface
to be cleaned within which the fluid is sprayed. The target light 120 can be
provided at any
suitable location on the base 14 such that at least a portion of the surface
to be cleaned is
illuminated by the target light 120, defining an illumination area 124. In one
aspect of the
disclosure, the target light 120 can be positioned on the base 14 adjacent the
fluid distributor 104,
such that the illumination area 124 illuminated by the target light 120 at
least partially overlaps
with the spray area 122 onto which fluid is sprayed from the fluid distributor
104 to define an
overlapping zone between the illumination area 124 and the spray area 122,
indicated at 126. The
target light 120 can be, for example, an LED or an LED array, though any
suitable illumination
source can be used.
[0075] The vacuum cleaner 10 shown in FIGS. 1-9 can be used to effectively
clean the surface to
be cleaned by removing debris, which may include dirt, dust, soil, hair, and
other debris from the
surface to be cleaned in accordance with the following method. The sequence of
steps discussed
is for illustrative purposes only and is not meant to limit the method in any
way as it is
understood that the steps may proceed in a different logical order, additional
or intervening steps
may be included, or described steps may be divided into multiple steps,
without detracting from
the present disclosure.
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[0076] To perform dry vacuum cleaning, the suction source 32 is coupled to the
power source
and debris-laden air is drawn in through the dirty air inlet 26 and into the
dry recovery tank 34
where the debris is substantially separated from the working air. The air flow
then passes through
the suction source 32, and through any optional filters positioned upstream
and/or downstream
from the suction source 32, prior to being exhausted from the vacuum cleaner
10. During
vacuum cleaning, the rotatable agitator 54 can agitate debris on the surface
to be cleaned so that
the debris is more easily ingested into the dirty air inlet 26.
[0077] To perform small area extraction, the vacuum cleaner 10 is prepared for
use by filling the
supply tank 102 with cleaning fluid. Cleaning fluid is selectively delivered
to the surface to be
cleaned via the fluid supply pathway by user-activation of the actuator 114.
Cleaning fluid is
released through the fluid distributor 104, directly onto the surface to be
cleaned in front of the
base 14. The stationary brush 66 can be wiped across the surface to be cleaned
to remove debris
and fluid present on the surface. Simultaneously, fluid and debris can be
drawn into the wet
suction nozzle 42 and the fluid recovery pathway when the suction source 32 is
activated.
Optionally, during fluid dispensing, the suction source 32 can be inoperative,
which facilitates a
wet scrubbing mode so that the soiled cleaning solution is not removed as the
vacuum cleaner 10
is moved back and forth across the surface to be cleaned.
[0078] During operation of the suction source 32 and the fluid recovery
pathway, fluid and
debris-laden working air passes through the wet suction nozzle 42 and over the
downstream wet
recovery tank 44 where the fluid and debris are substantially separated from
the working air, at
least by gravity and by the separator (not shown), such that the separated
fluid and debris are
collected within the wet recovery chamber 94 of the wet recovery tank 44 while
the working air
exits via the wet suction nozzle outlet 42b. The airstream then passes through
the dry recovery
tank 34 and the suction source 32 prior to being exhausted through the clean
air outlet 28. It will
be understood that the air flow diverter assembly 92 can be operated to change
the connectivity
of the suction source 32 to the wet suction nozzle 42 and the dry suction
nozzle 30.
[0079] The vacuum cleaner 10 according to the present disclosure allows a user
the flexibility of
performing traditional vacuum cleaning as well as small area extraction
cleaning using a single
cleaning machine. In addition, actuation of the small area extraction cleaning
mode is simple for
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a user and can be done quickly and easily while a user is operating the vacuum
cleaner 10,
providing the flexibility of being able to perform small area extraction on
areas or spots with
heavy soiling. The vacuum cleaner 10 of the present disclosure distinguishes
from typical
extraction cleaners or upright deep cleaners in that the vacuum cleaner 10
includes a dedicated
vacuum collection system and dry vacuum pathway, whereas a conventional
extraction cleaner
includes only fluid delivery and recovery systems, without a dedicated dry
vacuum pathway. In
addition, separate dry suction nozzle 30 and wet suction nozzle 42 are
provided so a user can
easily see the area that is being treated with the small area extraction
cleaning. Correspondingly,
separate dry and wet collection spaces are provided, so a user can not only
independently operate
the two cleaning systems, but can individually clean and empty the components
of one or the
other of the cleaning systems.
[0080] It will be understood that a variety of alternatives can be utilized in
the vacuum cleaner
described above. By way of non-limiting example, FIG. 10 is a perspective view
of a portion
of the base 14 showing a target light 130 according to another aspect of the
disclosure. In this
aspect, rather than having the target light mounted on the base 14 or the wet
suction nozzle 42
adjacent the fluid distributor 104, as described before, the target light 130
can be mounted behind
the wet suction nozzle 42. The wet suction nozzle 42 can be at least partially
formed of a
transparent or tinted translucent material, such that the target light 130 is
configured to shine
through the wet suction nozzle 42 itself. This can result in maximization of
the overlapping zone
132 between the illumination area 134 and the spray area 136 by positioning
the target light 130
and the fluid distributor 104 as near to one another as possible.
[0081] Further still, FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a portion of the base
14 showing a target
light 140 according to yet another aspect of the disclosure. In this aspect,
rather than having the
target light 140 mounted on the base 14 or the wet suction nozzle 42 adjacent
or behind the fluid
distributor 104, as described before, a hole or an opening 142 can be provided
in the wet suction
nozzle 42 itself, the opening 142 adjacent the fluid distributor 104. By way
of non-limiting
example, the opening 142 can be formed in the wet suction nozzle 42 just below
the fluid
distributor 104. Rather than providing the target light 140 on an outer
surface of the base 14 or
the wet suction nozzle 42, the target light 140 can be mounted behind or on an
inner surface of
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the wet suction nozzle 42 such that the target light 140 can shine through the
opening 142. This
can allow the target light 140 itself to be protected, rather than being
provided on an outer
surface of the base 14 or wet suction nozzle 42 where it could be bumped into
surfaces during
movement of the vacuum cleaner 10. This can also result in maximization of the
overlapping
zone 144 between the illumination area 134 and the spray area 136 by
positioning the target light
130 and the fluid distributor 104 as near to one another as possible.
[0082] FIG. 12 is a schematic view illustrating a portion of an alternate
implementation of a
vacuum cleaner 210. The vacuum cleaner 210 is substantially similar to the
vacuum cleaner 10.
Therefore, like parts will be identified with like numerals increased by 200,
with it being
understood that the description of the like parts of the vacuum cleaner 10
applies to the vacuum
cleaner 210 unless otherwise noted.
[0083] One difference is that a combination wet/dry recovery tank 235 is
provided.
[0084] The vacuum cleaner 210 still includes a dry suction nozzle 230, and wet
suction nozzle
242 fluidly coupled to a suction source 232 via an air flow diverter assembly
292. As described
previously, the air flow diverter assembly 292 still serves to selectively
couple the wet suction
nozzle 242 and the dry suction nozzle 230 to the combination wet/dry recovery
tank 235.
However, the air flow diverter assembly 292 includes a wet inlet 292a and a
dry inlet 292b in
fluid communication with a wet outlet 292d and a dry outlet 292e,
respectively.
[0085] Within the dry pathway, the dry suction nozzle 230 is fluidly coupled
to the dry inlet
292b of the air flow diverter assembly 292 by the dry conduit 290b. Working
air flowing through
the dry pathway passes through the air flow diverter assembly 292 and exits
via the dry outlet
292e. The dry outlet 292e is in fluid communication with a dry debris inlet
235a defined by the
combination wet/dry recovery tank 235.
[0086] Within the wet pathway, the wet suction nozzle 242 is fluidly coupled
to the wet inlet
292a of the air flow diverter assembly 292 by the wet conduit 290a. Working
air flowing through
the wet pathway passes through the air flow diverter assembly 292 and exits
via the wet outlet
292d. The wet outlet 292d is in fluid communication with a wet debris inlet
235b defined by the
combination wet/dry recovery tank 235. The combination wet/dry recovery tank
235 further
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defines a single exhaust outlet 235c that is coupled to the suction source 232
for exhausting clean
air.
[0087] FIG. 13 is an exploded view of the combination wet/dry recovery tank
235. The
combination wet/dry recovery tank 235 operates similarly to the dry recovery
tank as previously
described, but includes collection chambers for dry debris and liquid. The
combination wet/dry
recovery tank 235 comprises at least a body having the dry debris inlet 235a
and the wet debris
inlet 235b and a separation module 237.
[0088] The dirt tank 274 includes a side wall 282, a bottom wall 284, and a
cover 286. The side
wall 282 can be at least partially transparent or translucent in order for a
user to view the
contents therein. The side wall 282 is illustrated herein as being generally
cylindrical in shape,
with a diameter that remains constant or increases in a direction toward the
bottom wall 284. The
side wall 282 includes a lower or bottom edge that defines a debris outlet for
the collection
chamber 276 (FIG. 14). The bottom wall 284 in the illustrated aspect comprises
a dirt door 284a
that can be selectively opened, such as to empty the contents of the
collection chamber 276. The
cover 286 can include the carry handle 286a that can be gripped by a user to
facilitate lifting and
carrying the entire vacuum cleaner 210 or just the combination wet/dry
recovery tank 235. The
cover is removably connected to the dirt tank 274 via one or more connections
there between. In
one example, the connection can comprise one or more bayonet hooks on the
cover that engage
one or more corresponding recesses on an upper inside portion of the side wall
282 (not shown).
The cover can be removed from the dirt tank 274 by twisting the cover relative
to the dirt tank
274 to release the bayonet hooks from the recesses and then lifting the cover
off of the dirt tank
274.
[0089] The dirt door 284a can be pivotally mounted to the side wall 282 by a
hinge (not shown).
A door latch is provided on the side wall 282, opposite the hinge, and can be
actuated by a user
to selectively release the dirt door from engagement with the bottom edge of
the side wall 282.
The door latch can comprise a latch that is pivotally mounted to the side wall
282 and spring-
biased toward a closed position. By pressing the upper end of the door latch
toward the side wall
282, the lower end of the door latch pivots away from the side wall 282 and
releases the dirt
door, under the force of gravity, to an open position, allowing accumulated
dirt to be emptied
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from the collection chamber 76 through the debris outlet defined by the bottom
edge of the dirt
tank 274.
[0090] A pre-motor filtration assembly 239 can be provided within the dirt
tank 274 and can
comprise at least one filtration layer that filters the working air before it
exits the combination
wet/dry recovery tank 235 via the exhaust outlet 235c. The pre-motor
filtration assembly 239 can
include filtration layers, a flexible and air-permeable filter bag, or other
air filtering means, or
combinations thereof, provided downstream of the wet debris inlet 242 and dry
debris inlet 230
and upstream of the suction source 232, with the working air path 224
extending through the pre-
motor filtration assembly 239. An internal sleeve, which can comprise a liquid
separator 237 and
a dry debris separator 241, partitions an interior of the combination wet/dry
recovery tank 235
into an inner dry collection chamber 276a and an outer liquid collection
chamber 276b.
[0091] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the assembled combination wet/dry
recovery tank
235. As can be better seen, the dry debris separator 241 can at least
partially define a dry
separation chamber 243 within an interior of the dirt tank 274. A liquid
collection chamber 276b
and dry collection chamber 276a can be concentric with one another, such that
the liquid
collection chamber 276b surrounds the dry collection chamber 276a, with the
two chambers
separated by the liquid separator 237. It will be understood that other
arrangements of the liquid
collection chamber 276b and the dry collection chamber 276a are contemplated,
including that
the liquid and dry collection chambers can be side by side or stacked
vertically one on top of the
other.
[0092] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the combination wet/dry recovery
tank 235 showing
the wet pathway 245 through the combination wet/dry recovery tank 235. The
dirty wet air enters
the combination wet/dry recovery tank 235 through the wet debris inlet 235b.
The wet debris
inlet 235b can comprise a wet air inlet 247a to the liquid collection chamber
276b, which can be
a cyclonic or centrifugal separation chamber, and can be at least partially
defined by an inlet
conduit 247. The inlet conduit 247 can extend tangentially from the side wall
282 to define a
tangential air inlet. The inlet conduit 247 is in fluid communication with the
wet debris inlet
235b, and can further be in fluid communication with the wet suction nozzle
42, depending on
the operational mode of the vacuum cleaner 210. Liquid removed from the dirty
wet air is
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collected in the liquid collection chamber 276b. The working air from which
the liquid has been
removed then passes through the dry debris separator 241 and the dry
separation chamber 243,
through the pre-motor filtration assembly 239, and to the exhaust outlet 235c.
The exhaust outlet
235c from the combination wet/dry recovery tank 235 can be at least partially
defined by an
outlet conduit 286b extending from the cover 286. The outlet conduit 286b is
in fluid
communication with the suction source 232 via a duct (not shown).
[0093] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the combination wet/dry recovery
tank 235 showing
the dry pathway 249 through the combination wet/dry recovery tank 235. The
dirty dry air enters
the combination wet/dry recovery tank 235 through the dry debris inlet 235a.
The dry debris inlet
235a can comprise a dry air inlet 272 (FIG. 12) to the dry collection chamber
276a, which can be
a cyclonic or centrifugal separation chamber, and can be at least partially
defined by an inlet
conduit 272a (FIG. 13). The inlet conduit 272a can extend tangentially from
the side wall 282 to
define a tangential air inlet. The inlet conduit 272a is in fluid
communication with the dry debris
inlet 235a, and can further be in fluid communication with the dry suction
nozzle 30, depending
on the operational mode of the vacuum cleaner 210. Debris removed from the
working dry air
collects in the dry collection chamber 276a. The working dry air passes from
the dry collection
chamber 276a, then through the dry debris separator 241 and the dry separation
chamber 243,
through the pre-motor filtration assembly 239, and to the exhaust outlet 253c
as in the wet
pathway.
[0094] In yet another aspect of the disclosure, FIG. 17 is an exploded view of
a wet extraction
module 488. The wet extraction module 488 can be utilized in the vacuum
cleaner 10 or vacuum
cleaner 210 and is substantially similar to the extraction module 88.
Therefore, like parts will be
identified with like numerals increased by 400, with it being understood that
the description of
the like parts of the extraction module 88 applies to the extraction module
488 unless otherwise
noted.
[0095] One difference is that a shut off valve 457 is included and is
configured to block air flow
through the wet pathway or shut off suction from the suction source when the
recovered liquid in
the wet recovery tank 444 reaches a predetermined full level. In one example,
the shut off valve
457 can comprise a mechanical shut off, such as a float. When the recovered
liquid in the wet
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recovery tank 444 reaches the predetermined full level, the mechanical shut
off float floats
upwardly to block air flow through the wet pathway.
[0096] Alternatively, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 18, the shut off
valve 457a can be
electronic. In such an instance the vacuum cleaner 10 or 210 can include
additional optional
components such as a moisture sensor 459. As with the mechanical shut off
valve, the electronic
shut off sensor 457a can be incorporated with the wet recovery tank 444, wet
suction nozzle 442,
or the wet suction nozzle coupler 489 to shut off the flow to the suction
source when the
recovered liquid in the wet recovery tank 444 reaches the predetermined full
level. Output from
the sensor 459 indicating that the predetermined full level has been reached
can be provided to a
controller or microcontroller unit (MCU) 461. The controller or MCU 461 can
then cause the
disabling of the wet mode of the vacuum cleaner 10 or 210, or can indicate the
tank full
condition to the user by an indicator light 463, such as a blinking light. The
wet mode can be
disabled in a variety of ways. Non-limiting examples of such approaches
include shutting off the
suction source 32 or 232, and optionally also shutting off the pump 112,
blocking the wet
pathway or the recovery path, for example between the wet suction nozzle 442
and the suction
source 32 or 232, such as by a shut off valve 457a provided in the pathway, or
opening a bleed
valve 465 to reduce the suction provided to the wet suction nozzle 42 and
disable the wet mode.
[0097] Referring now to FIGs. 19A and 19B, it will be understood that any of
the above
described wet suction nozzles can be configured to be in a raised condition
during a dry mode of
the vacuum cleaner and in a lowered condition during a wet mode of operation
of the vacuum
cleaner. For ease of numbering and clarity, the remainder of the description
will refer back to the
vacuum cleaner 10 having the wet suction nozzle 42 although it will be
understood that the
details can be applicable to any of the other aspects described herein. In the
lowered condition,
illustrated in FIG. 19A, the wet suction nozzle 42 is positioned so that it
closely overlies the
surface to be cleaned, labeled schematically as 8, and extraction can be
performed effectively,
with improved liquid extraction in the wet mode and the lowered condition. In
the raised
condition, illustrated in FIG. 19B, at least a portion of the wet suction
nozzle 42 is raised relative
to the dry suction nozzle 30 so that at least the wet suction nozzle 42 is
lifted away from the
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surface to be cleaned 8. This allows for optimal performance of the dry
suction nozzle 30 during
the dry mode of operation.
[0098] An actuator 160 can be selectively activated to move the wet suction
nozzle 42 between
the raised and lowered conditions. In one example, the actuator 160 can be a
solenoid piston that
can bear against the wet suction nozzle 42 to move the wet suction nozzle 42
from the lowered
condition (FIG. 19A) to the raised condition (FIG. 19B). The actuator 160 in
the form of the
solenoid piston can be selectively actuated to bear against the wet suction
nozzle 42 and to raise
the entire wet suction nozzle 42 from the lowered condition in the wet mode
(FIG. 19A) to the
raised condition in the dry mode (FIG. 19B).
[0099] Referring now to FIGs. 20A and 20B, it will be understood that any of
the above
described wet suction nozzles can be configured to be pivoted to a raised
potion during a dry
mode of the vacuum cleaner and in a lowered condition during a wet mode of
operation of the
vacuum cleaner. Again, whiles this will be described with respect to the
suction nozzle 42, it will
be understood that the details can be applicable to any of the aspects
described herein. In another
example, the wet suction nozzle 42 can be pivotally coupled to the base 14 or
dry suction nozzle
30 such that actuation of the actuator 160a, such as in the form of a solenoid
piston raises only a
portion of the wet suction nozzle 42 relative to a pivot axis. FIG. 20A
illustrates this feature in
the lowered condition in the wet mode, while FIG. 20B illustrates this feature
in the raised
condition in the dry mode.
[00100] It will be understood that in either of the aspects of FIGS. 19A
and 19B or FIGS.
20A and 20B, the solenoid piston can be located at any suitable position on
the base 14 such that
actuation of the solenoid piston raises or lowers any portion of the wet
suction nozzle 42. By way
of non-limiting example, the solenoid piston can be located on a front surface
or a top surface of
the base 14 or dry suction nozzle 30 in any of the exemplary aspects.
[00101] Further still, FIG. 21 illustrates a mode selector 170 that can be
included on the
vacuum cleaner 10 (or vacuum cleaner 210) for a user to select wet mode or dry
mode operation.
Non-limiting examples of such a mode selector 170 can include a switch, a
button, a slidable
selector, or a knob. The mode selector 170 provides an input to a controller
or MCU 172 of
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whether wet mode or dry mode is selected. The controller can be a separate
controller or a
controller with other functions such as the controller 461 previously
described. The controller
172 can then automatically convert the operation of the vacuum cleaner 10
between wet mode
and dry mode by controlling the function of a variety of the components of the
vacuum cleaner
10, non-limiting examples of which include the fluid pump 112, the motor
controlling the suction
source 32, the speed of the rotatable agitator 54, the position of the wet
suction nozzle 42, and
the operation of the target light 120, 130 or 140 depending on the mode
selected. The position of
the wet suction nozzle 42 can be controlled by a nozzle height adjuster as
previously described.
While the solenoid piston was described above as being one potential
implementation of the
nozzle height adjuster, it will be understood that other height adjusters are
also possible.
[00102] For example, it is contemplated that control of the vacuum cleaner
10 to operate
in the dry mode can include operating the motor and the suction source 32 at a
higher suction
level relative to the wet mode, that the fluid pump 112 would not operate in
the dry mode, the
rotatable agitator 54 is being powered to operate, the wet suction nozzle 42
is in the raised
condition, and the target light 120, 130, or 140 is off, or any combination of
these elements
thereof. Control of the vacuum cleaner 10 to operate in the wet mode can
include operating the
motor and the suction source 32 at a lower suction level relative to the dry
mode, that the fluid
pump 112 would operate in the wet mode, the brushroll is not being powered to
operate, the wet
suction nozzle 42 is in the lowered condition, and the target light 120, 130,
or 140 is on, or any
combination of these elements thereof.
[00103] Other lighting features can also be included, in addition to the
target light 120,
130, or 140 as previously described. FIG. 22 is a perspective view of an
alternative base 14
including optional base lighting 176 illuminated in a dry mode of operation
indicated at 176a.
The base lighting 176 can include any suitable lighting including, by way of
non-limiting
example, a strip or an array of LED indicator lights that can be mounted along
the lower front
edge of the base 14. During the dry mode of operation 176a, the LEDs along the
entire strip or
array of the base lighting 176 can be configured to be illuminated,
corresponding to the full
width of the dry suction nozzle 30. This can indicate to a user that the dry
suction nozzle 30 is in
operation.
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[00104] FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the base lighting 176 of FIG. 22,
showing the
pattern of illumination in the wet mode of operation indicated at 176b. In the
wet mode of
operation indicated at 176b, the LED's only along the portion of the strip or
array of the base
lighting 176 corresponding to the width and location of the wet suction nozzle
42, and therefore
only a portion of the width of the base 14, can be configured to be
illuminated. This can indicate
to the user that only the wet suction nozzle 42 is in operation. The
illumination of either the
partial width or the full width of the strip or array of the base lighting 176
depending on whether
the vacuum cleaner 10 is operating in the wet mode or the dry mode provides an
aesthetic effect
to quickly and easily communicate the mode status to the user without the user
having to check
the mode selector 170.
[00105] FIG. 24 is a schematic of the operation of an area rug mode for
the vacuum
cleaner 10 according to one aspect of the disclosure. A user may desire to use
the small area
extraction wet mode on an area rug. For an area rug, spraying fluid as in the
wet mode may not
be desirable because the fluid can more quickly soak through the area rug.
Rather, the area rug
mode can be provided to generate a spray of foam rather than fluid, such that
the foam can sit on
top of the area rug instead of rapidly soaking through. The foam can be
generated by selectively
introducing an air leak 180 into the fluid delivery path or fluid delivery
conduit 108 to create a
foam to be delivered from the fluid distributor 104.
[00106] An area rug mode selector 182 can be provided on the vacuum
cleaner 10. As
illustrated herein, the area rug mode selector 182 can be provided on the hand
grip 22, though
other locations on the vacuum cleaner 10 are possible. The area rug mode
selector 182 can be
provided, for example, as a switch, a button, a slidable selector, or a knob.
The area rug mode
selector 182 is operably coupled with an air leak switch 184, which controls
the selective
actuation of an air leak 182, schematically illustrated as a valve, in the
fluid delivery pathway.
The actuation of the air leak 182 causes the fluid being delivered to become a
foam, which can
be provided to the area rug through the fluid distributor 104. The air leak
can be provided at any
suitable point in the fluid delivery pathway, downstream of the supply tank
102 and the pump
112, for example within the fluid delivery conduit 108.
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[00107] FIG. 25 is a schematic of the area rug mode of FIG. 24 according
to another
aspect of the disclosure. In this aspect, rather than providing the air leak
within the fluid delivery
pathway or the fluid delivery conduit 108, the air leak is incorporated with
the fluid distributor
104 such that the foaming of the fluid occurs only as the fluid is dispensed
through the fluid
distributor 104. In this way, foaming occurs only as the fluid exits the
vacuum cleaner 10, thus
not requiring the foam to be pumped through the fluid delivery pathway.
[00108] To the extent not already described, the different features and
structures of the various
aspects of the disclosure, may be used in combination with each other as
desired, or may be used
separately. That one surface cleaning apparatus is illustrated herein as
having all of these features
does not mean that all of these features must be used in combination, but
rather done so here for
brevity of description. Furthermore, while the surface cleaning apparatus
shown herein has an
upright configuration, the surface cleaning apparatus can be configured as a
canister or portable
unit. For example, in a canister arrangement, foot components such as the
suction nozzle and
brushroll can be provided on a cleaning head coupled with a canister unit.
Still further, the
surface cleaning apparatus can additionally have steam delivery capability.
Thus, the various
features of the different aspects may be mixed and matched in various vacuum
cleaner
configurations as desired to form new aspects, whether or not the new aspects
are expressly
described.
[00109] According to one aspect of the disclosure, a vacuum cleaner can be
adapted for
dry vacuum cleaning, as well as for selective use in small area extraction for
wet cleaning small
spots and stains.
[00110] According to another aspect of the disclosure, a vacuum cleaner
can include an
upright body, a base defining a recessed pocket, and a wet extraction module
88 further
including a wet suction nozzle and a wet recovery tank that can be removably
mounted on the
foot. The wet suction nozzle and wet recovery tank can be separate components
that fit sealingly
together, the wet suction nozzle and wet recovery tank configured to nestably
and removably
mount within the recessed pocket. A dry suction nozzle can also be provided on
the base with the
wet suction nozzle being positioned on top of and in front of the dry suction
nozzle. The wet
suction nozzle can extend less than the full width of the dry suction nozzle,
including less than or
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equal to half the width of the dry suction nozzle, less than or equal to one
third the width of the
dry suction nozzle, or less than or equal to one quarter the width of the dry
suction nozzle.
[00111] According to another aspect of the disclosure, a vacuum cleaner
includes a handle
to which an air flow diverter assembly can be mounted for selectively
diverting working air flow
through either of a wet suction nozzle or a dry suction nozzle. The air flow
diverter assembly can
be provided downstream from the wet suction nozzle and dry suction nozzle, and
upstream from
a recovery tank inlet. The air flow diverter assembly can comprise a barrel
diverter.
[00112] According to another aspect of the disclosure, a vacuum cleaner
includes a handle
to which a supply tank can be mounted, the supply tank fluidly connected to a
fluid distributor on
a base of the vacuum cleaner. A hand grip can be provided on the handle and
can include an
actuator for selectively actuating a pump to distribute liquid from the supply
tank to the fluid
distributor onto a surface to be cleaned.
[00113] According to another aspect of the disclosure, a vacuum cleaner
can include a
base and an upright body, with a fluid distributor and a target light provided
on the base, the
target light configured to illuminate the area in front of a wet suction
nozzle that is wetted by the
fluid distributor. The target light can be mounted adjacent the fluid
distributor, behind the wet
suction nozzle, which can be transparent, or behind a hole or opening in the
wet suction nozzle.
[00114] According to another aspect of the disclosure, a vacuum cleaner
adapted for dry
vacuum cleaning, as well as for selective use in small area extraction for wet
cleaning small
spots and stains can include a combination wet/dry recovery tank, the
combination wet/dry
recovery tank including a wet debris inlet, a dry debris inlet, an internal
sleeve partitioned into a
dry collection chamber 76 and a liquid collection chamber 76, and a single
exhaust outlet.
[00115] In any of the above aspects of the disclosure, a shut off can be
incorporated with
the wet recovery tank to block air flow or shut off a suction source when the
extracted liquid in
the wet recovery tank reaches a predetermined full level. The shut off can
include a mechanical
sensor, a float, or an electronic moisture sensor. Optionally, when the shut
off comprises an
electronic sensor, an output from the sensor can cause a controller or MCU to
disable a wet mode
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of operation of the vacuum cleaner, as well as optionally indicate a tank full
condition to a user
by way of an indicator light.
[00116] In any of the above aspects of the disclosure, a wet suction
nozzle can be
configured to be raised during a dry mode of operation of the vacuum cleaner
and to be lowered
during a wet mode of operation of the vacuum cleaner. An actuator, which can
be a solenoid
piston provided on a base of the vacuum cleaner, can raise and lower the wet
suction nozzle.
[00117] In any of the above aspects of the disclosure, the vacuum cleaner
can include
electronics to selectively switch between a wet mode and dry mode of
operation. An MCU of the
vacuum cleaner can control fluid pump function, suction level, brush speed,
nozzle position,
and/or target light activation based on the mode of operation selected.
[00118] In any of the above aspects of the disclosure, base lighting can
be included, the
width of the base illumination provided to indicate a mode of operation of the
vacuum cleaner.
[00119] In any of the above aspects of the disclosure, the vacuum cleaner can
include an area
rug mode of operation which delivers foam to a surface to be cleaned
[00120] While the present disclosure has been specifically described in
connection with
certain specific aspects thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way
of illustration and not of
limitation. Reasonable variation and modification are possible with the scope
of the foregoing
disclosure and drawings without departing from the spirit of the disclosure,
which is defined in
the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical
characteristics relating to the
aspects disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the
claims expressly state
otherwise.
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