Floor washing apparatus

Abstract: The machine has a spray nozzle 42 for delivering fresh liquid to the floor and a suction nozzle 46 for removing waste liquid from the floor. The fresh liquid tank 48 and the waste liquid tank 50 form an assembly which is mounted on a frame 30 and secured by a cam latch 54. Waste liquid is drawn from the nozzle 46 to a separator 58 having a conical shroud 172 by a pump 62 and is conveyed to the waste tank 50 by a conduit 181 which passes through the fresh liquid tank 48. The conduit 181 is flared at its upper end 182 and carries a handle 52 by which the tank assembly can be lifted. Keyways 184 and 185 in the tanks fit around the conduits for the supply of pressurized air to the spray nozzle and the return of waste fluid from the suction nozzle.

Description: The present invention relates to cleaning apparatus and more particularly to an improved machine for the cleaning of surfaces such as carpets, floors and the like. In carpet cleaning machines, a liquid is projected onto the carpet and the dirty liquid is removed by a suction nozzle. An air-liquid separator is generally provided to remove air from the dirty, waste liquid and disperse the air into the atmosphere. Cleaning fluid may be added to the liquid. Usually the liquids trickle into a spray nozzle since they are above the spray nozzle. The liquids may be mixed in a mixing manifold. A typical example of such carpet cleaners is illustrated in U.S. Patent 2,986,764 issued June 6, 1961 and D.C.Krammes. Other systems use various arrangements of tanks, valves and controls to carry out carpet cleaning operations. In spite of all of these efforts directed to the cleaning of floors and carpets, there has not, heretofore, been provided a machine adapted for domestic use which provides effective cleaning of surfaces such as carpets, floors and the like, which is simple to use and sufficiently low in cost to be attractive to domestic users. French Patent Specification FR-A-1 233 294 describes a cleaning apparatus comprising a spray nozzle for projecting cleaning fluid onto a surface to be cleaned, a suction nozzle for removing fluid from the surface, a motor/fan unit for generating suction at the nozzle of a cleaning fluid tank for supplying the cleaning fluid nozzle, a separator connected to the suction nozzle for separating air from the fluid removed from the surface by the suction nozzle, and a waste fluid tank for receiving the separated fluid from the separator, the cleaning fluid and waste fluid tanks forming a removable tank unit. In that apparatus the motor/fan unit is located at the lower end, close to the suction nozzle, while the separator is located above the removable tank unit, which comprises a flexible bag for waste fluid disposed within the tank for cleaning fluid. The present invention is characterized by an upper housing above the removable tank unit, the upper housing including the separator and the motor/fan unit, a conduit traversing the cleaning fluid tank to connect the separator to the waste fluid tank for the flow of fluid thereto, the conduit mechanically connecting the cleaning and waste fluid tanks to form the said removable tank unit. Apparatus in accordance with the invention which will now be described below has improved arrangements of containers for cleaning fluids, such as shampoos and concentrated cleaning solutions, fresh liquids, such as clean water and for the reception of waste liquids. The machine has a nozzle for projecting the liquids onto the surface to be cleaned and for picking up the waste liquid from the surface. Both the separation of waste liquid and air and the delivery of the liquids is conjointly carried out with suction and air pressure generated in a housing to which a common air pump is connected. Briefly described, the machine has a frame. An air pump is mounted on the frame. A housing communicating with the pump has a suction inlet and pressurized air outlets. A suction nozzle is mounted on the frame at the end of the frame which is disposed adjacent to the surface to be cleaned. A liquid projecting nozzle is also mounted on the frame at the end adjacent to the surface to be cleaned. A plurality of containers for concentrated cleaning liquid, fresh and waste liquid are utilized. The containers are removably mounted to the frame and the housing with a conduit connecting the housing and the waste liquid container to communicate waste liquid separated from air and liquid transported into the housing to the waste liquid container. A conduit for air and waste liquid from the suction nozzle is connected to the suction inlet of the housing. A coupling between the pressurized air outlets, the cleaning fluid container and the fresh liquid container provide for the pressurization thereof. A further coupling is connected to the outlets from the fresh liquid and cleaning liquid containers, in which coupling the fresh and cleaning liquids flow together to an outlet to the liquid projection nozzle so as to apply the fresh and cleaning liquids to the surface. Features and advantages of the preferred embodiment of the invention will become more apparent from a reading of the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a perspective of a cleaning device incorporating the principles of the present invention. Figure 2 is a side view of the cleaning device of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the cleaning device. Figure 4 is a back view of the separator housing incorporating the principles of the present invention. Figure 5 is a partial cross-section taken along lines 13-13 of Figure 4. Figure 6 is a top view of the separator taken along lines 14-14 of Figure 3. Figure 7 is a top view of the water tank taken along lines 15-15 of Figure 3. Figure 8 is a top view of the waste fluid tank taken along lines 16-16 of Figure 3. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the cam latch device in its unlatched position. A cleaning device according to the present invention is illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 as including a frame 30 to which are mounted a pair of wheels 32 by strut 34. As illustrated in Figure 2, the wheels are in their operable position allowing the cleaning device to move across the surface to be cleaned. For the stored position, the wheels are rotated forward or counter-clockwise in Figure 2 and comes to rest below the front end of the frame 30. Extending from the top end of the frame 30 is a handle 36 having fluid activation trigger 38 and a spotter actuator 40. Mounted to the front end of the frame is a spray nozzle 42 for projecting cleaning fluid mixtures onto the surface to be cleaned and a suction nozzle 46 mounted to pipe 44 for removing fluids from the surface to be cleaned. A water tank 48 and waste fluid or return tank 50 are connected as a single unit including a handle 52. The tanks are removably mounted to the frame 30 and are secured thereto by a cam latch 54 engaging the bottom of the waste fluid tank 50. An upper housing 56 mounted to frame 30 above the tank unit includes an air fluid separator 58, a motor 60 and a pump or fan 62 as illustrated in Figure 3. An opening 57 is provided in the upper housing 56 to view the fluid in the separator 58 which has a transparent body. An electrical switch 63 activates the motor 60 and an electric cord 65 provides power. A container or cartridge of detergent, shampoo or other concentrated cleaning fluid 64 including a collar 66 is mounted to docking port 68 in the upper housing 56 as illustrated in Figure 2. The cleaning fluid is mixed with water from the water tank and projected through spray nozzle 42. Initially, the water tank 48 is filled with fluid and mounted to the frame 30 and securely held thereto by cam latch 54. A concentrated cleaning fluid cartridge 64 is mounted into docking port 68. Now the system is ready for operation. As will be explained more fully below, the cleaning device operates by activating the motor 63 to turn on the motor to operate the fan and pump 62 to create a force to project a mixture of cleaning fluid and water out of spray nozzle 42 on the surface as well as to create a suction to draw fluid through suction nozzle 46. With the trigger 38 in its normal position, no fluid is dispensed. Upon depressing trigger 38, the amount or fluid projected from spray nozzle 42 can be controlled. If a stubborn stain or especially dirty surface is to be cleaned, the spotting actuator 40 is operated to increase the mixing ratio of detergent to water. The dirty or waste fluid from suction nozzle 46 is provided to separator 58 wherein the air is separated from the dirty fluid which is provided to waste fluid tank 50. The air is provided back through the fan/pump 62 to be re-introduced to the spray nozzle 42. Once the cleaning is done, the tank assembly is removed by releasing cam latch 54 and the contents of the waste fluid tank 50 are emptied. This cycle of operation may be repeated. A pump capable of producing the high air flow rate for the venturi spray nozzle as well as a uniform small flow rate for the pressurized water and cleaning fluid containers is illustrated specifically in Figures 3 to 6. The separator 58 includes a substantially cylindrical housing 160 with a top rim 162 which forms the housing for the fan or air pump. The pressurized air exiting the chamber formed by the wall of the rim 162 enters tangentially as illustrated in Figure 6 to a first portion 163 of primary outlet 164. The conduit 158 connected to the venturi spray nozzle is connected to second portion 165 of primary outlet 164. A pair of secondary smaller outlets 166 and 168 are provided in a wall 169 of the primary outlet 164 and aligned parallel to the flow axis of the second portion of the primary outlet 164. The axis of the secondary outlets 166 and 168 are perpendicular to the flow axis of the second portion of the primary outlet. A ledge or wall 167 extends transverse to the flow axis of the second portion 165 of the primary outlet 164 to create a zone of relatively constant pressure compared to the remainder of the primary outlet. The secondary outlets are adjacent the ledge 167 in this zone. As is evident from the drawings, the cross-sectional area of the primary outlet 164 is quite substantially larger than the cross-sectional area of the secondary outlets 164 and 166. This particular structure provides a uniform pressure at secondary outlets 166 and 168. An air inlet 170 to the separator housing 160 is illustrated in Figure 4 and provides a flow axis tangential to the cylindrical separator housing 160. This causes a centrifugal flow within the interior. A conical shroud 172, illustrated in Figure 3 interior the cylindrical housing 160 has interior thereto an air outlet 174 covered by screen 176. The shroud 172 and the outlet 174 are an integral part of plate 178 which is mounted to the cylindrical separator housing 160. Fluid outlet 180 at the bottom of the cylindrical housing is provided at the bottom of the cylindrical separator housing 160. The outlet 174 is displaced vertically and horizontally from the lower edge of the conical shroud 172. Dirty fluid and air enter the separator housing 160 through opening 170 and begin a spiraling down and out motion. The shroud 172 forces the air fluid mixture to the outside of the cylindrical housing or that portion having a greater radius and velocity. By using a conical shroud, the area at the entry port 170 is not diminished to retard flow of the mixture into the separator chamber while directing the downward moving mixture to the highest velocity portion of the flow thereby maximizing separation of the air and the liquid. The heavier fluid moves towards the cylindrical housing 160 and continues down through outlet 180. The lighter air turns a sharp angle and exits through screen 176 and outlet 174 into the fan or pump 62. The position of the outlet 174 should not be too close to the outer edge of the shroud, otherwise the exiting air will not be completely separated from the fluid. Similarly, if the outlet 174 is displaced too far from the edge of the shroud, the system will choke. The liquid outlet 180 of the separator 58 is connected to the waste fluid tank 50 by a conduit 181. The tank assembly including fresh water tank 48 and waste fluid tank 50 is illustrated in Figures 3, 7 and 8. The clean water tank 48 includes a U-shaped keyway 184 extending along its length. In the top portion of the keyway as illustrated in Figure 7 lies the conduit 181 connecting the liquid outlet 180 of the separator 58 and the inlet to the return or dirty fluid tank 50. In the bottom of the keyway mounted to the frame 30 are received air conduit 158 providing pressurized air to the spray nozzle and return conduit 173 bringing waste fluid back from the suction nozzle 46. Thus, the air and fluid conduits 158 and 173 respectively form the key for the tank assembly or unit keyways. Similarly, as illustrated in Figure 8, the return tank 50 also has a longitudinal U-shaped keyway 185 receiving conduits 158 and 173. The conduit 181 is flared at 182 at its upper end to provide a funnel and includes a flange 183 extending therefrom to engage the top of the fresh liquid water tank 48 and provide the handle 52 for carrying the tank units. The lower end of conduit 181 includes a rim 191 which is received in an indenture 188 in the neck 190 extending from the return tank 50 into the keyway 184 of the fresh water tank 48. The base 193 of neck 190 is rectangular and is received in rectangular shoulder 195 in the bottom of water tank 48. The fresh water tank 48 has an inlet 186 covered by cap 187 which is secured to the handle 52. To assemble the tank unit, the waste fluid tank 50 is inserted onto the lower end of the clean water tank with the neck 190 extending into the keyway 184 and base 193 in shoulder 195. The conduct 181 is then inserted from the other end snapping ridge 191 into indenture 188 to mount the conduit to the waste fluid tank and securely mount the clean water tank and the waste fluid tank together. It is evident that the neck 190 and base 193 of the waste fluid tank extending into the keyway and shoulder of the clean water tank 48 stabilizes the tank assembly. A portion 192 of keyway 185 of the waste fluid tank 50 is inclined to receive a conduit 194 between the fluid return conduit 173 and tube 44 leading to the suction nozzle 46. The bottom of the tank 50 includes a recess 196 (Figure 1) having a camming surface 198 therein. As illustrated in Figure 3, the cam latch 54 lies in the recess 196 and rests against the camming surface 198 of the return tank 50. As will be explained more fully, the cam latch 54 will be rotated into recess 196 to initially align and ride on camming surface 198 to move the tank assembly along the keys formed by conduits 158 and 173 into alignment with the upper housing 56. This mates the flared portion 182 of conduit 181 with the outlet 180 of the separator 58 as well as nipples 132 and 134 into port 128 and 130 respectively of block 126. As illustrated in Figures 3 and 9, the cam latch 54 includes a substantially L-shaped handle 203 having a camming surface 201 and a lever portion 203. The camming surface 201 engages the camming surface 198 in the bottom of the waste fluid tank 50. The handle 54 is pivotally mounted at its lower end at 205 to the block 207 of the frame 30. An L-shaped latch 209 is pivotally connected at 211 the juncture of the legs to the L-shaped handle 203. A spring 213 engages the interior of handle 203 and one of the legs of latch 209 to bias the latch counter-clockwise relative to the handle as illustrated in Figures 3 and 9. A ridge or shoulder 215 in the block 207 forms a catch for a leg of latch 209 which acts as a detent to lock the cam latch in the position illustrated in Figure 3. The unlatch position, allowing removal of the tank assembly from the cleaning device, is illustrated in Figure 9. In order to release the cam latch 54 from the position illustrated in Figure 3, the latch 209 is rotated clockwise against the spring 213 with the handle 203 stationary allowing the detent and the latch 209 to ride out of the cam latch or ridge 215 on block 207. The cam latch 54 may then be rotated counter-clockwise. To mount the tank assembly to the cleaning device, the tank assembly is mounted with the keyways 184 and 185 on the keys formed by conduits 158 and 173 and 194. The cam latch 54 is rotated back into recess 196 in the bottom of return tank 50 and engages camming surface 198. The detent portion 20 of latch 209 rides along the exterior edge 217 of block 207 until it exceeds the top thereof and falls into the catch 215.

Claims: Cleaning apparatus comprising a spray nozzle (42) for projecting cleaning fluid onto a surface to be cleaned, a suction nozzle (46) for removing fluid from the surface, a motor/fan unit (62) for generating suction at the nozzle a cleaning fluid tank (48) for supplying the cleaning fluid nozzle (42), a separator (58) connected to the suction nozzle for separating air from the fluid removed from the surface by the suction nozzle, and a waste fluid tank (50) for receiving the separated fluid from the separator, the cleaning fluid and waste fluid tanks forming a removable tank unit, characterized by an upper housing (56) above the removable tank unit, the upper housing including the separator and the motor/fan unit, and a conduit (181) traversing the cleaning fluid tank (48) to connect the separator (58) to the waste fluid tank (50) for the flow of fluid thereto, the conduit mechanically connecting the cleaning and waste fluid tanks to form the said removable tank unit. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the conduit (181) has at one end a flange (183) transverse to the conduit axis which engages the top of the cleaning fluid tank (48) and the conduit is connected at the other end to the inlet (190) of the waste fluid tank (50). Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said flange (183)extends beyond said cleaning fluid tank to form a handle (52) for said tank unit. Apparatus according to claim 2 or 3 wherein said cleaning fluid tank (48) includes a longitudinal recess (184) and said conduit (181) lies in said recess. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said waste fluid tank includes a neck (190) extending into said longitudinal recess (184) of said cleaning fluid tank and receiving said conduit (181). Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said conduit is flared at the end thereof opposite to said neck to form a funnel (182), said funnel extending to the fluid outlet (180) of said separator (58). Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims wherein the unit formed by the cleaning fluid tank, the waste fluid tank and the conduit is removably mounted to said cleaning device at the outlet of said separator. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims further comprising latch means (54) for releasably securing said tank unit to said cleaning device, said waste fluid tank including a recess (196) to receive said latch means. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said latch means comprises a cam (201) movably mounted on said cleaning fluid device engaging the bottom of said waste liquid container for moving said tank unit into said separator means by moving said cam from a first to a second position, and means (209) engaging said cam to lock said cam in said second position to retain said container in said separator means. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said recess (196) in said waste fluid container is in the bottom wall thereof, a camming surface (198) in said recess, said cam lying in said recess and engaging said camming surface in aligning said container. Apparatus according to claim 9 or 10 wherein said means engaging said cam includes a catch (215) on said cleaning device and a detent (209) movably mounted to said cam to rest in said catch when said cam is in said second position.

Inventors: BASILE PETER A, DUNCAN SCOTT L, FITZWATER EDWIN, GROTH HUGH F, BASILE, PETER A., DUNCAN, SCOTT L., FITZWATER, EDWIN, GROTH, HUGH F.
Applicants: TRC ACQUISITION CORP, TRC ACQUISITION CORPORATION
Application year: 1984
Main classification: A47L11
IPC codes: A47L11, B01F3