Abstract:
A cleaner spotter tool for a wet/dry vacuum cleaner having a fluid containing tank, an extractor nozzle housing coupled to the tank, a fluid delivery pump mounted in the nozzle housing, a tubing fluidly coupled to both the tank and the pump for delivering fluid from the tank to the pump, and a spray nozzle on the nozzle housing coupled to the pump for spraying fluid out of the pump.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     NAMES OF PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     REFERENCE TO A SEQUENCE LISTING 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The invention relates to wet/dry vacuum cleaners, and, more particularly, to an tool which converts any wet/dry vacuum cleaner to a small carpet extractor or spotter. 
     Cross-Reference to Related Applications 
     Not applicable. 
     2. Background Art 
     Wet/dry vacuums are well known in the art for cleaning floors and fabrics such as carpets and upholsteries. Such vacuum cleaners generally include a portable recovery tank having a vacuum pump and a vacuum head connected via a wand and hose to the tank for sucking wet and/or dry material from the surface being cleaned into the tank. 
     There is a need for an extractor tool that can convert any wet/dry vacuum to a small carpet extractor or spotter extractor machine that can clean small spots and soil easily by scrubbing and vacuuming as an extractor machine. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Summary 
     These and other objects are preferably accomplished by providing a tool that contains a bottle or container for containing therein a liquid cleaning solution, and an integrated pump communicating with the liquid cleaning solution in the bottle or container and a brush for dispensing the cleaning solution to clean a small spot or soil on a carpet or the like. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEW OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above-mentioned features and objects of the present disclosure will become more apparent with reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a overall perspective view of the tool of the invention removed from the vacuum; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the tool of  FIG. 1  as to be attached to a conventional vacuum; 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view from the front of the tool alone of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a new similar to the view of  FIG. 1  taken 180° from the view of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom plan view of the tool alone of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the tool alone of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a front elevational view of the tool of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 8  is a right side elevational view of the tool of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a view taken along line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a view taken along line  10 - 10  of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a view taken along line  11 - 11  of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a view taken along line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 11 ; 
         FIG. 13  is a view similar to  FIG. 11  with the trigger depressed; and 
         FIG. 14  is a view taken along line  14 - 14  of  FIG. 13 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1  of the drawing, an extractor tool  10  in accordance with the teachings of the invention is shown. Tool  10  has a liquid holding container  11 , a connection tube  17  extending from an extractor housing  18 , for connecting tool  10  to a conventional wet/dry vacuum cleaner  100  (see  FIG. 2 ). A cover  20  closes off the front of extractor nozzle or housing  18 . 
       FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of the tool  10  of  FIG. 1 . A brush assembly  23  is shown having a plurality of downwardly extending bristles  24  is connected to extractor nozzle  18 . Fluid is supplied to nozzle  18  from tube  25  in fluid communication with container  11  as will be discussed further herein below. 
       FIG. 4  is a view of tool  10  similar to that in  FIG. 3  but to further illustrate the connection of tube  25  to the extractor nozzle  18 . The nozzle outlet or orifice  26  communicates with the interior of the extractor nozzle  18  as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . Also shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  is the trigger assembly  27  for actuating distribution of fluid from tank  11 , through tube  25  and out of orifice  26 , as will be discussed further herein below. 
     An exploded view of tool  10  is shown in  FIG. 6 . Extractor tool  10  has a container  11  adapted to hold a liquid cleaning solution therein with a neck  12 . A bottle cap  13  press fits onto neck  12 . A check valve  14  is inserted into cap  13  and cap  13  is pressfit into a mating cavity or hole  15  in tank support housing  16 . Boss  15 ′ is provided in housing  16  for alignment of container  11  in housing  16 . A connection tube  17  extends outwardly from housing  16  and extractor nozzle  18  extends downwardly from housing  16  in fluid communication with liquid from container  11 , when assembled with tab opening  19  adapted to receive therein tab  21 , and is normally covered by front cover  20 , tab  21  extending into opening  19 . 
     A cover  28  is shown for covering hose  25  (see also  FIG. 4 ), Trigger assembly  27  ( FIG. 6 ) includes a trigger housing  29 , a trigger  30  receivable in housing  29 , a plunger  31  and a coiled spring  32 . A second coiled spring  33  is provided in trigger assembly  27 . Threaded screws  34 ,  35  are provided for assembly of the trigger assembly  27  to suitable aligned holes in the extractor nozzle  18 . (see  FIG. 4 ). 
     A one way valve  36  is provided for the nozzle  18  as will be discussed. The front view of tool  10  is shown in  FIG. 7 . As seen in  FIG. 8 , the operating position of tool  10  is shown with the trigger  30  shown in operative position. 
     As seen in  FIG. 4 , tube  25  comes out of the bottom of the tank housing support  16  and enters the extractor nozzle  18 . As seen in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , hose  25  is in fluid communication with tank support housing  16 . Check valve  14  is disposed in cap  13  reciprocal in hole or cavity  15  with O-ring  37  mounted in a groove in cap  13 . Fluid from container  11  thus enters tube  25  and out orifice  26  (see  FIG. 11 ). 
     Thus, as seen in  FIG. 11 , the fluid from tube  25  (see also  FIG. 12 ) enters into the spring chamber  38  inside of tank support housing  16 . Plunger  31  is reciprocal within chamber  38  having an o-ring  39  ( FIG. 12 ) mounted in a groove in plunger  31 , spring  32  biasing plunger  31  normally upwardly written chamber  39 . As seen in  FIG. 11 , trigger  30  has a trigger portion  40  abutting against the top of plunger  31 , trigger  30  rotating about pivot pin  41 . By squeezing trigger  30 , spring  32  is compressed (see FIGS.  13  and  14 ) and thus this action acts as a pump to spray fluid out of orifice  26 . Release of trigger  30  returns the plunger  31  back to the position shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 . 
     Thus, in operation, squeezing trigger  30  sprays fluid out of nozzle  26  (see also  FIG. 5 ) which opens rearwardly of bristles  24 . A plurality of spaced vacuum slots suck up dirt and debris from the surface being cleaned up though connection tube  17  to the vacuum  100  ( FIG. 2 ). 
     In conclusion, tool  10  has a support housing  16  having tube  17  which connects the tool  10  to a conventional wet/dry vacuum cleaner  100  ( FIG. 2 ). On the front of tool  10 , extractor nozzle  18  is normally covered by cover  20 . Housing  16  has a cavity  15  to receive bottle cap  13  with a secondary cavity  15 ′ to align the container  11 . 
     Trigger support housing  29  has an integrated cylinder chamber  38  containing the plunger  31  and spring  32  forming a pump. The extractor nozzle  18  has a brush holder support  45  ( FIG. 11 ) for brush  24 . Hose  25  connects cavity  15  and chamber  38  using the exhaust and outlet connection. 
     Trigger  30  is assembled to the tool extractor nozzle  18  engaging plunger  31  to work as a pump to spray the soap solution from container  11 . Trigger  30  is fixed to nozzle  18  by pivot pin  41 . Screws  34 ,  35  extend through suitable aligned holes in trigger housing  29  to secure the same to the nozzle  18 . 
     When trigger  30  is activated against the bias of spring  32 , soap solution is sprayed out of nozzle  26  by pushing plunger  31  downwardly. The solution in chamber  39  is pressurized, and sprayed out of nozzle  26 . One way check valve  36  in chamber  38  prevents air from going into chamber  39  when the plunger  31  returns to its initial position. 
     There is also a one-way check valve  14  in cap  13  to prevent leakage from the container  11  when the cap  13  is in the down position. This also prevents soap solution from returning into container  11  when plunger  31  pressurizes the solution. 
     Thus, connecting tool  10  to a conventional wet/dry vacuum cleaner and activating trigger  30 , allows one to spray the surface to be cleaned, such as a carpet, then scrub the carpet with bristles  24  until the spots on the carpet disappear. The tool  10  can be tilted to vacuum up excessive dirt soap solution. The moist carpet or upholstery will dry in a few hours. 
     Although a particular embodiment of the invention is disclosed, variations thereof may occur to an artisan and the scope of the invention should only be limited by the scope of the appended claims.