Abstract:
An onboard treatment solution injection system ( 40 ) includes a container ( 42 ) removably received in a holder ( 51 ) having a plurality of condition sensors ( 52 ) arranged in a vertical linear series. An injection pump ( 44 ) draws treatment solution from the container ( 42 ) and injects it into cleaning solution flowing in a line ( 15 ) from a solution tank ( 16 ) under action of a solution pump ( 18 ). The relative pumping rates of the pumps ( 18, 44 ) are controlled by a controller ( 58 ) controlled by the condition sensors ( 52 ) detecting a magnet ( 56 ) which is adjustably slideably mounted on the container ( 42 ) according to the type of treatment solution held therein. A valve ( 50 ) allows the injection pump ( 44 ) to be alternately in fluid communication with the container ( 42 ) or the solution tank ( 16 ) for purging.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     The present invention generally relates to chemical injection systems, particularly to chemical injection systems for surface cleaning equipment, and specifically to surface cleaning apparatus utilizing an onboard chemical injection system.  
         [0002]     To enhance the cleaning ability of water and water-based cleaning solutions, treatment solutions such as but not limited to soaps, detergents, degreasers or the like are added to cleaning solutions before their application to the surface desired to be cleaned. To reduce weight and volume, treatment solutions are supplied in concentrated form to the user who typically adds the treatment solution to a greater volume of cleaning solution on site. One method of addition is simply for the user to dump in a measured amount of treatment solution into a desired amount of cleaning solution. However, for at least some applications, it is advantageous to add a metered amount of treatment solution into a flow of cleaning solution, whether that addition occurs in the cleaning equipment itself or before its introduction to the cleaning equipment. It should be appreciated that the ratio of treatment solution to cleaning solution will vary according to different suppliers and/or types of treatment solution. Errors often occur in the addition of treatment solution into the cleaning solution at the correct ratio due to haste, skill level and like factors. Also, it is often necessary to purge treatment solution from the addition system as different treatment solutions can react when combined, due to corrosive nature of many treatment solutions, and the like.  
         [0003]     Thus, a need exists for systems which add treatment solution while overcoming the deficiencies in prior systems and are otherwise advantageous.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0004]     The present invention solves this need and other problems in the field of treatment solution injection systems by providing, in most preferred aspects, a plurality of condition sensors each providing an impulse and mounted relative to one of a holder and a container removably received therein. A controller controls operation of an injection pump in fluid communication with the container according to impulses received from the plurality of condition sensors receiving a physical stimulus from an element mounted on the other of the holder and the container.  
         [0005]     In further aspects of the present invention, a valve allows an injection pump to be in fluid communication with a treatment solution container for injecting treatment solution into a flow of cleaning solution from a source or to be in exclusive fluid communication with the source of cleaning solution for purging the injection pump of the treatment solution.  
         [0006]     The present invention will become clearer in light of the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of this invention described in connection with the drawings. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]     The illustrative embodiment may best be described by reference to the accompanying drawings where:  
         [0008]      FIG. 1  shows a diagrammatic view of a floor surface cleaning apparatus utilizing an onboard chemical injection system according to the preferred teachings of the present invention.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  shows an exploded perspective view of a removable container for holding a treatment solution for use in the chemical injection system of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
       [0010]     All figures are drawn for ease of explanation of the basic teachings of the present invention only; the extensions of the figures with respect to number, position, relationship, and dimensions of the parts to form the preferred embodiment will be explained or will be within the skill of the art after the following description has been read and understood. Further, the exact dimensions and dimensional proportions to conform to specific force, weight, strength, and similar requirements will likewise be within the skill of the art after the following description has been read and understood.  
         [0011]     Where used in the various figures of the drawings, the same numerals designate the same or similar parts. Furthermore, when the terms “first”, “second”, “lower”, “side”, “horizontal”, “vertical”, and similar terms are used herein, it should be understood that these terms have reference only to the structure shown in the drawings as it would appear to a person viewing the drawings and are utilized only to facilitate describing the illustrative embodiment.  
       DESCRIPTION  
       [0012]     A surface cleaning apparatus such as a floor surface cleaning machine according to the preferred teachings of the present invention is diagrammatically shown in  FIG. 1  and generally designated  10 . In the preferred form shown, machine  10  is movably supported by three or more wheels, casters or the like  12  upon the surface to be cleaned, with one or more of the wheels, castors or the like  12  being driven if desired. The operator can either walk behind or ride upon machine  10  as desired. Machine  10  includes suitable elements  14  for agitating the surface to be cleaned such as rotatable disc brushes as diagrammatically shown. A cleaning solution such as but not limited to water and water-based premixed solutions is delivered via line  15  from a source of cleaning solution in the form of a solution tank  16  adjacent to the agitating elements  14  such as by a solution pump  18  in fluid communication with tank  16 , with a filter  20  being provided between tank  16  and pump  18 . In a preferred form, solution can be directed to surfaces spaced from machine  10  by a sprayer attachment  22 , and a solenoid valve  24  is provided so solution can be delivered to either agitating elements  14  or sprayer attachment  22  as desired. In the preferred form, machine  10  includes a recovery tank  26  and a suitable vacuum system including a solution pickup element  28  such as squeegee as diagrammatically shown for collecting solution from the surface to be cleaned and delivering such collected solution to recovery tank  26 .  
         [0013]     Machine  10  as previously described can be of a variety of types and forms, and the present invention is not intended to be limited to any particular type or form including but not limited to the type or form shown and/or described.  
         [0014]     According to the teachings of the present invention, machine  10  includes a treatment solution injection system  40  having a container  42  including an interior for holding a treatment solution to be added to the flow of cleaning solution in line  15 , with such addition occurring before or after pump  18 . In particular, injection system  40  includes an injection pump  44  in fluid communication with the interior of container  42  and with line  15  for creating flow of treatment solution from container  42  in a line  46  into the flow of cleaning solution from tank  16  in line  15 .  
         [0015]     In one aspect of the present invention, system  40  includes a purging system including a line  48  extending from line  15  after filter  20  and most preferably before solution pump  18  to line  46  before injection pump  44 . Specifically, the interconnection of line  48  with line  46  is in the form of a valve  50  which alternately provides fluid communication of pump  44  with either tank  16  or container  42 . Specifically, during cleaning operation, valve  50  in a first operational position or condition provides fluid communication with the interior of container  42  such that pump  44  creates flow of treatment solution from container  42  into the flow of cleaning solution in line  15 . During purge operation, valve  50  in a second operational position or condition provides exclusive fluid communication with the source of cleaning solution in the preferred form of tank  16  such that pump  44  creates flow of cleaning solution from tank  16  into the flow of cleaning solution in line  15 . The first operational condition of valve  50  is different than its second operational condition. Purging removes treatment solution from pump  44  to avoid corrosive concerns by the treatment solution. Further, purging removes treatment solution from pump  44  and line  46  to avoid reactions if different treatment solutions are desired to be injected by treatment solution injection system  40 . In the most preferred form, line  46  is kept as short as possible to facilitate rapid purging when changing from one treatment solution to another.  
         [0016]     In another aspect of the present invention, container  42  is removable from machine  10  to allow replacement or substitution of containers  42  holding different types of treatment solutions as desired to be applied to the surface. Specifically, container  42  is in the form of a bottle which can either be reusable intended for filling and refilling by the operator or can be a single use type in which the treatment solution is supplied. Container  42  is removably received such as by sliding into a container holder  51  in a manner to avoid container  42  from detrimentally moving as the result of movement of machine  10  and in preferred aspects to hold container  42  in an operationally consistent position relative to holder  51  and machine  10 .  
         [0017]     In a preferred form, system  40  includes a multiplicity of condition sensors  52  arranged in relation to container  42  received in holder  51 . Sensors  52  are mounted in holder  51  in the form shown but could be mounted in other manners that maintain the desired positional relationship to container  42  received in holder  51 . Sensors  52  are arranged at differing relative positions to container  42  received in holder  51  such as in a series in a linear manner. In the most preferred form shown, sensors  52  are arranged vertically along one side of container  42 . However, it can be appreciated that sensors  52  can be arranged in different manners such as horizontally, in non-linear manners, and/or along multiple sides of container  42  according to the teachings of the present invention.  
         [0018]     Associated with sensors  52 , container  42  includes an element  56  which provides a physical stimulus to one or more of sensors  52 . In the most preferred form, the physical stimulus is magnetism, with element  56  being in the form of a magnet and sensors  52  each being of the Hall Effect type which responds to magnetic fields. It can be appreciated that other types of elements  56  and sensors  52  can be utilized when the physical stimulus is magnetism. Although believed to be particularly advantageous as being easily isolated, easily sealed from surface debris, relatively economical, operationally dependable and the like, sensors  52  and element  56  can rely upon other types of physical stimulus including but not necessarily limited to light, pressure and even mechanical movement according to the teachings of the present invention. Although believed to be particularly advantageous that the element  56  does not require electric connection to machine  10 , element  56  can be of other forms and types, and sensors  52  and element  56  could be mounted upon container  42  and machine  10 , respectively, or in other mounting arrangements than shown and/or described.  
         [0019]     Sensors  52  each transmit an impulse to a controller  58  of machine  10 , with controller  58  controlling operation of pumps  18  and  44  according to the preferred teachings of the present invention. In particular, controller  58  relates the pumping rates of pumps  18  and  44  so that the desired ratio of treatment solution to cleaning solution exists. In turn, controller  58  is controlled by the impulse(s) received from sensors  52 . As an example and with sensors  52  in a vertical arrangement, if the treatment solution in container  42  should be applied at a ratio of 1:32 to the cleaning solution, element  56  could be positioned at the same level as the lowest sensor  52 , if the treatment solution in container  42  should be applied at a ratio of 1:128 to the cleaning solution, element  56  could be positioned at the same level as the second lowest sensor  52 , and if the treatment solution in container  42  should be applied at a ratio of 1:64 to the cleaning solution, element  56  could be positioned intermediate the lowest and second lowest sensors  52 . Also, system  40  could be set up that if element  56  is not sensed by any of sensors  52 , a “standard” ratio of treatment solution to cleaning solution (such as 1:300) is applied.  
         [0020]     Element  56  could be mounted at the factory at a single location on container  42  in the event that a particular container  42  is utilized for only one type of treatment solution such as in the case where container  42  is intended to be of a single use, disposable type or where container  42  is especially manufactured for a certain type of treatment solution such as being color coded or otherwise marked or identified for containing a certain type of treatment solution. However, in other aspects of the present invention, element  56  could be variably positioned on container  42  such as by being slideably mounted upon container  42 . In the preferred form shown, a T-shaped rail  64  is integrally formed in the side of container  42  adjacent to sensors  52  when received in holder  51 . The top and sides of rail  64  includes a series of recesses  66  at multiple sensing positions corresponding to sensors  52 . In the most preferred form, recesses  66  are provided at locations corresponding to locations of each sensor  52  and also at locations intermediate adjacent sensors  52 . A slide  68  is slideably mounted upon rail  64  and carries element  56 . In a preferred form, element  56  is snap fit in a cavity formed in the backside of slide  68 . In the most preferred form, slide  68  is generally C-shaped for slideable receipt on the top of rail  64  and includes detents  70  for removable receipt in one of recesses  66 . In particular, slide  68  can be slid upon rail  64  between the multiple sensing positions to be at a position according to the particular ratio of application of treatment solution to cleaning solution desired and is prevented from unintentional movement relative to container  42  such as the result of operation of machine  10  by receipt of detents  70  into the recesses  66  at that position. It should be appreciated that although the particular manner of slideably mounting element  56  upon container  42  is believed to be advantageous, other manners of slideably mounting element  56  to container  42  will be available to a person skilled in the art. Likewise, although slideably mounting element  56  upon container  42  is believed advantageous such as avoiding the accidental loss of element  56 , other manners of variably positioning element  56  upon container  42  will be available to a person skilled in the art such as but not limited to providing multiple cavities in container  42  which removably receives element  56 .  
         [0021]     Now that the basic construction and operation of machine  10  according to the teachings of the present invention have been explained, many extensions and variations will be obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art. For example, although machine  10  has been shown and described as including several inventive aspects and which is believed to produce synergistic results, machine  10  could be designed utilizing such inventive aspects singly or in other combinations according to the teachings of the present invention. As an example, machine  10  could utilize a purging system even though container  42  is not removable, sensors  52  and element  56  are not provided, or the like according to the teachings of the present invention.  
         [0022]     Although disclosed in connection with a mobile floor surface cleaning machine  10 , treatment injection system  40  according to the teachings of the present invention could be utilized in other types and forms of surface cleaning machines  10  which may include other forms of recovery systems such as wands or may not include a recovery system, may include other types of agitating elements  14  or may not include agitating elements, may be portable or stationary, may be useable in cleaning surfaces other than or in addition to floors or the like and/or could be utilized in other systems such as container or machine filling stations according to the teachings of the present invention.  
         [0023]     In addition to operating pumps  18  and  44 , controller  58  in response to impulse(s) received from condition sensors  52  can provide other operational functions including but not limited to providing visual indication to the operator of the type of treatment solution in system  40  according to the teachings of the present invention. Thus, the operator would be informed of the type of treatment solution being applied. In fact in circumstances where treatment solution is always supplied in concentrations where its application ratio to the cleaning solution is the same, controller  58  could provide such other operational functions without varying the pumping rates of pumps  18  and  44 .  
         [0024]     Thus since the invention disclosed herein may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or general characteristics thereof, some of which forms have been indicated, the embodiments described herein are to be considered in all respects illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is to be indicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.