Patent ID: 7870637

Claim:
A cleaning apparatus for cleaning a surface in which cleaning solution is dispensed to the surface and substantially simultaneously extracted along with dirt on the surface in a continuous operation, said cleaning apparatus comprising: a base portion for movement along the surface, said base portion including a suction nozzle; a handle including, an upper handle assembly including a generally planar front portion; and a separate lower handle assembly including a first end pivotally connected to said base portion such that said handle rotates relative to said base portion between an upright position and a working position, a second end spaced from said first end and coupled to said upper handle assembly, a generally planar support shelf positioned between said first end and said second end, a front lower faceplate, and a tongue shaped protrusion including a top surface and a side surface, said tongue shaped protrusion extending from the front lower faceplate in a substantially perpendicular direction from the portion of the front lower faceplate from which the tongue shaped protrusion extends and is spaced from said first end; a solution tank for supplying a flow of cleaning solution to the surface, said solution tank removably mounted to said generally planar support shelf of said handle; a recovery tank removably mounted to said tongue shaped protrusion of said handle for removal separate from the removal of said solution tank, said suction nozzle in fluid communication with said recovery tank; and a suction source in fluid communication with said suction nozzle for generating suction to draw dirt and liquid through said suction nozzle and into said recovery tank; wherein said recovery tank and said solution tank are in an aligned stack arrangement when said handle is in the upright position and said recovery tank and said solution tank are in an aligned stack arrangement when said handle is in the working position.