Patent ID: 7624474

Claim:
A portable extractor apparatus used to clean planar surfaces, the extractor apparatus comprising: a wheel mounted base having at least a solution tank for dispensing and recovering cleaning solution; the wheel mounted base having an associated cleaning head which contacts the surface to the cleaned for dispensing and recovering cleaning solution; a fluid pump for circulating cleaning solution in a path between the solution tank and the cleaning head; at least one vacuum motor which comprises a vacuum source for the extractor apparatus, the vacuum source being in communication with the cleaning head for suctioning the surface being cleaned; a filtration system provided as a part of the solution tank for filtering recovered cleaning solution to be reused; wherein the filtration system includes a first multi-component filter assembly in fluid communication with the cleaning head for filtering relatively larger sized particles of dirt and debris from the cleaning solution; wherein said filtration system also includes a second filter component mounted within the solution tank, the second filter component filtering particles from the cleaning solution and dirt of a smaller size than the particles filtered from the first multi-component filter assembly; and wherein the solution tank has a top wall, a bottom wall and opposing sidewalls which together define a closed interior, and wherein the top wall includes openings for accessing both the first multi-component filtration assembly and the second filter component to allow replacement as needed; wherein the solution tank bottom wall slopes on a grade from a relatively higher horizontal plane to a relatively lower horizontal plane which is equipped with a drain opening for the solution tank, thereby creating a depth difference in the tank interior, and wherein the second filter component is mounted on the relatively higher plane of the bottom wall where it contacts less dirt and debris collecting at the drain opening.