CN115670319A - Filter assembly and floor cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a filter assembly and a floor cleaner, wherein the filter assembly is for a floor cleaner for use in cleaning a floor surface, the filter assembly comprising: a filter having an intake side and an exhaust side; a filter housing including a frame having an open area through which air can pass, the filter being supported within the frame; a seal on the filter housing, the seal extending around the exhaust side of the filter; a handle extending from the filter housing; and a permanent magnet disposed on the handle. Floor cleaners according to the present disclosure can only operate if the filter assembly according to the present disclosure is properly installed.

Description

Filter assembly and floor cleaner

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a filter assembly and a floor cleaner.

Background

Multi-surface floor cleaners are suitable for cleaning hard floor surfaces (e.g., tile and hardwood) as well as soft floor surfaces (e.g., carpet and upholstery). Some multi-surface floor cleaners include a fluid delivery system that delivers cleaning fluid to the surface to be cleaned and a fluid recovery system that draws the used cleaning fluid and debris (which may include dirt, dust, stains, dirt, hair and other debris) from the surface. The fluid delivery system generally includes one or more fluid supply tanks for storing a supply of cleaning fluid, a fluid dispenser for applying the cleaning fluid to the surface to be cleaned, and a fluid supply conduit for delivering the cleaning fluid from the fluid supply tank to the fluid dispenser. An agitator may be provided to agitate the cleaning fluid on the surface. The fluid recovery system generally includes a recovery tank, a nozzle adjacent to the surface to be cleaned and in fluid communication with the recovery tank through a working air conduit, and a suction source in fluid communication with the working air conduit to draw cleaning fluid from the surface to be cleaned and deliver the cleaning fluid to the recovery tank through the nozzle and the working air conduit. Other floor cleaners include "dry" vacuum cleaners that can clean different surface types but do not dispense or recycle liquid. Another type of floor cleaner includes "wet" cleaners, such as steam and hard floor cleaners, that dispense cleaning fluid, but may or may not apply suction to remove liquid and debris from a surface.

Certain components of the floor cleaner (e.g., the brush roll and the filter) may become dirty or worn over time. To this end, it may be helpful to design certain components as removable attachments that can be cleaned and/or replaced. However, the user may forget to reinstall the component or may reinstall it incorrectly, both of which will negatively impact cleaning performance and may damage the floor cleaner. The user may also replace these components with a lower quality replacement version that does not meet the floor cleaner requirements, which in turn results in poor cleaning performance or damage to the floor cleaner.

Disclosure of Invention

According to one aspect of the invention, the floor cleaner is provided with a replaceable component, such as a brush roll or a filter. The floor cleaner has a detection mechanism that includes a hall effect sensor positioned to detect the permanent magnet when the replaceable component is properly installed on the floor cleaner and a magnet on the replaceable component.

In some embodiments, the motorized components of the floor cleaner are prevented from operating when the hall effect sensor does not detect the permanent magnet.

In some embodiments, the floor cleaner is a multi-surface wet/dry vacuum cleaner that can be used to clean hard floor surfaces (e.g., tile and hardwood) as well as soft floor surfaces (e.g., carpet). The floor cleaner is provided with a fluid delivery system for storing and delivering cleaning fluid to the surface to be cleaned and a recovery system for removing used cleaning fluid and debris from the surface to be cleaned and storing the used cleaning fluid and debris on the appliance.

In certain embodiments, the floor cleaner includes an upright handle assembly or body and a cleaning head or base coupled to the body and adapted to be moved across a surface to be cleaned.

According to another aspect, there is provided a filter assembly for a floor cleaner, the filter assembly comprising: a filter having an intake side and an exhaust side; a filter housing including a frame having an open area through which air can pass, the filter being supported within the frame; a seal on the filter housing, the seal extending around the exhaust side of the filter; a handle extending from the filter housing; and a permanent magnet disposed on the handle. The magnet is configured to be detected by a sensing component (such as a hall effect sensor) when the filter assembly is properly installed on the floor cleaner.

In some embodiments, the seal includes a perimeter seal portion surrounding the exhaust side of the filter, and the permanent magnet is disposed outside the perimeter seal portion such that the permanent magnet is configured to be disposed outside of the air flow path of the floor cleaner.

Another embodiment according to the invention relates to a method for controlling operation of a floor cleaner, the method comprising: the electrically powered component of the floor cleaner is permitted to operate when the sensing component detects the permanent magnet on the accessory component and is prevented from operating when the sensing component does not detect the permanent magnet on the accessory component, wherein the permanent magnet on the accessory component is within the effective sensing area of the sensing component when the accessory component is properly installed on the floor cleaner, thereby preventing the electrically powered component from operating when the accessory component is missing from the floor cleaner, improperly installed on the floor cleaner, or an accessory component that does not include a permanent magnet is installed on the floor cleaner.

These and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of specific embodiments.

Before the embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of operation or the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways not expressly disclosed herein. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of "including" and "comprising" and variations thereof is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items and equivalents thereof. Furthermore, enumeration may be used in the description of various embodiments. However, unless expressly stated otherwise, the use of enumeration should not be construed as limiting the invention to any particular order or number of components. Nor should the use of enumeration be interpreted as excluding from the scope of the invention any additional steps or components that may be combined or combined with the enumerated steps or components. Any reference to "at least one of X, Y and Z" of an element is intended to include any one of X, Y or Z alone, as well as any combination of X, Y and Z, such as X, Y, Z; x, Y; x and Z; and Y and Z.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a floor cleaner according to one aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a floor cleaner according to another aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the floor cleaner taken along line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of a lower portion of the floor cleaner with the nozzle cover moved to an open position and the brush roll shown removed from the brush chamber of the floor cleaner;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the brushroll;

FIG. 6 is a close-up exploded view of one end of the brushroll, showing detectable features on the brushroll;

FIG. 7 is a close-up cross-sectional view of the floor cleaner taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 2, showing details of the brush roll detection mechanism and the brush roll properly installed on the floor cleaner;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 showing the brushroll improperly installed on the floor cleaner;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 7 showing an unauthorized brushroll mounted on the floor cleaner;

FIG. 10 is a rear perspective view of the floor cleaner showing the recovery tank and filter assembly removed from the upright body of the floor cleaner;

FIG. 11 is a close-up perspective view showing details of the filter assembly and filter detection mechanism;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the filter assembly;

FIG. 13 is an exploded view of the filter assembly;

FIG. 14 is a close-up cross-sectional view of the floor cleaner taken along line XIV-XIV of FIG. 2 showing details of the filter assembly and filter detection mechanism properly installed on the floor cleaner;

FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 14 showing the filter assembly improperly installed on the floor cleaner; and

FIG. 16 is a view similar to FIG. 14 showing an unauthorized filter assembly installed on the floor cleaner.

Detailed Description

The present invention relates generally to a floor cleaner for cleaning floor surfaces such as carpets, rugs, wood, tiles and the like, and a system for detecting the presence and proper installation of accessory components of the floor cleaner. The invention also relates to an accessory component for a floor cleaner, comprising a brush roll and a filter.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a floor cleaner 10 according to one aspect of the present disclosure. As discussed in further detail below, the floor cleaner 10 has various features and improvements, including an interchangeable brush roll 46, a brush roll detection mechanism 48, an interchangeable filter assembly 50, and a filter detection mechanism 52.

The brushroll detection mechanism 48 may include a detectable member (e.g., a permanent magnet 54) disposed on and carried by the brushroll 46 and a sensing member (e.g., a hall effect sensor 56 or reed switch) disposed on the floor cleaner 10 in a position to sense the position of the detectable member when the brushroll 46 is properly mounted in the brush chamber of the floor cleaner 10 in which the brushroll 46 is housed. The detectable feature may be provided on a fixed or non-rotatable portion of the brushroll 46.

The detectable component is configured to be detected by the sensing component within an effective sensing area of the sensing component. Direct physical contact between the detectable component and the sensing component is not required, since the active sensing area enables the detectable component to be detected within a predetermined distance away from the sensing component. The predetermined distance may be a distance that the detectable member is spaced from the sensing member when the brushroll 46 is properly installed in the brush chamber.

The brushroll detection mechanism 48 is configured to allow the powered components of the floor cleaner 10 to operate when the detectable component is detected by the sensing component and to prevent the powered components from operating when the detectable component is not detected by the sensing component. If the brushroll 46 is missing from the brush chamber, improperly installed, or alternatively a brushroll that does not include a detectable feature is installed, the electrically powered feature is prevented from operating.

The brushroll detection mechanism 48 may include or be operatively coupled to a switch configured to close and power the powered components of the floor cleaner 10 when the authorized brushroll 46 is properly installed in the brush chamber. If the brushroll 46 is missing from the brush chamber, improperly installed, or alternatively a brushroll lacking a detectable component is installed, the switch is configured to open so that no power is supplied to the components of the floor cleaner 10.

The components controlled via the brushroll detection mechanism 48 may be a vacuum motor 58, a brushroll motor 60, or a pump 62, or any combination thereof. Other components that may be powered depending on whether the brushroll 46 is detected include the user interface 38, the heater 40, the controller 66, the headlights 42, and the speaker 44.

In embodiments where the sensing component is a hall effect sensor, the hall sensor may be arranged to act as a switch configured to close and provide power to components of the floor cleaner 10 when the brush roll 46 is properly installed in the brush chamber. The hall effect sensor may change state when the magnetic field experienced by the hall effect sensor exceeds a predetermined value. If the magnetic field experienced by the Hall effect sensor drops below a predetermined value, the Hall effect sensor will again change state.

The floor cleaner 10 can include a controller 66 that is operatively coupled to various functional systems of the appliance for controlling its operation, including, but not limited to, a fluid delivery and recovery system. In one embodiment, the controller 66 may include a microcontroller unit (MCU) containing at least one Central Processing Unit (CPU). A user of the floor cleaner 10 can interact with the controller 66 via the user interface 38.

The controller 66 detects the state of a switch, such as the state of the hall effect sensor 56. The controller 66 is arranged to selectively allow or prevent power to the components depending on the state of the switch. Which in turn depends on the distance between the hall effect sensor 56 and the permanent magnet 54.

In some embodiments, when the power button 30 is pressed or another input controller is actuated in an attempt to turn on the floor cleaner 10 and the permanent magnet 54 is not detected by the hall effect sensor 56, the hall effect sensor 56 can send a signal to the controller 66 to cause the floor cleaner 10 to provide a status update to the user. For example, the floor cleaner 10 can deliver a visual and/or audible warning message to the user. The warning message may indicate to the user that the brushroll 46 is missing from the brush chamber, improperly installed, or alternatively that a brushroll lacking a detectable member is installed. The warning message may indicate to the user that the brush roll 46 must be properly installed prior to operation of the floor cleaner 10. The visual and/or audible warning may be issued for a predetermined period of time, for example 2-10 seconds, and then stopped. The warning may be repeated if the user again attempts to turn on the floor cleaner 10 when the permanent magnet 54 is still not detected by the hall effect sensor 56.

To issue the warning message, power may be supplied to a limited number of components of the floor cleaner 10, such as only those components required to issue the warning message. For example, the controller 66, user interface 38, speaker 44, or brushroll indicator light 64 may be temporarily powered to issue a warning message, and then automatically powered off.

In one embodiment, when power button 30 is pressed and permanent magnet 54 is not detected by hall effect sensor 56, brushroll indicator light 64 flashes or otherwise is illuminated and an audible warning sound is emitted from speaker 44. The brushroll indicator light 64 may be an LED located near the brush chamber of the brushroll 46 so that the user's attention is drawn to the brush chamber. For example, for the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, brushroll indicator light 64 may be located on base 14.

In another embodiment, the switch may be separate from but operably coupled to the sensing component. It should also be noted that in embodiments where the power to the various components is controlled based on whether the brushroll 46 is properly installed in the brush chamber, multiple switches and/or controls may be provided.

The filter detection mechanism 52 can include a detectable component (e.g., permanent magnet 68) disposed on and carried by the filter assembly 50 and a sensing component (e.g., hall effect sensor 70 or reed switch) disposed on the floor cleaner 10 in a position to sense the detectable component when the filter assembly 50 is properly installed in the floor cleaner 10, wherein the filter of the filter assembly 50 is located in the recovery path of the floor cleaner 10.

The recovery passage may include at least a dirt inlet and a clean air outlet. The passageway may be formed by a suction source, including a vacuum motor 58, and in fluid communication with the dirt inlet, as well as a recovery tank or other collection container. The filter assembly 50 can be mounted at a variety of locations on the floor cleaner 10, including any location between the dirt inlet and the clean air outlet, so long as the filter is located in the recovery path. For example, the filter assembly 50 may include a pre-motor filter that may be installed in the recovery path upstream of the suction source including the vacuum motor 58. In another embodiment, the filter assembly 50 may be a post-motor filter that may be installed in the recovery path downstream of the suction source including the vacuum motor 58.

With the filter of the filter assembly 50 in the recovery path, the working air passes through the filter. The detectable feature on the filter assembly 50 may be disposed outside of the recovery passage. By locating the detectable feature outside the recovery passage, the detectable feature is not exposed to debris in the working air and is therefore less likely to become dirty or damaged. Other features for protecting the detectable and sensing components are described in further detail below.

The detectable component is configured to be detected by the sensing component within an effective sensing area of the sensing component. No direct physical contact between the detectable component and the sensing component is required, since the active sensing area enables the detectable component to be detected within a predetermined distance away from the sensing component. The predetermined distance may be the distance that the detectable component is spaced from the sensing component when the filter assembly 50 is properly installed on the floor cleaner 10.

The filter detection mechanism 52 is configured to allow operation of the powered component of the floor cleaner 10 when the detectable component is detected by the sensing component and to prevent operation of the powered component when the detectable component is not detected by the sensing component. If the filter assembly 50 is missing, improperly installed, or alternatively a filter assembly that does not include a detectable component is installed, the electrically powered components are prevented from operating.

The filter detection mechanism 52 can include or be operatively coupled to a switch configured to close and provide power to the components of the floor cleaner 10 when the filter assembly 50 is properly installed in the recovery path. If the filter assembly 50 is missing from the recovery path, improperly installed, or alternatively a filter assembly lacking a detectable component is installed, the switch is configured to open such that no power is supplied to the components of the floor cleaner 10.

The component controlled via the filter detection mechanism 52 may be a vacuum motor 58, a brushroll motor 60, or a pump 62, or any combination thereof. Other components that may be powered depending on whether the filter assembly 50 is detected include the user interface 38, the heater 40, the controller 66, the headlights 42, and the speaker 44.

In embodiments where the sensing component is a hall effect sensor, the hall sensor may be arranged to act as a switch configured to close and provide power to components of the floor cleaner 10 when the filter assembly 50 is properly installed in the recovery passage. The hall effect sensor may change state when the magnetic field experienced by the hall effect sensor exceeds a predetermined value. If the magnetic field experienced by the Hall effect sensor drops below a predetermined value, the Hall effect sensor will again change state.

The controller 66 detects the state of a switch, such as the state of the hall effect sensor 70. The controller 66 is arranged to selectively allow or prevent power to the components depending on the state of the switch. Which in turn depends on the distance between the hall effect sensor 70 and the permanent magnet 68.

In some embodiments, when the power button 30 is pressed or another input controller is actuated in an attempt to turn on the floor cleaner 10 and the permanent magnet 68 is not detected by the hall effect sensor 70, the hall effect sensor 70 can send a signal to the controller 66 to cause the floor cleaner 10 to provide a status update to the user. For example, the floor cleaner 10 can communicate a visual and/or audible warning message to the user. The warning message may indicate to the user that the filter assembly 50 is missing from the reclamation path, improperly installed, or alternatively that a filter assembly lacking a detectable component is installed. The warning message can indicate to the user that the filter assembly 50 must be properly installed prior to operation of the floor cleaner 10. The visual and/or audible warning may be issued for a predetermined period of time, such as 2-10 seconds, and then stopped. The warning may be repeated if the user again attempts to turn on the floor cleaner 10 when the permanent magnet 68 is still not detected by the hall effect sensor 70.

To issue the warning message, power may be supplied to a limited number of components of the floor cleaner 10, such as only those components required to issue the warning message. For example, the controller 66, user interface 38, speaker 44, or filter indicator lights 72 may be temporarily powered to issue a warning message and then automatically powered off.

In one embodiment, when the power button 30 is pressed and the permanent magnet 68 is not detected by the hall effect sensor 70, the filter indicator light 72 flashes or is otherwise illuminated and an audio warning sound is emitted from the speaker 44. The filter indicator light 72 may be an LED located near the brush chamber of the filter assembly 50 so that the user's attention is drawn to the filter receiver. For example, for the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the filter indicator light 72 may be located on the carrying handle 28.

In another embodiment, the switch may be separate from but operably coupled to the sensing component. It should also be noted that in embodiments where power to various components is controlled based on whether filter assembly 50 is properly installed in the recovery path, multiple switches and/or controllers may be provided

It should be noted that the brushroll detection mechanism 48 and the filter detection mechanism 52 may be used together or separately, and may be combined in any order or combination. For example, the floor cleaner may include the brushroll detection mechanism 48 and not the filter detection mechanism 52, or vice versa. Although brushroll detection and filter detection may be applied separately, the systems and methods discussed herein are not mutually exclusive. For example, by providing a filter check and a brushroll check, both the authorized brushroll and the authorized filter must be properly installed in their respective compartments, otherwise the floor cleaner 10 will fail to operate.

Although the floor cleaner 10 of FIG. 1 is shown to include the vacuum motor 58, the brushroll motor 60, the pump 62, the user interface 38, the heater 40, the headlights 42, the speaker 44, the brushroll indicator light 64, and the filter indicator light 72, it is to be understood that the different components can be used in combination with one another, or can be used separately, as desired. The illustration of a floor cleaner as having all of these features herein does not imply that all of these features must be used in combination, but is done here for brevity of description.

The functional systems of the floor cleaner 10 can be arranged in any desired configuration, such as: an upright device having a base and an upright body for guiding the base to move over a surface to be cleaned; canister type units having a cleaning tool connected to a wheeled base by a vacuum hose; a portable device adapted to be held by a user for cleaning a relatively small area; or a commercial device. Any of the above cleaners may be adapted to include a flexible vacuum hose which may form part of the working air conduit between the nozzle and the suction source.

Fig. 2 to 3 show an embodiment of a floor cleaner 10 in the form of an upright multi-surface wet/dry vacuum cleaner having: a housing including an upright handle assembly or upright body 12; and a cleaning foot or foot 14 mounted to or coupled to the upright body 12 and adapted to be moved over a surface to be cleaned. As used herein, the term "multi-surface wet vacuum cleaner" includes vacuum cleaners that can be used to clean hard floor surfaces (e.g., tile and hardwood) and soft floor surfaces (e.g., carpet and carpet tiles). A replaceable brush roll 46 is provided on and removable from the base 14. The replaceable filter assembly 50 is provided on and removable from the upright body 12, but in other embodiments the brush roll and filter assembly may be removable from other portions of the floor cleaner 10.

For purposes of description in connection with the drawings showing an upright multi-surface wet/dry vacuum cleaner, the terms "upper", "lower", "right", "left", "rear", "front", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer" and derivatives thereof shall relate to the orientation of the present disclosure from the perspective of a user positioned behind the floor cleaner 10 in fig. 2, these terms being defined behind the floor cleaner 10. However, it is to be understood that the disclosure may assume various alternative orientations, except where expressly specified to the contrary.

The upright body 12 may include a handle 16 and a frame 18. The frame 18 may include a main support section that at least partially supports the supply tank 20 and the recovery tank 22 and may further support additional components of the upright body 12. The floor cleaner 10 can include a fluid delivery or supply path including and at least partially defined by a supply tank 20 for storing a cleaning fluid, such as a cleaning liquid, and a recovery path that delivers the cleaning fluid to the surface to be cleaned, including and at least partially defined by a recovery tank 22 for removing the liquid and debris from the surface to be cleaned and storing the liquid and debris until they are emptied by a user.

The handle 16 may include a hand grip 24 and a trigger 26 mounted to the hand grip 24 that controls fluid delivery from the supply tank 20 via an electrical or mechanical coupling with the supply tank 20. Other actuators may be provided to control fluid delivery, such as a thumb switch in place of the trigger 26. The handle 28 may be disposed on the front side of the frame 18, below the pole handle 16, and may facilitate manual lifting and carrying of the floor cleaner 10.

A movable joint assembly 74 may be formed at the lower end of the frame 18 that movably mounts the base 14 to the upright body 12. In the embodiment shown herein, the upright body 12 is pivotable up and down about at least one axis relative to the base 14. The joint assembly 74 may alternatively comprise a universal joint such that the upright body 12 is pivotable relative to the base 14 about at least two axes. Wiring and/or conduits may optionally supply power, air, and/or liquid (or other fluid) or vice versa between the base 14 and the upright body 12, and may extend through the joint assembly 74. The upright body 12 is pivotable via the joint assembly 74 to an upright or storage position, an example of which is shown in fig. 2, and a reclined or use position (not shown), in which the upright body 12 is pivoted rearwardly relative to the base 14 to form an acute angle with the surface to be cleaned. In this position, the user may partially support the device by holding the hand grip 24.

The floor cleaner 10 can include one or more User Interfaces (UIs) through which a user can interact with the floor cleaner 10. The UI can enable operation and control of the floor cleaner 10 from a user's end and can provide feedback information to the user from the floor cleaner 10. The UI may be electrically coupled with electrical components, including but not limited to electrical circuitry electrically connected to various components of the fluid delivery and recovery system of the floor cleaner 10, as described in further detail below. The UI includes one or more input controls, such as, but not limited to, buttons, triggers, toggles, keys, switches, etc., which are operatively connected to the system in the floor cleaner 10 to affect and control the operation thereof.

In the illustrated embodiment, the floor cleaner 10 includes a first input control on the handle 28 and a second input control 32 on the hand grip 24. In one embodiment, one input controller is a power button 30 that, together with a brushroll detection mechanism and/or a filter detection mechanism as described herein, controls the supply of electrical power to one or more electrical components of the floor cleaner 10. Another second input control 32 includes a cleaning mode button that cycles the floor cleaner 10 between different cleaning modes. Some examples of cleaning modes include a hard floor cleaning mode and a carpet or carpet cleaning mode. In one example, in each cleaning mode, the vacuum motor 58, the pump 62, and the brushroll motor 60 are activated such that in the hard floor mode the vacuum motor 58 operates at a lower power level and the pump 62 operates at a lower flow rate. Both power and flow rate are increased in the carpet cleaning mode. Other cleaning modes are also possible.

The powered components of the floor cleaner 10 may be powered by a power cord 36 that plugs into a household power source. In yet another embodiment, the floor cleaner 10 can be powered by a battery, preferably a rechargeable battery, for cordless operation.

The fluid delivery system is configured to deliver cleaning fluid from the supply tank 20 to the surface to be cleaned and may include a fluid delivery or supply passage as briefly discussed above. The supply tank 20 includes a supply chamber for containing a cleaning fluid. The cleaning fluid may include one or more of any suitable cleaning fluid, including but not limited to water, compositions, concentrated detergents, dilute detergents, and the like, as well as mixtures thereof. For example, the liquid may comprise a mixture of water and concentrated detergent. Alternatively, the supply tank 20 may comprise a plurality of supply chambers, for example one chamber containing water and another chamber containing a cleaning agent. As yet another alternative, the floor cleaner 10 may include multiple supply tanks. It should be noted that although the floor cleaner 10 described herein is configured to deliver a cleaning liquid, aspects of the present disclosure may be applicable to floor cleaners that deliver steam. Thus, unless otherwise specified, the term "cleaning fluid" may include both liquids and vapors.

The recovery system is configured to remove liquid and debris from the surface to be cleaned and store the liquid and debris on the floor cleaner 10 for subsequent disposal, and as briefly discussed above, the recovery system may include a recovery passage 76. The recovery passage 76 may include at least a dirt inlet and a clean air outlet. The path may be comprised of a suction nozzle 78 defining a dirt inlet, a suction source 80 in fluid communication with the suction nozzle 78 to generate a working air flow, the recovery tank 22, and at least one vent 82 defining a clean air outlet.

The recovery tank 22 is a working air handling component and removes liquid and debris from the working air stream and collects the liquid and debris for subsequent disposal. A portion of the recovery tank 22 may define a portion of the recovery passage 76. It should be understood that other types of working air handling components (e.g., cyclones, centrifugal separators, bulk separators, filter bags, or water bath separators) may be used for removing and collecting debris and/or liquid from the working air stream for subsequent processing. The type of working air treatment assembly may depend on the type of floor cleaner, whether the apparatus performs dry cleaning, wet cleaning, both, etc.

In the illustrated embodiment, the suction source 80 and recovery tank 22 are disposed on the upright body 12, but other locations are possible. At least a portion of the recovery passage 76 between the suction nozzle 78 and the recovery tank 22 may be formed by a conduit 84 extending from the base 14 to the upright body 12 through the fitting assembly 74. Thus, it should be noted that for the embodiment shown, the recovery passageway 76 is defined by a portion of the suction nozzle 78, a portion of the conduit 84, a portion of the recovery tank 22, and a portion of the suction source 80, wherein the brush roll 46 is disposed in the recovery passageway 76 at the suction nozzle 78, and the filter of the filter assembly 50 is disposed in the recovery passageway 76 downstream of the recovery tank 22. Other arrangements of the recovery passageway 76, the brush roll 46, and the filter assembly 50 are possible, as described in further detail below.

A suction nozzle 78 may be provided on the base 14 that may be adapted to be adjacent to a surface to be cleaned and in fluid communication with the recovery tank 22, such as by a conduit 84, as the base 14 is moved across the surface. A replaceable brush roll 46 may be provided in the suction nozzle 78, and thus in the recovery path 76, wherein the brush roll 46 agitates the surface to be cleaned so that debris is more easily drawn into the suction nozzle 78. The suction nozzle 78 is positioned to indirectly retrieve liquid and debris from the floor surface via the brushroll 46. In other embodiments, the brushroll 46 may be located outside of the recovery path, such as for wiping a floor surface, with the suction nozzle 78 positioned to recover liquid and debris directly from the floor surface.

Although a single horizontally rotating brush roll 46 is shown, in some embodiments, two horizontally rotating brush rolls, one or more vertically rotating brush rolls, or a stationary brush may be provided on the floor cleaner 10.

The suction source 80, which may be a motor/fan assembly including a vacuum motor 58 and a fan 86, is disposed in fluid communication with the recovery tank 22. The suction source 80 may be positioned within the frame 18, such as above the recovery tank 22, and fluidly downstream of the recovery tank 22. At least a portion of the recovery passage 76 between the recovery tank 22 and the suction source 80 may be formed by a chamber 88 in the upright body 12.

In the illustrated embodiment, the filter assembly 50 is a pre-motor filter assembly and is disposed in the recovery passage 76 downstream of the recovery tank 22 and upstream of the suction source 80. The floor cleaner 10 can also be provided with one or more additional filters upstream or downstream of the recovery tank 22 and/or the suction source 80.

Referring to fig. 4, the base 14 may include a base housing 90 and the suction nozzle 78 may include a suction nozzle cover 92 coupled to the base housing 90. As shown in FIG. 4, the suction nozzle cover 92 may be removed from the base housing 90 to provide access to the brushroll 46, which may be removed from a brush chamber 94 of the base 14. The brush chamber 94 may be formed by another portion of the base housing 90 and/or the base 14, with the suction nozzle cover 92 closing the brush chamber 94 to retain the brushroll 46 therein. Thus, the nozzle cover 92 is removed from the base housing 90 prior to removal of the brush roll 46. In other embodiments, the brush roll 46 and brush chamber 94 may be configured such that the nozzle cover need not be removed first, such as by passing the brush roll 46 through the side of the base 14 or from the underside of the base 14.

The fluid delivery system may include a flow control system for controlling the flow of cleaning fluid from the supply tank 20 to a distributor 96 configured to distribute or dispense the fluid. In one configuration, the flow control system may include a pump 62 to pressurize the system. The pump 62 may be located within the base 14 and in fluid communication with the supply tank 20, for example, via a conduit (not shown) that may pass internally through the fitting assembly 74. In another configuration, the pump 62 may be eliminated and the flow control system may include a gravity feed system having a valve fluidly coupled to the outlet of the supply tank 20, whereby when the valve is open, the cleaning fluid will flow under gravity to the distributor 96.

The trigger 26 (fig. 2) may be operably coupled with the flow control system such that depressing the trigger 26 will deliver cleaning fluid to the dispenser 96. For example, the delivery system may include a valve (not shown) in the fluid path extending between the pump 62 and the dispenser 96, and the trigger 26 may selectively open the valve to allow fluid to flow out of the dispenser 96.

In one embodiment, the dispenser 96 may include a spray tip on the base 14 positioned to deliver cleaning fluid to the brush roll 46 to indirectly provide cleaning fluid to the floor surface, or the spray tip may be positioned to deliver cleaning fluid directly to the floor surface. Other embodiments of the distributor 96 are possible, such as a spray manifold having multiple outlets or a spray nozzle configured to spray cleaning liquid outwardly from the base 14 at the front of the floor cleaner 10.

In the illustrated embodiment, the nozzle cover 92 is provided with a spray tip on the inside or side facing the brush roller. The spray tip may be fed through a channel of the nozzle cap 92 that terminates in a connector port 98 that couples with a spray connector 100 on the base housing 90 when the nozzle cap 92 is mounted on the base housing 90. Which in turn supplies cleaning fluid to spray connector 100 via pump 62 or other flow control system of floor cleaner 10.

Optionally, a heater (not shown) may be provided to heat the cleaning liquid before it is delivered to the surface to be cleaned. In one example, an in-line heater may be provided downstream of the supply tank 20 and upstream or downstream of the pump 62. Other types of heaters may also be used. In yet another example, the cleaning liquid may be heated using exhaust air from the motor cooling air path of the suction source 80 for the recovery system. In embodiments where the floor cleaner includes a heater, the heater may be controlled via the brush roll detection mechanism 48 and/or the filter detection mechanism 52, as described above with reference to FIG. 1.

The brushroll 46 is operatively coupled to and driven by a drive assembly, including a brushroll motor 60, located in the base 14. The coupling between the brushroll 46 and the brushroll motor 60 may include one or more belts, gears, shafts, pulleys, or combinations thereof. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the vacuum motor 58 (fig. 3) may be configured to provide vacuum suction and brush roll rotation.

Referring to fig. 3, the brushroll is positioned in the brush chamber 94 and rotates in the direction R about a brushroll axis 102. The base 14 may include an interfering wiper 104 and/or squeegee 106. A wiper 104 may be mounted at the front of the brush chamber 94 and engage the wetted portion of the rotating brush roll 46 to wipe excess liquid before reaching the surface to be cleaned. A squeegee 106 may be positioned behind the brush roll 46 and wipe residual liquid as the base 14 contacts the surface, leaving a moisture and streak-free finish on the surface to be cleaned.

Referring to fig. 5-6, one embodiment of a brushroll 46 including a detectable feature (e.g., a permanent magnet) is shown. The brush roll 46 may be a hybrid brush roll suitable for both hard and soft surfaces, and suitable for wet or dry cleaning. In one embodiment, the brushroll 46 includes a brush bar 108 that supports at least one agitating element.

The brushroll 46 includes a rotatable portion configured to rotate about the brushroll axis 102 and a stationary or non-rotatable portion that does not rotate about the brushroll axis 102. The brushroll axis 102 may be defined by the brush bar 108 and may extend longitudinally through the center of the brush bar 108. The rotatable portion includes at least the brush bar 108 and at least one agitating element.

The permanent magnet 54 is disposed on a non-rotatable portion of the brushroll 46 and may form a detectable component of the brushroll sensing mechanism. When provided on the non-rotatable portion of the brushroll 46, the permanent magnets 54 are located in sections of the brushroll 46 that do not rotate during operation of the brushroll motor 60. Thus, the permanent magnet 54 does not move relative to the brushroll axis 102, but rather remains at a fixed point relative to the brushroll axis 102 and the rotating brush bar 108.

The brush bar 108 has a first lateral end 114 and a second lateral end 116, and a cylindrical outer surface 118 extending from the first lateral end 114 to the second lateral end 116. The at least one agitating element generally extends outwardly from the outer surface 118 of the brush bar 108.

In one embodiment, the agitating elements may include a microfiber material 112 disposed on the brush bar 108 and a plurality of bristles 110, wherein the microfiber material 112 is disposed between the bristles 110.

The bristles 110 may be tufted or integral bristle bars and are constructed of nylon or any other suitable synthetic or natural fiber. The brush bar 108 may have a plurality of radial holes 120 spaced along the length of the cylindrical outer surface 118 for receiving tufts of bristles 110. The apertures 120 may be arranged in one or more rows, or one or more rows. The bristles 110 may be arranged in any desired pattern, such as a spiral, with the rows of holes 120 correspondingly wrapped at least partially around the circumference of the cylindrical outer surface 118.

The microfiber material 112 may be comprised of polyester, polyamide, or a combination of materials including polypropylene, or any other suitable material known in the art to comprise microfibers.

The brush bar 108 may be constructed of a polymeric material, such as Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), polypropylene, or styrene, or any other suitable material, such as plastic, wood, or metal. The brush bar 108 may have a solid core or a hollow core.

The non-rotatable portion of the brushroll 46 may include an end cap 122 disposed at one end of the brush bar 108. The end cap 122 is configured to mount one end of the brush roll 46 in the base 14, as described in further detail below.

To rotatably support the brushroll 46 in the base 14, the brushroll 46 may include an end assembly at the first lateral end 114 of the brush bar 108. The end assembly may include, for example, a stub shaft 124 extending from the first transverse end 114 of the brush bar 108 and a bearing 126 having an inner race press-fit over the stub shaft 124 and an outer race secured in the end cap 122.

To accommodate the end cap 122 and the stub shaft 124, a cavity 128 may be formed extending laterally inward along the brushroll axis 102 from the first lateral end 114 of the brush bar 108. Thus, the first lateral end 114 of the brush bar 108 may have an increased diameter for receiving the end cap 122, with sufficient clearance for the brush bar 108 to rotate about the end cap 122.

The brushroll 46 may include a collar 130 located on the first lateral end 114 of the brush bar 108, and the end cap 122 is inserted into the cavity 128 through the collar 130. Other configurations for inserting the end cap 122 into the brush bar 108 are possible, including inserting the end cap 122 into a hole drilled or otherwise formed in one end of the brush bar 108. The collar 130 may be integrally molded with the brush bar 108 or may be separately formed and attached to the first lateral end 114 of the brush bar 108.

Referring to fig. 4, the brushroll 46 may include a second end cap or drive end cap 132 coupled to a drive assembly or transmission 134, which may include one or more belts, gears, shafts, pulleys, or combinations thereof. The drive end cap 132 of the illustrated embodiment is integrally formed with the brush bar 108, but in other embodiments the drive end cap 132 may be a separate feature that is connected or joined to the brush bar 108. In any event, the drive end cap 132 and the brush bar 108 are formed or joined together such that the brush bar 108 rotates when a drive input is applied to the drive end cap 132. When integrally formed, the drive end cap 132 and the brush bar 108 are integrated into a single piece, both of which support the agitating elements (e.g., the bristles 110 and/or the microfiber material 112) and may be coupled with the transmission 134.

In one embodiment, the drive end cap 132 may have a splined drive connection 136, wherein a drive head 138 of the transmission 134 operably connects the brushroll motor 60 to the brushroll 46. The drive head 138 may be disposed at an end of the brush chamber 94 opposite the end that includes the hall effect sensor 56. Other drive connections between the brushroll 46 and the drive 134 are possible.

Referring to fig. 4, 6, and 7, the brush roll 46 may be secured in the brush chamber 94 by a brush roll latch. Various configurations of brushroll latches are possible. In the illustrated embodiment, a portion of the latch is disposed on the end cap 122, with the mating portion disposed in the brush chamber 94. Specifically, the end cap 122 may have a latch member 140 that is received by a latch receiver 142 located in the brush chamber 94. The base housing 90 may include spaced apart first and second walls 144, 146 that at least partially define the brush chamber 94. The first and second walls 144, 146 may be lateral side walls that form a portion of the brush chamber 94 therebetween, for example, by closing the open lateral ends of the nozzle cover 92. The latch receiver 142 may be disposed on an inner surface of the first wall 144.

The latch member 140 may be complementary to or keyed to the latch receiver 142 to ensure proper installation of the brushroll 46. In the illustrated embodiment, the latch member 140 and the latch receiver 142 may have complementary U-shapes and may optionally be tapered in the insertion direction of the brush roll 46, i.e., downward.

The latch member 140 may include a protrusion 148 that snap fits with the latch receiver 142. In one embodiment, the extension 148 includes at least one, and optionally two cantilevered portions having a hook, stud, lug, flange or other engagement element at one end thereof. The projection 148 is briefly deflected during the engagement operation and snaps into a recess or undercut 150 in the latch receiver 142. The shape of the recess or undercut 150 allows the brushroll 46 to separate from the base housing 90 when sufficient force is applied.

The end cap 122 and the base housing 90 may include one or more additional mating surfaces or joints that help distribute the weight of the brush roll 46 supported by the first wall 144. In the illustrated embodiment, the end cap 122 may include an outwardly extending tab 152 that rests on a shoulder 154 adjacent the latch receiver 142.

As described above with reference to FIG. 1, the brushroll detection mechanism of the floor cleaner 10 allows operation of at least one electrically powered component of the floor cleaner 10 when the Hall effect sensor 56 detects the permanent magnet 54, and prevents operation of the at least one electrically powered component when the Hall effect sensor 56 does not detect the permanent magnet 54.

The hall effect sensor 56 is disposed at one end of the brush chamber 94 at a position that detects the permanent magnet 54 when the brush roller 46 is properly installed in the brush chamber 94. The hall-effect sensor 56 may be disposed on a side of the first wall 144 opposite the brush chamber 94, wherein the first wall 144 protects the hall-effect sensor 56 from exposure to dirt or liquid in the brush chamber 94. By locating the hall effect sensor 56 outside of the brush chamber 94, the hall effect sensor 56 is less likely to be damaged or dirty. Other configurations and locations for mounting the hall effect sensor 56 on the base 14 are possible.

In the illustrated embodiment, the permanent magnets 54 are coupled to the end caps 122 to form part of the non-rotatable portion of the brushroll 46. A single permanent magnet 54 may be carried by the brushroll 46. A single permanent magnet 54 may be preferred to provide accurate and precise sensing by hall effect sensor 56. In other embodiments, more than one permanent magnet 54 may be provided on the brushroll 46.

The permanent magnet 54 may be radially offset from the brushroll axis 102. In one embodiment, the permanent magnet 54 may be disposed at least partially outside of the cylindrical outer surface 118 of the brush bar 108.

End cap 122 may include a magnet holder 156 for permanent magnet 54. The permanent magnets 54 may be press fit or otherwise secured to the magnet holder 156. For example, an adhesive may be used to secure the permanent magnet 54 within the magnet holder 156.

Magnet holder 156 may include a recess 158 in end cap 122, wherein permanent magnet 54 is at least partially received within recess 158. In the illustrated embodiment, the permanent magnet 54 is disc-shaped, and the magnet holder 156 may include a circular recess for the disc-shaped magnet. Other shapes and configurations of the permanent magnets 54 and magnet holder 156 are possible.

A cover 160 may enclose permanent magnet 54 within recess 158. The cover 160 may be made of a non-magnetic material, such as plastic or other suitable material. In other embodiments, permanent magnet 54 may be uncovered. In this embodiment, the cover 160 is preferred because it protects the permanent magnet 54 from exposure to dirt or liquid in the brush chamber 94 and from becoming entangled with hair.

A handle 162 to assist in removing the brushroll 46 from the brush chamber 94 may extend from the end cap 122. The handle 162 for removing the brushroll may be extended so that a user may grasp the handle 162 to lift the brushroll 46 from the brush chamber 94. For example, the handle 162 may be disposed on one side of the brushroll axis 102 and extend radially from an outer periphery 164 of the end cap 122, the outer periphery 164 of the end cap 122 surrounding the brushroll axis 102.

In some embodiments, permanent magnet 54 may be disposed on handle 162. For example, the magnet holder 156 may be formed with or otherwise engaged with the handle 162. In the illustrated embodiment, the magnet holder 156 includes a recess 158 integrally formed in an outer side surface 166 of the handle 162. In other embodiments, the magnet holder 156 may be secured directly to the outside surface 166 of the handle 162. The outer side surface 166 is a surface of the handle 162 that is outside or away from the center of the brush roll 46, such as the surface facing the end of the brush chamber 94. The outer side surface 166 may face the first wall 144 of the brush chamber 94.

The outer side surface 168 of the cover 160 may be flush with the outer side surface 166 of the handle 162 or the cover 160 may be slightly recessed relative to the handle 162. Such a configuration may be advantageous over a configuration in which the cover 160 extends beyond the outer side surface 166 of the handle 162 because the handle 162 may fit tightly against the first wall 144 of the brush chamber 94, thereby reducing the chance of dirt or hair migrating in or between the handle 162 and the first wall 144.

The handle 162 may optionally include notches 170 in the sides of the handle 162 to assist in gripping the handle 162 to lift the brushroll 46. The recess 170 may be lifted, for example, by being sandwiched between the thumb and forefinger of the user. An outer side surface 166 of handle 162 in which permanent magnet 54 is recessed may extend between the sides of handle 162 including notch 170.

Referring to fig. 7, when the brushroll 46 is properly mounted in the brush chamber 94 and the nozzle cover 92 is coupled to the base housing 90, the handle 162, and thus the permanent magnets 54 and magnet cover 160, are covered by the nozzle cover 92. This may protect these components and prevent accidental release of the brush roll 46 during a cleaning operation that could inadvertently trigger the brush roll detection mechanism to shut off one or more of the powered components of the floor cleaner 10.

The latch of the brushroll 46 further locks the position of the permanent magnet 54 in place relative to the hall effect sensor 56. By receiving the latch member 140 within the latch receiver 142, upward or downward translation or forward or rearward translation of the end cap 122 is prevented, and the permanent magnet 54 likewise does not translate relative to the hall effect sensor 56, so that the permanent magnet 54 can be reliably detected as the brush bar 108 rotates and the floor cleaner 10 moves across the surface to be cleaned.

Referring to fig. 7-9, the permanent magnet 54 is configured to be detected by the hall effect sensor 56 within the effective sensing area 172 of the hall effect sensor 56. Direct physical contact between permanent magnet 54 and hall effect sensor 56 is not necessary because active sensing area 172 can cause permanent magnet 54 to be detected within a predetermined distance away from hall effect sensor 56. One non-limiting example of an active sensing region 172 is shown in dashed lines in fig. 7-9, but it should be understood that other ranges of active sensing region 172 are possible.

FIG. 7 shows one example of the brushroll 46 properly installed on the floor cleaner 10. In this case, the permanent magnet 54 is within the effective sensing area 172 of the hall effect sensor 56. During installation of the brushroll 46 on the floor cleaner 10, the permanent magnet 54 moves toward and eventually interacts with the hall-effect sensor 56 as the brushroll 46 enters the installed position within the brush chamber 94. The interaction of the permanent magnet 54 with the hall effect sensor 56 allows at least one component of the floor cleaner 10 (i.e., the vacuum motor 58, the brushroll motor 60, the pump 62, etc., or any combination thereof) to operate.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a brushroll 46 improperly installed on the floor cleaner 10. In this case, the permanent magnet 54 is outside the effective sensing area 172 of the hall effect sensor 56. The absence of interaction of the permanent magnet 54 with the hall effect sensor 56 prevents at least one component of the floor cleaner 10 (i.e., the vacuum motor 58, the brushroll motor 60, the pump 62, etc., or any combination thereof) from operating.

FIG. 9 illustrates one example of a brushroll 46U properly mounted on the floor cleaner 10, wherein the brushroll 46U lacks the permanent magnet 54 or other detectable component. In this case, there is no magnet or other detectable component within the active sensing area 172 of the hall effect sensor 56. The absence of any magnet or other detectable component interaction with the hall effect sensor 56 prevents at least one component of the floor cleaner 10 (i.e., the vacuum motor 58, the brushroll motor 60, the pump 62, etc., or any combination thereof) from operating.

Other embodiments of the brush roll 46 are possible, including a bristle-only brush roll adapted for use on soft surfaces and having bristles 110 as the only agitating element, or a microfiber brush roll adapted for use on hard surfaces and having microfiber material 112 as the only agitating element. Each of these brushrolls may include a permanent magnet 54 as described herein.

Alternatively, the floor cleaner 10 may be provided with a plurality of interchangeable brush rolls, which allow selection of brush rolls depending on the cleaning task to be performed or depending on the type of floor to be cleaned. Another advantage of having multiple interchangeable brush rolls is that cleaning time can be extended by allowing dirty brush rolls to be replaced with clean brush rolls during the cleaning task.

Referring to fig. 10, the upright body 12 may include a canister nest or canister receiver 180 for receiving the recovery canister 22. As shown herein, in one embodiment, the canister receiver 180 may be defined by portions of the frame 18. A recovery tank latch (not shown) may secure the recovery tank 22 to the upright body 12 within the tank receiver 180.

Referring to fig. 3, 10 and 11, the recovery tank 22 may include a recovery tank receptacle 182 forming a collection chamber 184 for the recovery system with a hollow standpipe 186 therein. The standpipe 186 forms a flow path between a tank inlet 188 formed at a lower end of the recovery tank vessel 182 and a tank outlet 190 formed at an upper end of the standpipe 186 within the recovery tank vessel 182. When recovery tank 22 is mounted to frame 18 as shown in FIG. 3, tank inlet 188 is aligned with conduit 84 to establish fluid communication between base 14 and recovery tank 22.

The recovery tank 22 also includes a lid 192 sized to be received on the recovery tank receptacle 182. The lid 192 at least partially closes the open top of the recovery tank receptacle 182 and may further define an air outlet 194 of the recovery tank 22 to the downstream suction source 80 (FIG. 3). A gasket 196 may be provided between the mating surfaces of the lid 192 and the recovery tank container 182 that creates a seal between the lid and the recovery tank container to prevent leakage.

The filter assembly 50 may be carried by the recovery tank 22 so that the filter assembly is removable from the floor cleaner 10 when the recovery tank 22 is removed and mountable on the floor cleaner when the recovery tank 22 is installed in the tank receiver 180. In the illustrated embodiment, the filter assembly 50 may be supported by the cover 192, and the cover 192 may include a filter receiver 198 on an upwardly facing side of the cover and sized to receive the filter assembly 50. The filter assembly 50 is removably mounted within the filter receiver 198. In other embodiments, the filter assembly 50 may be separate from the recovery tank 22 and may be removed and installed independently of the recovery tank.

Referring to fig. 12-13, one embodiment of a filter assembly 50 including a detectable component (e.g., a permanent magnet) is shown. The filter assembly 50 may include a filter 200 and a filter housing 202 including a frame 204 having an open area through which air may pass, the filter 200 being supported within the frame 204. A seal 206 on the filter housing 202 blocks air from escaping from the working air path or recovery passage 76. The filter 200 has an intake side 208 and an exhaust side 210, and the seal 206 may extend around the exhaust side 210 of the filter 200. The filter assembly 50 may have a handle 212 or other gripping feature that is made to be grasped or held by hand to facilitate removal of the filter assembly 50. The permanent magnet 68 may be disposed on the handle 212 or on another portion of the filter housing 202.

The air intake side 208 of the filter 200 is the upstream side facing the air outlet 194 of the recovery tank 22. The exhaust side 210 of the filter 200 is a downstream side that is substantially opposite to an upstream side with respect to the direction of airflow through the recovery passage 76. Air thus flows into filter 200 through intake side 208 and out of filter 200 through exhaust side 210.

The filter 200 may include any suitable type or combination of types of filter media suitable for filtering particles entrained in a gas stream. Non-limiting examples of filter media include paper, cellulosic materials, nonwoven materials, spunbond materials, pleated filter media, open cell foams, polyester-based substrates (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate), and combinations thereof. The filter media may also be a reusable or washable type of media, such as a nonwoven or foam type filter media. It should be understood that the particle filtration size of the filter will vary depending on the floor cleaner 10 in which the filter assembly 50 is intended to be used. For the illustrated embodiment of the multi-surface wet/dry floor cleaner 10, the filter 200 is a pleated filter and may be made of a material that remains porous when wet, e.g., air may still flow through the filter 200 when wet (unlike a conventional paper filter).

The filter 200 may be secured within the filter housing 202 using any suitable securing method. For example, an adhesive may be applied between the filter 200 and the frame 204. The filter housing 202 and frame 204 may be made of a more rigid material than the filter 200 to provide rigidity to the filter assembly 50.

The frame 204 of the filter housing 202 includes at least one peripheral side wall 214 to define an open area through which air may pass and in which the filter 200 is located. In the illustrated embodiment, the frame 204 is comprised of a rectilinear structure and includes four walls 214. Although the frame 204 is shown as being formed from a rectilinear structure, the frame 204 may have different geometries to accommodate the cross-sectional area in which the filter assembly 50 may be installed. It should be understood that the dimensions of the filter assembly 50 will vary depending on the floor cleaner 10 in which the filter assembly 50 is intended to be used.

The seal 206 may include a peripheral sealing portion 216 around the exhaust side 210 of the filter 200. The permanent magnet 68 may be disposed outside of the perimeter seal portion 216 such that the permanent magnet 68 is disposed outside of the recovery passage 76 of the floor cleaner 10.

In certain embodiments, the seal 206 may extend at least partially over the handle 212 and may cover the permanent magnet 68. In this case, the seal 206 may include a handle seal portion 218 that extends from the perimeter seal portion 216 at least partially over the handle 212.

The seal 206 may be overmolded or otherwise secured to the filter housing 202. For example, the seal 206 may be formed separately and attached to the filter housing 202 using an adhesive. For the overmolded seal 206, the seal 206 may be made of any material that is capable of being suitably bonded to the material of the filter housing 202. In one non-limiting example, the seal 206 may be made of a thermoplastic elastomer and the filter housing 202 may be polypropylene.

Referring to fig. 11, the top plate of the canister receiver 180 may be configured to fit tightly against the seal 206 and optionally also with the lid 192 of the recovery canister 22 to provide a sealed pathway from the filter assembly 50 to the suction source 80 (fig. 4), and the canister receiver 180 may include a grate 220 through which air may pass to the chamber 88. The seal 206 may be compressed when the recovery tank 22 is installed on the tank receiver 180.

A handle 212 may assist in the removal of the filter assembly 50 from the filter receiver 198, and the handle may extend from one of the walls 214 of the frame 204. The handle 212 may be extended such that a user may grasp the handle 212 to lift the filter assembly 50 from the filter receiver 198.

Returning to fig. 12-13, the pull tab 222 may extend from one of the walls 214 of the frame 204, preferably a different wall 214 than the handle 212. The pull tab 222 may assist a user in lifting the filter assembly 50 from the filter receiver 198. In other embodiments, the pull tab 222 may be eliminated and the filter assembly 50 may be lifted away from the filter receiver 198 via the handle 212 alone.

In certain embodiments, filter assembly 50 may include at least one additional filter media upstream of filter 200. In the illustrated embodiment, the mesh screen 224 is disposed on the intake side 208 of the filter 200 and is coupled to the filter housing 202. The mesh screen 224 has a larger pore size than the filter 200. When referring to the filter 200 or mesh screen 224, the pore size is the size of the largest particle that can successfully pass through the element. The pore size may be an effective pore size or an average pore size through the media. It is contemplated that the smaller pore size filter 200 is prevented from being clogged with larger debris by providing a plurality of filter media having reduced pore sizes, such as mesh screen 224 and filter 200, to sequentially filter larger particles and then smaller particles.

The filter assembly 50 may include a door 226 pivotally coupled with the filter housing 202, the door 226 having an open grate and the mesh screen 224 covering the open grate. The door 226 may be rotated open, for example, away from the intake side 208 of the filter 200, to clean the mesh screen 224 and the filter 200.

The filter assembly 50 may have a fool-proof mounting to prevent inadvertent user error in mounting the filter assembly 50 to the recovery tank 22. In one embodiment, the fool-proof mounting includes at least one protruding feature 228 on the filter assembly 50 and/or on the filter receiver 198 that prevents a user from improperly mounting the filter assembly 50 by interfering with the insertion of the filter assembly 50 into the filter receiver 198.

As described above with reference to fig. 1, the filter detection mechanism of the floor cleaner 10 allows operation of at least one electrically powered component of the floor cleaner 10 when the hall effect sensor 70 detects the permanent magnet 68 and prevents operation of the at least one electrically powered component when the hall effect sensor 70 does not detect the permanent magnet 68.

The hall effect sensor 70 is disposed at one side of the canister receiver 180 at a location that detects the permanent magnet 68 when the filter assembly 50 is properly installed in the floor cleaner 10, with the filter 200 located in the recovery passage 76. The hall effect sensor 70 may be disposed behind a wall 230 defining the canister receiver 180, with the recovery canister 22 being removably mounted on an opposite side of the wall 230. Thus, the wall 230 protects the hall effect sensor 70 from exposure to the working air flow. By disposing the hall effect sensor 70 outside of the recovery passage 76, the hall effect sensor 70 is less likely to be damaged or dirty. In other embodiments, the hall effect sensor 70 can be disposed elsewhere on the floor cleaner 10, for example, adjacent to the filter receiver for the filter assembly 50, so long as the location detects the permanent magnet 68 when the filter assembly 50 is properly installed in the floor cleaner 10.

In the illustrated embodiment, the permanent magnet 68 is coupled to a handle 212. A single permanent magnet 68 may be carried by the filter assembly 50. A single permanent magnet 68 may be preferred in order to provide accurate and precise sensing by the hall effect sensor 70. In other embodiments, more than one permanent magnet 68 may be provided on the filter assembly 50.

The handle 212 may be located outside of the airflow path or the recovery path 76 with the seal 206 blocking exposure of the handle 212 to the working airflow. Since the permanent magnet 68 is disposed on the handle 212, the permanent magnet 68 is located outside the retrieval access 76 and is protected from exposure to the working airflow. By disposing the permanent magnet 68 outside the recovery passage 76, the permanent magnet 68 is less likely to be damaged or dirty.

The handle 212 may include a magnet holder 232 for the permanent magnet 68. The permanent magnet 68 may be press fit or otherwise secured with the magnet holder 232. For example, an adhesive may be used to secure the permanent magnet 68 within the magnet holder 232.

The magnet holder 232 may include a recess 234 having an opening in a side of the handle 212, with the permanent magnet 68 being at least partially received within the recess 234. The opening of the recess 234 may be disposed toward the exhaust side 210 of the filter 200.

In the illustrated embodiment, the permanent magnet 68 is rectangular, and the magnet holder 232 may include a rectangular recess 234 for the rectangular permanent magnet 68. Other shapes and configurations of the permanent magnet 68 and the magnet holder 232 are possible.

The cover 236 may enclose the permanent magnet 68 within the recess 234. The cover 236 may be made of a non-magnetic material, such as plastic or other suitable material. In other embodiments, the permanent magnet 68 may not be covered. In this embodiment, the cap 236 is preferred because it allows the seal 206 to be over-molded onto the cap 236, and the cap 236 is hidden by the handle seal portion 218 of the seal 206.

Referring to fig. 14-16, the permanent magnet 68 is configured to be detected by the hall effect sensor 70 within the effective sensing area 238 of the hall effect sensor 70. Direct physical contact between the permanent magnet 68 and the hall effect sensor 70 is not necessary because the active sensing area 238 can cause the permanent magnet 68 to be detected within a predetermined distance away from the hall effect sensor 70. One non-limiting example of an effective sensing region 238 is shown in dashed lines in fig. 14-16, but it should be understood that other ranges of effective sensing region 238 are possible.

FIG. 14 shows one example of a filter assembly 50 properly installed on the floor cleaner 10. In this case, the permanent magnet 68 is within the active sensing area 238 of the hall effect sensor 70. During installation of the recovery tank 22 on the floor cleaner 10, as the recovery tank 22 enters the installed position within the tank receiver 180, the permanent magnet 68 on the filter assembly 50 moves toward and eventually interacts with the hall effect sensor 70. The interaction of the permanent magnet 68 with the hall effect sensor 70 allows at least one component of the floor cleaner 10 (i.e., the vacuum motor 58, the brushroll motor 60, the pump 62, etc., or any combination thereof) to operate.

FIG. 15 shows one example of a filter assembly 50 improperly installed on the floor cleaner 10. In this case, the permanent magnet 68 is outside the effective sensing area 238 of the Hall effect sensor 70. The absence of interaction of the permanent magnet 68 with the hall effect sensor 70 prevents at least one component of the floor cleaner 10 (i.e., the vacuum motor 58, the brushroll motor 60, the pump 62, etc., or any combination thereof) from operating.

Fig. 16 shows an example of a filter assembly 50U properly installed on the floor cleaner 10, where the filter assembly 50U lacks the permanent magnet 68 or other detectable component. In this case, there is no magnet or other detectable component within the active sensing area 238 of the hall effect sensor 70. The absence of interaction of any magnets or other detectable components prevents operation of at least one component of the floor cleaner 10 (i.e., the vacuum motor 58, the brush roll motor 60, the pump 62, etc., or any combination thereof).

The different features and structures of the various embodiments of the invention may be used in combination with each other or separately as desired, insofar as not described. The illustration of a floor cleaner as having all of these features herein does not imply that all of these features must be used in combination, but is done here for brevity of description. Further, while the floor cleaner 10 is shown herein as having an upright configuration, the floor cleaner may be configured as a canister or portable unit. For example, in a canister type device, foot components such as a suction nozzle and a brush roller may be provided on a cleaning head coupled with a canister unit. Still further, the floor cleaner may additionally have steam delivery capabilities. Thus, the various features of the different embodiments can be mixed and matched as desired in various vacuum cleaner configurations to form new embodiments, whether or not the new embodiments are explicitly described.

The foregoing description relates to general and specific embodiments of the present disclosure. However, various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the disclosure, and the scope of protection claimed is to be interpreted in accordance with the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents. Thus, the present disclosure is presented for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as an exhaustive description of all embodiments of the disclosure or to limit the scope of what is claimed to be specific elements shown or described in connection with such embodiments. Any reference to an element in the singular, for example, using the articles "a," "an," "the," or "said" should not be construed as limiting the element to the singular.

Also, it is to be understood that the scope of the claims is not limited to the expressions and specific mixtures, combinations, or methods described in the detailed description, which may vary between specific embodiments within the scope of the claims. With respect to any markush group associated herein for describing a particular feature or aspect of the various embodiments, a different, special and/or unexpected result may be obtained from each element of the respective markush group independent of all other markush constituents. Each element of a markush group may be associated individually and/or in combination and provide sufficient support for embodiments within the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Claims (20)

1. A filter assembly for a floor cleaner for use in cleaning a floor surface, the filter assembly comprising:

a filter having an intake side and an exhaust side;

a filter housing including a frame having an open area through which air can pass, the filter being supported within the frame;

a seal on the filter housing, the seal extending around the exhaust side of the filter;

a handle extending from the filter housing; and

a permanent magnet disposed on the handle.

2. The filter assembly of claim 1, wherein the filter comprises pleated filter media that remains permeable when wetted with water.

3. The filter assembly of claim 1, including a mesh screen on the intake side of the filter, the mesh screen having a pore size configured such that the filtered particle size is larger than the particle size filtered by the filter.

4. The filter assembly of claim 3, including a door pivotally coupled with the filter housing, the door having an open grate and the mesh screen covering the open grate.

5. The filter assembly of claim 1, wherein the seal extends at least partially over the handle and covers the permanent magnet.

6. The filter assembly of claim 1, wherein the handle comprises:

a recess having an opening in one side of the handle, the permanent magnet being disposed in the recess; and

a plastic cover closing the opening and enclosing the permanent magnet in the recess.

7. The filter assembly of claim 6, wherein the seal extends over the plastic cover.

8. The filter assembly of claim 6, wherein the permanent magnet is press fit within the recess.

9. The filter assembly of claim 6, wherein the opening of the recess is disposed toward the exhaust side of the filter.

10. The filter assembly of claim 1, wherein the filter housing includes a peripheral sidewall and at least one protruding feature protruding substantially orthogonally from an outer surface of the peripheral sidewall.

11. The filter assembly of claim 1, wherein the frame is constructed of a rectilinear structure and includes four walls, the handle extending from a first wall of the four walls.

12. The filter assembly of claim 11, including a pull tab extending from a second wall of the four walls.

13. The filter assembly of claim 1, wherein the seal includes a peripheral sealing portion surrounding the exhaust side of the filter, and the permanent magnet is disposed outside of the peripheral sealing portion such that the permanent magnet is configured to be disposed outside of an airflow path of the floor cleaner.

14. The filter assembly of claim 13, wherein the seal is overmolded on the filter housing and includes a handle seal portion extending from the peripheral seal portion and at least partially over the handle to cover the permanent magnet.

15. The filter assembly of claim 1, wherein the seal is overmolded on the filter housing and extends at least partially over the handle to cover the permanent magnet.

16. A floor cleaner comprising:

a housing;

an airflow path through the housing and including a dirt inlet and a clean outlet;

a working air handling assembly defining a portion of the airflow path;

a suction source defining a portion of the airflow path and in fluid communication with the working air handling assembly; and

at least one electrically powered component;

a filter assembly detachably mounted on the housing, the filter assembly comprising:

a filter having an intake side and an exhaust side, the filter being located in the airflow path;

a filter housing including a frame having an open area through which air can pass, the filter being supported within the frame;

a seal on the filter housing, the seal extending around the exhaust side of the filter;

a handle extending from the filter housing;

a filter detection mechanism comprising:

a permanent magnet disposed on the handle of the filter assembly; and

a Hall effect sensor positioned to detect the permanent magnet when the filter assembly is properly mounted on the housing;

the filter detection mechanism is configured to allow operation of the at least one electrically powered component when the hall effect sensor detects the permanent magnet and to prevent operation of the at least one electrically powered component when the hall effect sensor does not detect the permanent magnet.

17. The floor cleaner of claim 16 wherein:

the filter is located downstream of the working air handling component and upstream of the suction source in the airflow path;

the handle and the permanent magnet are located outside the airflow path; and is

The at least one motorized component is at least one of a brushroll motor, a pump, and a vacuum motor of the suction source.

18. The floor cleaner of claim 16, wherein the working air treatment assembly includes a recovery tank at least partially defining the airflow path, wherein the recovery tank includes a filter receiver and the filter assembly removably received within the filter receiver.

19. The floor cleaner of claim 18, wherein the housing includes an upright body and a base coupled with the upright body and adapted to move over a surface to be cleaned, the upright body including the hall effect sensor and a canister receiver in which the recovery canister is removably mounted.

20. The floor cleaner of claim 19, wherein the tank receiver is defined by a wall, wherein the recovery tank is removably mounted on a first side of the wall, and the hall effect sensor is located on a second side of the wall.

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