JP7120905B2 - surface cleaning equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates generally to surface cleaning apparatus, which may be in the form of a multi-sided wet vacuum cleaner.

Multi-sided vacuum cleaners are adapted to clean hard floor surfaces such as tile and hardwood as well as soft floor surfaces such as carpet and upholstery. Some multi-surface vacuum cleaners have a fluid delivery system that delivers cleaning fluid to the surface to be cleaned, and vacuums used cleaning fluid and debris (which can include dust, dirt, grime, dirt, hair and other debris) from the surface. and a fluid recovery system. The fluid delivery system typically includes one or more fluid supply tanks for storing the supplied cleaning fluid, a fluid distributor for applying the cleaning fluid to the surface to be cleaned, and a fluid delivery system for supplying the cleaning fluid from the fluid supply tank. and a fluid supply conduit for delivery to the distributor. An agitator may be provided for agitating the cleaning fluid on the surface. The fluid recovery system typically includes a recovery tank, a nozzle proximate to the surface to be cleaned and in fluid communication with the recovery tank through the working air conduit, and to draw cleaning fluid from the surface to be cleaned through the nozzle and the working air conduit to the recovery tank. A suction source is provided in fluid communication with the working air conduit. Other multi-surface cleaning devices include "dry" vacuum cleaners, which are capable of cleaning various surface types but do not release or collect fluids.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a surface cleaning apparatus includes a housing comprising an upright handle assembly and a base attached to the upright handle assembly and adapted to move across a surface to be cleaned; a suction source; A suction nozzle assembly defining a suction nozzle provided in and in fluid communication with a suction source, the suction nozzle assembly comprising a nozzle housing and a cover over the nozzle housing; and a fluid delivery system provided on the housing a fluid delivery system provided on the base, comprising a fluid supply chamber adapted to hold a liquid to be dispensed with and a fluid dispenser provided on the base in fluid communication with the fluid supply chamber; and a hybrid brushroll comprising a dowel, a plurality of bristle tufts extending from the dowel, and a microfiber material provided on the dowel between the bristle tufts.

According to another aspect of the invention, a surface cleaning apparatus includes a housing, a fluid recovery system provided on the housing, the fluid recovery system comprising a suction source and a dirty air inlet in fluid communication with the suction source; A fluid delivery system provided on the housing, the fluid delivery system comprising a fluid supply chamber adapted to hold a liquid to be supplied and a fluid dispenser in fluid communication with the fluid supply chamber; and a fluid delivery system provided on the base. A hybrid brushroll comprising a dowel, a row of bristles extending in a spiral pattern from the dowel to wrap around the dowel, and a microfiber material provided on the dowel between the row of bristles. and a brush roll.

1 is a perspective view of a surface cleaning apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the surface cleaning apparatus taken along line II-II of Figure 1; 2 is an exploded perspective view of the handle assembly of the surface cleaning device of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the body assembly of the surface cleaning apparatus of FIG. 1; FIG. Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the motor assembly of the surface cleaning apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the clean tank assembly of the surface cleaning apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the dirty tank assembly of the surface cleaning apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the foot assembly of the surface cleaning apparatus of Figure 1; 2 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a brushroll of the surface cleaning apparatus of FIG. 1; FIG. Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view through the front section of the suction nozzle assembly of the surface cleaning apparatus of Figure 1; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the underside of the suction nozzle assembly, partially cut away to show the inner workings of the suction nozzle assembly; 2 is a bottom perspective view of the foot assembly of the suction nozzle assembly of FIG. 1; FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a lens cover of the suction nozzle assembly; Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the suction nozzle assembly; Fig. 3 is a partially exploded view of the foot assembly; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the foot assembly of FIG. 1 taken along line XV-XV of FIG. 1, including an enlarged view of section A, showing the fluid dispenser of the surface cleaning apparatus of FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the fluid delivery path of the surface cleaning apparatus of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a fluid return path of the surface cleaning apparatus of FIG. 1; FIG. Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the surface cleaning apparatus of Figure 1 with portions removed to show the conduit assembly; 2 is a schematic circuit diagram of the surface cleaning apparatus of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a storage tray containing the surface cleaning apparatus of FIG. 1 and at least one extra brushroll; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a brushroll of the surface cleaning apparatus of FIG. 1; FIG. Figure 21 is an exploded front view of the brushroll of Figure 20; Figure 21 is a front view of the brushroll of Figure 20; 21 is an enlarged cross-sectional view through the front section of the suction nozzle assembly of the surface cleaning apparatus of FIG. 1 with the brushroll of FIG. 20; FIG.

The present invention relates generally to surface cleaning apparatus, which may be in the form of a multi-sided wet vacuum cleaner.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the nozzle of the surface cleaning apparatus has multiple functions to reduce fluid streaking on the surface to be cleaned and to improve removal of dried debris. A dual wiper structure is provided. One wiper helps evenly distribute the cleaning fluid along the length of the agitator and expel excess fluid on the agitator, and the second wiper draws fluid and debris to the suction nozzle. Scrub the surface to be cleaned as it is introduced to prevent streaks on the surface and to prevent the spread of dried debris while the agitator is operating.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the surface cleaning apparatus includes different cleaning modes, including wet and dry vacuum cleaning, along with optimized cleaning performance on different types of surfaces to be cleaned, including hard and soft surfaces. A hybrid brushroll with a plurality of agitating materials is provided for performing the

According to another aspect of the invention, the surface cleaning apparatus is provided with integrated fluid delivery channels that reduce the number of additional components such as piping, fittings, and clamps, thereby reducing manufacturing costs. It also improves maintainability for the user.

According to another aspect of the invention, a surface cleaning apparatus is provided with a fluid dispenser configured to evenly and uniformly wet the brushroll along the entire length of the brushroll.

According to another aspect of the invention, a surface cleaning apparatus is provided with a visual indicator system operatively connected to the cleaning fluid drive, the visual indicator system providing improved visibility of the cleaning fluid delivery stream and Allows feedback to the user regarding fluid delivery functionality.

According to another aspect of the invention, the surface cleaning apparatus is provided with a storage tray that can be used during the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning apparatus and can be used to dry the brush rolls of the apparatus. be done.

The functional system of the surface cleaning apparatus includes an upright device comprising a base and an upright body that orients the base across the surface to be cleaned, a canister device comprising cleaning implements connected to the wheeled base by vacuum hoses, a relatively small It can be configured in any desired form, such as a portable device adapted to be hand-held by a user for cleaning an area, or a commercial device. Any of the cleaners described above can be adapted to include a flexible vacuum hose, which can form part of the working air conduit between the nozzle and the suction source. As used herein, the term "multi-surface wet vacuum cleaner" refers to a vacuum cleaner that can be used to clean hard floor surfaces such as tile and hardwood as well as soft floor surfaces such as carpet. include.

The cleaner includes a fluid delivery system that stores cleaning fluid and delivers the cleaning fluid to the surface to be cleaned, and a collection system that removes the used cleaning fluid and debris from the surface to be cleaned and stores the used cleaning fluid and debris. be prepared.

The collection system includes a suction nozzle, a suction source in fluid communication with the suction nozzle for generating a working airflow, and a collection vessel for separating and collecting fluid and debris from the working airflow for later disposal. and A portion of the collection vessel may be formed with a separator to separate fluid and entrained debris from the working air stream. Also, one or more additional filters may be provided upstream or downstream of the recovery system motor/fan assembly. A suction source, such as a motor/fan assembly, may be provided in fluid communication with the collection container and electrically coupled to the power source.

The suction nozzles may be provided on a base or cleaning head adapted to move over the surface to be cleaned. An agitator may be provided adjacent to the suction nozzle to agitate the surface to be cleaned so that debris is easily sucked by the suction nozzle. The agitator can be driven by the same motor/fan assembly that functions as the suction source, or optionally by a separate drive assembly such as a dedicated agitator motor as shown herein. good too.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one non-limiting example of a surface cleaning apparatus in the form of a multi-sided wet vacuum cleaner 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown herein, the multi-sided wet vacuum cleaner 10 has an upright body or handle assembly 12 and is pivotally and/or pivotally mounted to the upright handle assembly 12 and traverses the surface to be cleaned. 1 is an upright multi-sided wet vacuum cleaner comprising a housing including a base 14 adapted to move by means of a vacuum cleaner. In the description relating to the drawings, the terms "top", "bottom", "right", "left", "rear", "forward", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer" and are intended to relate to the present invention as oriented in FIG. However, it is understood that the invention may assume various alternative orientations, except where expressly specified to the contrary.

Upright handle assembly 12 includes upper handle 16 and frame 18 . Upper handle 16 includes handle assembly 100 . The frame 18 includes a main support section or body assembly 200 that supports at least the clean tank assembly 300 and the dirty tank assembly 400 and may further support additional components of the handle assembly 12 . Base 14 includes foot assembly 500 . The multi-sided wet vacuum cleaner 10 includes and is at least partially powered by a clean tank assembly 300 which is a fluid delivery or fluid supply path for storing cleaning fluid and delivering the cleaning fluid to a surface to be cleaned. and a fluid for removing used cleaning fluid and debris from a surface to be cleaned and for storing used cleaning fluid and debris until emptied by a user. and a fluid return path that includes and is at least partially defined by the dirty tank assembly 400 .

A pivotable swivel joint assembly 570 is formed at the lower end of frame 18 and movably attaches base 14 to upright assembly 12 . In the embodiments shown herein, the base 14 can pivot up and down about at least one axis relative to the upright assembly 12 . Pivotable swivel joint assembly 570 may alternatively comprise a universal joint such that base 14 may pivot about at least two axes relative to upright assembly 12 . Wiring and/or conduits that supply air and/or liquid between the base 14 and the upright assembly 12 or vice versa may extend through the pivotable swivel joint assembly 570 . A swivel locking mechanism 586 (FIG. 2) may be provided to lock and/or release the swivel joint assembly 570 for movement.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of vacuum cleaner 10 taken along line II-II of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Handle assembly 100 generally includes handgrip 119 and user interface assembly 120 . In other embodiments, user interface assembly 120 may be provided elsewhere on vacuum cleaner 10 , such as on body assembly 200 . In this example, the handle assembly 100 further comprises a hollow handle pipe 104 extending vertically and connecting the handle assembly 100 to the body assembly 200 . User interface assembly 120 operates controls such as, but not limited to, buttons, triggers, toggles, switches, etc. operatively connected to systems within device 10 to affect and control functions. It can be in any form that allows In this example, trigger 113 is attached to handgrip 119 and is in operative communication with the fluid delivery system of vacuum cleaner 10 to control the delivery of fluid from vacuum cleaner 10 . Instead of trigger 113, other actuators such as thumb switches can be provided. An upper cord wrap 103 is provided at the rear of the handle assembly 100 .

The lower end of handle pipe 104 terminates into body assembly 200 at the top of frame 18 . Body assembly 200 generally comprises a support frame that supports the components of the fluid delivery and collection systems described with respect to FIG. In this example, body assembly 200 comprises central body 201 , front cover 203 and rear cover 202 . A front cover 203 can be attached to the central body 201 to form a front cavity 235 . A rear cover 202 can be attached to the central body 201 to form a rear cavity 240 . A motor housing assembly 250 may be attached to the top of the front cover 203 . A carry handle 78 may be positioned on the body assembly at an angle to the hollow handle pipe 104 forward of the handle assembly 100 to facilitate manual lifting and transport of the multi-sided wet vacuum cleaner 10 . Motor housing assembly 250 includes cover 206 positioned below carry handle 78, lower motor bracket 233, and suction motor/fan positioned between cover 206 and motor bracket 233 in fluid communication with dirty tank assembly 400. assembly 205;

The rear cavity 240 includes a storage support 223 at the upper end of the rear cavity 240 for housing the clean tank assembly 300 and a pump assembly 140 in fluid communication with the clean tank assembly 300 below the clean tank assembly 300 . . The central body 201 is further provided with a lower cord wrap 255 .

Clean tank assembly 300 may be attached to frame 18 in any manner. In this example, clean tank assembly 300 is removably mounted to body assembly 200 such that clean tank assembly 300 is partially housed in the upper rear portion of central body 201 of body assembly 200 for filling and/or cleaning. can be removed for

The dirty tank assembly 400 is removably mountable to the front of the body assembly 200 below the motor housing assembly 250 and is in fluid communication with the vacuum motor/fan assembly 205 when mounted on the vacuum cleaner 10 . A flexible conduit hose 518 connects the dirty tank assembly 400 to the foot assembly 500 and passes through the swivel joint assembly 570 .

If desired, a heater (not shown) can be provided for heating the cleaning fluid prior to delivery of the cleaning fluid to the surface to be cleaned. In one example, an in-line heater can be placed downstream of clean tank assembly 300 and upstream or downstream of pump assembly 140 . Other types of heaters can also be used. In yet another example, the cleaning fluid can be heated using the exhaust air from the motor cooling path for the suction motor/fan assembly 205 .

The foot assembly 500 includes a removable suction nozzle assembly 580, which can be adapted to proximate the surface to be cleaned as the base 14 is moved across the surface, and a flexible conduit. 518 is in fluid communication with the dirty tank assembly 400 . An agitator 546 may be provided within the suction nozzle assembly 580 to agitate the surface to be cleaned. Some examples of agitators include, but are not limited to, horizontally rotating brushrolls, dual horizontally rotating brushrolls, one or more vertically rotating brushrolls, or stationary brushes. A pair of rear wheels 539 are arranged for rotational movement about a central axis on the rear portion of the foot assembly 500 for manipulating the multi-sided wet vacuum cleaner 10 over the surfaces to be cleaned.

In this example, the agitator 546 can be a hybrid brushroll disposed within the brushroll chamber 565 for rotational movement about a central axis of rotation, which will be described in more detail below. Although a single brushroll 546 is shown, it is within the scope of the invention that dual rotating brushrolls are used. It is also within the scope of the present invention for brushroll 546 to be mounted within brushroll chamber 565 in a vertical position that is fixed or floating relative to chamber 565 .

3 is an exploded perspective view of handle assembly 100. FIG. The handgrip 119 may comprise a front handle 101 and a rear handle 102 fixedly fitted to the handle pipe 104 . A user interface assembly 120 may be provided on the front handle 101 . The user interface assembly 120 in the illustrated embodiment is connected to the float key 109 and mounted to engage the printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) 110 with a waterproof seal 108 across the front of the front handle 101 . It comprises a panel 111 and a bracket 112 provided on the rear side of the front handle 101 . The bracket 112 engages a spring 114 that biases a trigger 113 attached to the rear handle 102 , with the trigger 113 being partly formed by the front handle 101 fitting onto the rear handle 102 . project toward the inside of the recess. Trigger 113 can be in electrical communication with the fluid delivery system. Trigger 113 may alternatively be in mechanical communication with the fluid delivery system, such as via a pushrod (not shown) extending through handle pipe 104 . Hollow handle pipe 104 terminates at frame 18 (FIG. 1) by a bracket connection formed by right bracket 106, left bracket 105, and female connector 107 that join together at the distal end of handle pipe 104. As shown in FIG.

4 is an exploded perspective view of body assembly 200. FIG. The body assembly 200 comprises a front cover 203 , a central body 201 and a rear cover 202 , terminating in a bottom cover 216 . Front cover 203 and back cover 202 may be attached to central body 201 to form at least partially enclosed cavities 235 and 240 . In this example, the front cavity 235 generally includes electrical components such as a printed circuit board 217 (PCB) and other necessary circuitry 215 electrically connected to various components of the fluid delivery and recovery systems. accommodate the Pump assembly 140 may include connector 219 , pump 226 , clamp 220 and gasket 218 and may be mounted within front cavity 235 . Alternatively, the pump assembly 140 can be mounted within the rear cavity 240 or partially within both the front cavity 235 and the rear cavity 240, respectively. The pump 226 can be a single speed, two speed or variable speed solenoid pump.

In this example, rear cavity 240 generally accommodates containment assembly 245 for clean tank assembly 300 (FIG. 2). The containment assembly 245 includes a containment support 223, a spring insert 227, a clamp 224, a containment body 222, a containment gasket 231, and a clamp cover 225 at the top of the rear cavity 240 for containing the clean tank assembly 300. can be provided. Pump assembly 140 may be mounted in fluid communication with containment assembly 245 below containment assembly 245 .

5 is an exploded perspective view of motor housing assembly 250. FIG. Carry handle 78 is secured to cover 206 with handle top 209 attached to handle bottom 207 with gasket 230 mounted between handle bottom 207 and handle top 209 . The motor housing assembly 250 can further comprise an upper motor housing body 204 and a lower motor housing body 208, with a suction motor/fan assembly 205 between the upper motor housing body 204 and the lower motor housing body 208. A vacuum motor cover 228 is provided for partial closure. An upper portion of the suction motor/fan assembly 205 is provided with an upper motor gasket 229 and a rubber gasket 221 , and a lower portion of the suction motor/fan assembly 205 is provided with lower vacuum motor gaskets 210 and 211 . The clean air outlets of the working air path through the vacuum cleaner may be defined by a left exhaust 213 and a right exhaust 214 in the lower motor housing body.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of clean tank assembly 300 . Clean tank assembly 300 generally comprises at least one supply tank 301 and a supply valve assembly 320 that controls the flow of fluid through outlet 311 of supply tank 301 . Alternatively, the clean tank assembly 300 can comprise multiple supply chambers, such as one containing water and another containing cleaning agent. Supply tank 301 may be provided with check valve 310 and check valve umbrella 309 . Supply valve assembly 320 mates with containment assembly 245 and can be configured to automatically open when installed. The supply valve assembly 320 includes an assembly outlet 302 attached to the outlet of the fluid supply tank 301 by a threadable cap 303, a rod release insert 304 held in place with the assembly outlet 302 by an O-ring 305, and a valve assembly. and an insert spring 308 within spring housing 306 that biases 320 to the closed position. When valve assembly 320 is coupled to containment assembly 245, valve assembly 320 opens to release fluid into the fluid delivery path. A screen mesh insert 307 may be provided between the tank outlet and the valve outlet to prevent certain size particulate matter from entering the pump assembly 140 .

7 is an exploded perspective view of the dirty tank assembly 400. FIG. Dirty tank assembly 400 generally comprises a collection container for a fluid recovery system. In this example, the dirty tank assembly 400 includes a recovery tank 401 in which an integrated hollow standpipe 420 (FIG. 2) is formed. Standpipe 420 is oriented to substantially coincide with the longitudinal axis of recovery tank 401 . Standpipe 420 forms a flow path between an inlet 422 (FIG. 2) formed at the lower end of recovery tank 401 and an outlet 423 (FIG. 2) inside recovery tank 401 . When collection tank 401 is attached to body assembly 200 ( FIG. 2 ), inlet 422 is aligned with flexible conduit hose 518 to establish fluid communication between foot assembly 500 and collection tank 401 . A lid 402 sized to be received on the collection tank 401 supports a pleated filter 405 within a filter cover plate 403 attached to the lid 402 with a mesh screen 406 sandwiched between the lid 402 and the filter cover plate 403 . . Pleated filter 405 is preferably made of a material that remains porous when wet. One or more additional filters may also be provided upstream or downstream of the vacuum cleaner 10 . A gasket 411 disposed between mating surfaces of lid 402 and collection tank 401 forms a seal between these mating surfaces to prevent leakage.

A shut-off valve may be provided to shut off suction when the fluid in the collection tank 401 reaches a predetermined level. The isolation valve comprises a float bracket 412 fixedly attached to the bottom wall 416 of the lid 402 at a position offset from the standpipe 420 and a movable float 410 supported by the float bracket 412 . The float 410 is buoyant such that the top of the float 410 selectively seals the air outlet 415 of the collection tank 401 leading to a downstream suction source when the fluid in the collection tank 401 reaches a predetermined level. is oriented so that

A releasable latch 430 is provided to facilitate removal of the dirty tank assembly 400 for emptying and/or cleaning and may be located in the front hole 417 of the lid 402 . A releasable latch 430 may comprise a latch button 407 retained within the latch bracket 404 and biased toward an engaged or latched position by a latch spring 408 . Latch button 407 releasably engages front cover 203 to releasably secure dirty tank assembly 400 to body assembly 200 (FIG. 2). A hand grip 419 may be provided on the collection tank 401 and positioned below the latch 407 to facilitate manipulation of the dirty tank assembly 400g.

8 is an exploded perspective view of foot assembly 500. FIG. Foot assembly 500 generally comprises a housing that supports at least some of the components of the fluid delivery system and the fluid return system. In this example, the housing comprises a top cover 542 and a bottom cover 501 coupled to the top cover 542 with at least some of the fluid delivery and fluid return channels between the top cover 542 and the bottom cover 501. A partially enclosed cavity 561 is defined for housing the components of the . The housing may further comprise a cover base 537 coupled to the lower front portion of the lower cover to define a portion of the brushroll chamber 565 (FIG. 10). Top cover 542 extends rearwardly from approximately the center of foot assembly 500 and may include decorative panels 543 and 544 attached to the top surface. The top cover 542 can be configured to releasably house the suction nozzle assembly 580 .

The suction nozzle assembly 580 can be configured with at least one inlet nozzle for collecting fluid and debris from the surface to be cleaned and at least one outlet for delivering fluid to the surface to be cleaned. In one embodiment, the suction nozzle assembly 580 can include a nozzle housing 551 and a nozzle cover 552 that fit together to provide a nozzle between the nozzle housing 551 and the nozzle cover 552 . A pair of fluid delivery channels 40 are formed which are each fluidly connected at one end to a spray connector 528 . At the opposite end, or second end, of each fluid delivery channel 40, the fluid dispenser 554 is configured with at least one outlet to deliver fluid to the surface to be cleaned. Fluid dispenser 554 can be configured with one or more spray tips configured to deliver cleaning fluid from fluid delivery channel 40 to brush chamber 565 . In this example, fluid dispenser 554 is a pair of spray tips fluidly connected to fluid delivery channel 40 . A spray tip 554 is mounted within nozzle housing 551 and has an outlet in fluid communication with brush chamber 565 . Nozzle cover 552 may include decorative covers 553, one or both of which may be constructed of translucent or transparent material. The nozzle housing 551 may further comprise a forward interference wiper 560 mounted in a forward position relative to the brushroll chamber 565 and positioned horizontally. If desired, forward interference wiper 560 can be retained by an elongated bracket 559 coupled to the lower end of nozzle housing 551 .

Bottom cover 501 further comprises a plurality of upstanding bosses 562 projecting into cavity 561 for mounting internal components to bottom cover 501 . The rear of the lower cover 501 is pivotally attached to a swivel joint assembly 570 for manipulating the multi-sided wet vacuum cleaner 10 over the surface to be cleaned. A rear wheel 539 is arranged for rotational movement about a central axis on the opposite side of the lower cover 501 for manipulating the multi-sided wet vacuum cleaner 10 over the surface to be cleaned. Swivel joint assembly 570 may consist of swivel joint 519, covers 520 and 521, and swivel locking mechanism 586 that releases swivel joint assembly 570 for pivoting and rocking motion.

Conduit assembly 585 is partially disposed within cavity 561 and extends through swivel joint 519 with a flexible conduit hose to couple to components within upper body assembly 200 (FIG. 2). Conduit assembly 585 includes fluid supply conduit 532 and wiring conduit 533 . A fluid supply conduit 532 passes through the interior of swivel joint assembly 570 and fluidly connects clean tank assembly 300 to spray connector 528 by means of a tee connector 530 that includes a pair of spray tube connectors 531 . Wiring conduit 533 provides passage for electrical wiring from upright assembly 12 through swivel joint assembly 570 to base 14 . For example, this wiring can be used to power at least one electrical component within foot assembly 500 . One example of an electrical component is brush motor 503 . Another example is an indicator light assembly. In this example, the indicator light assembly comprises an LED base 516 configured to mount a pair of indicator lights 517 and a pair of lenses 545 over the lights 517 . Lights 517 may comprise light emitting diodes (LEDs) or other illumination sources.

The central lower portion of the partially closed cavity 561 and the rearward lower portion of the suction nozzle assembly 580 may be molded to form a fluid return foot conduit 564 that is fluidly connected to the flexible conduit 518 . can. Flexible conduit 518 fluidly connects dirty tank assembly 400 ( FIG. 2 ) to suction nozzle assembly 580 .

A brushroll 546 may be provided in the front portion of the lower cover 501 and housed within the brushroll chamber 565 . In this example, the cover base 537 rotatably houses a brushroll 546 and attachably houses a wiper 538 positioned behind the brushroll 546 . If desired, the brushroll 546 can be configured to be removed from the foot assembly 500 by the user for cleaning and/or drying. A pair of front wheels 536 are arranged for rotational movement about a central axis at the distal surface of cover base 537 to operate multi-sided wet vacuum cleaner 10 over the surfaces to be cleaned.

In an exemplary embodiment, brush roll 546 may be operatively coupled to and driven by a drive assembly, which is a dedicated brush disposed within cavity 561 of bottom cover 501 . Motor 503 and one or more belts, gears, shafts, pulleys or combinations thereof to provide coupling. Here, transmission 510 operatively connects motor 503 to brushroll 546 so as to transmit rotational motion of motor shaft 505 to brushroll 546 . In this example, transmission 510 may include drive belt 511 and one or more gears, shafts, pulleys, or combinations thereof. Alternatively, a single motor/fan assembly (not shown) can provide both vacuum suction and brushroll rotation in multi-sided wet vacuum cleaner 10 . The brush motor 503 may be provided with a brush motor exhaust 515 , which may be configured to exhaust to the exterior of the multi-sided wet vacuum cleaner 10 .

Transmission 510 may, for example, comprise drive head 506 fixed with brush gear 507 by shaft 508 . Bearings 509 may also be supported on shaft 508 . A drive belt 511 may be coupled between the brush gear 507 and a pulley 511 on the motor shaft 505 .

Drive head 506 is driven by drive belt 511 to interengage brush roll 546 . Brush roll 546 is rotatably mounted within brush chamber 565 via end plate 512 with dowels 46 supporting agitating members. End plate 512 , only one of which is visible in FIG. 8, is positioned at the end of dowel 46 . The drive head 506 can have a splined connection with the end plate 512 on the transmission side of the brushroll 546, for example. Cylindrical dowel 46 further comprises a shaft 513 at an opposite end plate 512 (not visible in FIG. 8). Axle 513 is rotatably attached to dowel 46 and is received within a bearing assembly 514 attached to the housing of foot assembly 500 , for example attached to lower cover 501 , thereby aligning dowel 46 to brush chamber 565 . rotatable about the central axis of the dowel 46.

9 is a perspective view of a hybrid brushroll 546. FIG. The hybrid brushroll 546 is suitable for use on both hard and soft surfaces and is suitable for wet or dry vacuum cleaning. In this exemplary embodiment, the brushroll 546 includes dowels 46 that support agitating members, the agitating members comprising a plurality of tufted bristles 48 or clustered bristle strips extending from the dowels 46 and bristle strips between the bristles 48 . shown herein as a hybrid stirrer member or double stirrer member comprising a microfiber material 49 disposed on the dowels 46 and provided on the dowels 46 .

As shown herein, bristles 48 are arranged in a row of bristles 48 extending from dowel 46 in a spiral pattern that wraps around dowel 46 . In other embodiments, multiple rows of bristles 48 may be provided, with microfiber material 49 disposed between the rows.

As also shown herein, the bristles 48 project radially from the dowels 46 but do not project outward beyond the microfiber material 49 . As best shown in FIG. 10, in at least some embodiments of the hybrid brushroll 546, the tips or ends of the bristles 48 can be recessed against the outer surface of the microfiber material 49.

Dowels 46 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 bristles 48 may be tufted or packed bristle strips and constructed of nylon or any other suitable synthetic or natural fiber. Microfiber material 49 may be constructed of a combination of materials including polyester, polyamide, or polypropylene or any other material known to those skilled in the art suitable for constructing microfibers.

In one non-limiting example, the dowels 46 are constructed of ABS and formed by injection molding in one or more pieces. Bristle holes (not shown) may be formed in the dowels 46 by drilling into the dowels 46 after molding, or may be integrally molded with the dowels 46 . The bristles 48 are tufted and constructed of nylon with a diameter of 0.15 mm. The bristles 48 are assembled to the dowels 46 in a spiral pattern by pressing the bristles 48 into the bristle holes and securing the bristles 48 using fasteners (not shown) such as, but not limited to, staples, wedges or anchors. be able to. Microfiber material 49 is composed of a plurality of polyester strips 50 that are bonded to dowels 46 between bristles 48 treated with Microban (C). Alternatively, one continuous microfiber strip 50 can be used and sealed by hot wire to prevent this single strip 50 from detaching from the dowels 46 . The polyester material can have a thickness of 7 mm to 14 mm and a weight of 912 g/m ² . The polyester material may have an initial absorption of 269 wt% and a total absorption of 1047 wt%.

10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view through the front section of the suction nozzle assembly 580. FIG. Brushroll 546 is arranged for rotational movement in direction R about central axis of rotation X defined by dowels 46 . Suction nozzle assembly 580 includes a suction nozzle 594 defined within brush chamber 565, in fluid communication with foot conduit 564 and configured to suction liquid and debris from brushroll 546 and the surface to be cleaned. It is A suction nozzle 594 defines the dirty air inlet or return path of the working air path through the vacuum cleaner. Additionally, suction nozzle 594 is fluidly connected to dirty tank assembly 400 through foot conduit 564 and flexible hose conduit 518 (see FIG. 16B). A forward interference wiper 560 mounted at a forward position of the nozzle housing 551 is provided within the brush chamber 565 and is configured to interfere with the front portion of the brushroll 546 as defined by the rotational direction R of the brushroll 546 . ing. Spray tip 554 is attached to nozzle housing 551 by the outlet of brushroll chamber 565 and is oriented to spray fluid inwardly onto brushroll 546 . The wetted portion of the brushroll 546 is then rotated past the interference wiper 560, thereby scraping excess fluid off the brushroll 546 before it reaches the surface to be cleaned. A rear wiper squeegee 538 is attached to the cover base 537 behind the brush roll 546 and is configured to contact the surface as the base 14 moves across the surface to be cleaned. The rear wiper squeegee 538 wipes residual liquid from the surface to be cleaned so that the fluid can be sucked into the fluid return channel through the suction nozzle 594, thereby leaving a wet and streak-free finish on the surface to be cleaned. bring.

Front interference wiper 560 and rear wiper 538 may be made of polymeric materials such as polyvinyl chloride, rubber copolymers such as nitrile butadiene rubber, or those of ordinary skill in the art having sufficient rigidity so that they do not substantially deform during normal use of vacuum cleaner 10. The squeegee can be constructed of any material known to the art and can be smooth or have ridges on the ends as desired. Wiper 560 and wiper 538 may be constructed of the same material and in the same manner, or alternatively may be constructed of different materials to provide different structural features suitable for function.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the underside of suction nozzle assembly 580 with portions cut away to show some internal features of suction nozzle assembly 580 . A brushroll chamber 565 is defined below the suction nozzle assembly 580 and forward of the foot conduit 564 . The brush chamber 565 can be provided with a pair of spray tip outlets 595 . A rear portion of the suction nozzle assembly 580 is provided with a latch mechanism 587 and is configured to be received within the top cover 542 (FIG. 8). The latching mechanism 587 is receivable within a latch receiving recess 587a (FIG. 8) provided on the top cover 542 of the base 14 for removal and/or locking of the aspiration nozzle assembly 580 relative to the base 14 by a user. is configured as follows. Aspiration nozzle assembly 580 may be biased by spring 556 to release aspiration nozzle assembly 580 from foot assembly 500 when latch mechanism 587 is actuated. A pair of spray connector inlets 590 are provided on the underside of nozzle housing 551 and are fluidly connected to the first end of fluid delivery channel 40 on the top side of nozzle housing 551 (FIG. 8). A front interference wiper 560 is provided at the front of the brushroll chamber 565 .

12 is a bottom perspective view of foot assembly 500. FIG. A rear wiper 538 is provided on the cover base 537 behind the brush roll 546 and is configured to contact the surface to be cleaned.

13A is a perspective view of the underside of nozzle cover 552, and FIG. 13B is an exploded perspective view of suction nozzle assembly 580. FIG. Nozzle cover 552 is comprised of two fluid channel portions 40 a that form the upper portion of flow channel 40 when mated with nozzle housing 551 . Nozzle housing 551 has two fluid channel portions 40 b that form the lower portion of flow channel 40 when mated with nozzle cover 552 . Fluid channel portions 40a and 40b mate to form fluid delivery flow channel 40 between fluid channel portions 40a and 40b, and spray tip 554 extends into fluid delivery flow channel 40 at the second end. partially accommodated.

Nozzle housing 551 may define a lens for brush chamber 565 and may be constructed of a translucent or transparent material, allowing brush roll 546 to be viewed through the lens. Similarly, nozzle cover 552 may define a lens cover and may be constructed of a translucent or transparent material to allow the user to view fluid flow through flow channel 40 .

FIG. 14 is a partially exploded view of the base; 14, suction nozzle assembly 580 has been removed to expose indicator light 517. In FIG. Indicator light 517 may be configured to be activated in conjunction with pump assembly 140 when trigger 113 is depressed to deliver fluid (FIG. 2). A portion of the base forms a light tube or light pipe 578 that is illuminated by an indicator light 517 when fluid is being delivered to indicate to the user that fluid is being delivered to the surface below the base 14. be able to. Light pipe 578 can be any physical structure capable of transmitting or distributing light from indicator light 517 . Light pipe 578 can be a hollow structure that traps light with a reflective lining, or it can be a transparent solid structure that traps light with total internal reflection. In the illustrated example, the light pipe 578 is a solid structure formed on the suction nozzle assembly 580 and is elongated to extend along the fluid delivery channel 40 to distribute light over its length. It is configured. More specifically, the light pipe 578 is realized as a raised rail molded onto the surface of the nozzle cover 552, typically above the fluid delivery channel 40. As shown in FIG.

15 is a cross-sectional view of foot assembly 500 taken along line XV--XV of FIG. A spray tip 554 can be attached to each respective end of the fluid delivery channel 40 of the aspiration nozzle assembly 580 and configured to terminate within the brush chamber 565 . Each spray tip 554 has an orifice 595 oriented to spray onto brush roll 546 as indicated by the solid arrow in FIG. The spray tip 554 can be parallel to the axis of rotation X of the brushroll 546 or angled substantially horizontally with respect to the axis of rotation X to wet the entire length of the brushroll 546 when the fluid is applied. It can be oriented to spray along a horizontal axis. With respect to “substantially horizontal,” the spray angle of the orifice 595 can be from 0 degrees to 30 degrees, depending on the length of the brushroll and the spacing of the spray tips 554 to cover the entire brushroll 546 with fluid. . The angle of spray tip 554 may be fixed or adjustable during or prior to operation of multi-sided wet vacuum cleaner 10 . Spray tip exit orifice 595 can have any diameter suitable to deliver fluid from spray tip 554 in a desired pressure, pattern and/or volume. In this example, spray tip 554 has an exit orifice with a diameter of 1.0 mm and is oriented to spray inwardly onto the top of brush roll 546 at an angle of 15 degrees from the horizontal.

FIG. 16A is a schematic diagram of the fluid supply path of the vacuum cleaner 10. FIG. The arrows present in this figure indicate the direction of fluid flow in the fluid supply path according to this example. The fluid supply line can comprise a supply tank 301 for storing the supplied fluid. The fluid can comprise one or more of any suitable cleaning fluid including, but not limited to, water, compositions, concentrated detergents, diluted detergents, etc. and mixtures thereof. For example, the fluid can include a mixture of water and concentrated detergent.

The fluid supply path can further comprise a flow control system 705 that controls the flow of fluid from the supply tank 301 to the fluid supply conduit 532 . In one form, the flow control system 705 can include a pump 226 to pressurize the system and a supply valve assembly 320 to control the delivery of fluid to the fluid supply conduit 532 . In this configuration, fluid flows from supply tank 301 through pump 226 to fluid supply conduit 532 . Drain tube 706 drains fluid that may leak from supply tank 301 when vacuum cleaner 10 is not in active operation to a drain hole (not shown) in foot assembly 500 and into storage tray 900 (FIG. 19). Provide an avenue for collection. Fluid flows sequentially from fluid supply conduit 532 through spray connector 528, fluid delivery channel 40, spray tip 554, and to brush roll 546 (FIG. 15), which applies the fluid to the surface to be cleaned.

Trigger 113 ( FIG. 2 ) can be depressed to activate flow control system 705 and supply fluid to fluid dispenser 554 . Trigger 113 can be operatively coupled to supply valve 320 such that depression of trigger 113 opens valve 320 . Valve 320 selectively closes when trigger 113 is depressed, thereby placing an electrical switch between valve 320 and power source 22 (FIG. 18) which is energized to move valve 320 to an open position. It can be electrically operated by, for example, providing a In one example, valve 320 can be a solenoid valve. Pump 226 may also be coupled to power supply 22 . In one example, pump 226 can be a centrifugal pump. In another example, pump 226 can be a solenoid pump.

In another form of fluid supply, the pump 226 can be eliminated and the flow control system 705 has a valve fluidly coupled to the outlet of the supply tank(s) 301, thereby , a gravity feed system may be provided in which fluid flows to the fluid dispenser 554 by gravity when the valve is opened. Valve 320 can be mechanically actuated or electrically actuated as described above.

16B is a schematic diagram of the fluid return path of the vacuum cleaner 10. FIG. The arrows present in this figure indicate the direction of fluid flow in the fluid return path. The fluid return path includes an aspiration nozzle assembly 580, a foot conduit 564, a flexible conduit hose 518, an aspiration motor/fan assembly 205 in fluid communication with the aspiration nozzle assembly 580 for generating a working airflow, and a rear. and a collection tank 401 for separating and collecting fluids and debris from the working air stream for disposal in the air. A standpipe 420 may be formed in a portion of the collection tank 401 for separating fluid and debris from the working air stream. Suction motor/fan assembly 205 provides a vacuum source in fluid communication with suction nozzle assembly 580 to draw fluid and debris from the surface to be cleaned through flexible hose conduit 518 to collection tank 401 .

17 is a rear perspective view of vacuum cleaner 10 with portions removed to show conduit assembly 585. FIG. In this example, flexible conduit hose 518 passes through a forward portion of pivotable swivel joint assembly 570 to couple dirty tank assembly 400 to foot assembly 500 . A fluid supply conduit 532 and a wiring conduit 533 may be provided behind the flexible conduit hose 518 . A fluid supply conduit 532 fluidly couples the pump 226 to a T-shaped connector 530 on the foot assembly 500 .

FIG. 18 is a schematic circuit diagram of the vacuum cleaner 10. As shown in FIG. User interface assembly 120 can be operatively connected to various components of cleaner 10 either directly or through central controller 750 . The user interface assembly 120 can include one or more actuators, such as buttons, switches, buttons, switches, etc., to allow the user to select multiple cleaning modes and/or control the fluid delivery and collection systems. Any combination of toggles, triggers, etc. can be used. A power source 22 , such as a battery or a power cord plugged into a household outlet, can be electrically coupled to the electrical components of vacuum cleaner 10 , including motors 205 , 503 and pump 226 . A suction power switch 25 between the suction motor/fan assembly 205 and the power supply 22 can be selectively closed by the user, thereby activating the suction motor/fan assembly 205 . Additionally, a brush power switch 27 between brush motor 503 and power supply 22 can be selectively closed by the user, thereby activating brush motor 503 . User interface assembly 120 can be operatively coupled to pump 226 such that pump 226 can be actuated when an actuator, such as trigger 113, is engaged, thereby powering pump 226. , the fluid is delivered to the fluid supply channel. Activation of pump 226 operatively connects LED indicator light 517 such that actuation of trigger 113 also powers LED indicator light 517 to provide user feedback that fluid is being pumped into the fluid supply path. be able to.

In one example, the user interface assembly 120 of the vacuum cleaner 10 can be provided with an actuator 122 for selecting multiple cleaning modes for user selection. Actuator 122 sends a signal to central controller 750, which can include a PCBA. The output from central controller 750 regulates the frequency of solenoid pump 226 to produce the desired flow rate according to the mode selected. For example, the vacuum cleaner 10 can have a hard floor cleaning mode and a carpet cleaning mode. In hard floor cleaning mode, the flow rate of liquid to fluid dispenser 554 is less than in carpet cleaning mode. The liquid flow rate is controlled by the speed of pump 226 . In one non-limiting example, in hard floor cleaning mode, the speed of pump 226 is controlled such that the liquid flow rate is approximately 50 ml/min, and in carpet cleaning mode, the speed of pump 226 is controlled at a liquid flow rate of is controlled to be approximately 100 ml/min. If desired, the vacuum cleaner 10 can operate the brush motor 503 while the suction motor/fan assembly 205 is deactivated so that dirty cleaning solution is not removed from the surface to be cleaned. It can have a scrub cleaning mode.

19 is a perspective view of a storage tray 900 for vacuum cleaner 10. FIG. Storage tray 900 may be configured to house base 14 of vacuum cleaner 10 in an upright storage position. Storage tray 900 may be adapted to contain liquid for cleaning internal components of cleaner 10 and/or receiving liquid from drain tube 706 (FIG. 16A) as needed. In this example, storage tray 900 is adapted to house base 14 and includes a removable brushroll holder 905 provided on the outer wall of tray 900 . Alternatively, storage tray 900 can be configured with an integrated brushroll holder 905 . Here, brushroll holder 905 can be secured to storage tray 900 by retention latch 910 . The retention latch 910 can include a slide lock, clamp, brace, or any other mechanism that secures the brushroll holder 905 in its position on the storage tray 900 when in use, and can be unlocked by the user. , can be biased or otherwise configured to permit removal of the brushroll holder 905 from the storage tray 900 . Brushroll holder 905 can be adapted to removably house one or more brushrolls 546 for storage and/or drying. Brushroll holder 905 can include one or more brushroll slots 915 to securely house brushroll 546 in a vertically fixed position for drying and storage. Brushroll slots 915 can be fixed or adjustable and can accommodate brushrolls 546 with or without dowels 46 inserted into clamp, rod or molded storage positions. can be configured with Alternatively, the brushroll holder 905 can have a series of horizontal storage positions such as racks, hooks or clamps (not shown) to secure the brushroll 546 in a horizontal position.

Debris and fluids can be effectively removed from surfaces to be cleaned using the multi-sided wet vacuum cleaner 10 shown in the figures according to the following method. The order of steps discussed is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the method in any way, and without departing from the invention, these steps may be arranged in different logical orders. may be performed, may include additional steps or intermediate steps, or may be divided into multiple steps.

In operation, multi-sided wet vacuum cleaner 10 is prepared for use by coupling vacuum cleaner 10 to power supply 22 and filling supply tank 301 with cleaning fluid. The user selects the floor type to be cleaned via user interface assembly 120 . Cleaning fluid is selectively delivered to the surface to be cleaned through the fluid supply path upon user actuation of trigger 113 while vacuum cleaner 10 is moved about the surface. Pump 226 may be actuated by user interface assembly 120 . User actuation of trigger 113 activates pump 226 causing clean tank assembly 300 to discharge fluid through spray tip 554 into the fluid delivery path and onto brush roll 546 . A wet brushroll 546 is rubbed across the surface to be cleaned to remove any dust and debris present on the surface.

Actuation of the trigger 113 also activates the LED indicator light 517 at the same time, and the LED indicator light 517 emits light through the LED lens 545 along the light pipe 578 into the nozzle cover 552 to indicate that fluid is being supplied. provide a display. The illumination of LED 517 and light pipe 578 indicates to the user that fluid dispenser 554 is activated and fluid is being dispensed onto the surface to be cleaned.

At the same time, the brush power switch 27 can activate the brush roll 546 to agitate or rotate the cleaning fluid against the surface to be cleaned. Such interaction dislodges adherent dust, dirt and debris and suspends them in the cleaning fluid. As the brushroll 546 rotates, a forward interference squeegee 560 faces the brushroll 546 to ensure that the brushes are evenly wetted and the cleaning fluid is spread evenly along the length of the brushroll 546. . Also, the forward interference squeegee 560 can be configured to simultaneously scrape dirty fluid and debris from the brush roll 546 as it is drawn into the suction nozzle assembly 580 and the fluid return channel. When the suction motor/fan assembly 205 is activated, dirty cleaning fluid and dust near the nozzle openings 594 are drawn into the suction nozzle assembly 580 and the fluid collection channel as the vacuum cleaner 10 moves over the surface to be cleaned. . In addition, cleaning fluid and dirt are scraped off by the rear wiper squeegee 538 and sucked into the fluid return path.

If desired, the suction motor/fan assembly 205 can be deactivated during operation of the brushroll 546, thereby removing the soiled cleaning solution as the cleaner 10 is moved back and forth across the surface to be cleaned. is not removed, facilitating the wet scrub cleaning mode.

During operation of the fluid collection path, working air containing fluid and debris enters the downstream collection tank 401 through the suction nozzle assembly 580 where the fluid and debris are substantially separated from the working air. be done. The airflow then passes through the suction motor/fan assembly 205 before being exhausted from the vacuum cleaner 10 through the clean air outlets defined by exhaust ports 213,214. Collection tank 401 can be periodically drained of collected fluids and debris by actuating latch 430 and removing dirty tank assembly 400 from body assembly 200 .

When motion is stopped, the vacuum cleaner 10 is locked upright and can be placed in the storage tray 900 for storage or cleaning. The suction nozzle assembly 580 can be removed from the foot assembly 500 if desired. Brushroll 546 can then be removed from foot assembly 500 and placed in brushroll holder 905 .

The multi-sided wet vacuum cleaner 10 can be equipped with a self-cleaning mode if desired. The self-cleaning mode can be used to clean internal components of the brushroll and vacuum cleaner 10 fluid return channels. The multi-sided wet vacuum cleaner 10 is prepared for cleaning by coupling the vacuum cleaner 10 to the power supply 22 and filling the storage tray 900 with cleaning fluid or water to a predesigned fill level. A user selects a designated cleaning mode from user interface assembly 120 . In one example, the user releases locking mechanism 586 and pivots upright assembly 12 rearward to select the hard floor cleaning mode from user interface assembly 120 . The brush roll 546 is actuated by the brush motor 503 while the suction motor/fan assembly 205 provides suction to the suction nozzle assembly 580, thereby depleting the fluid in the storage tray 900 for a predetermined period of time. until the fluid in the storage tray 900 is sucked into the fluid recovery path. Once the self-cleaning mode is complete, the vacuum cleaner 10 can be returned to its upright locked position within the storage tray 900 and the brushroll 546 can be removed and stored as described above.

20-23 illustrate a second embodiment of the brushroll of the surface cleaning apparatus of FIG. 1 in the form of a multi-sided wet vacuum cleaner 10. FIG. The brushroll 546' can be substantially similar to the first embodiment of the brushroll 546 described above, with similar elements indicated using similar reference numerals followed by a prime (') symbol. ing. The brushroll 546' further comprises outer bristle tufts 920 at the ends of the dowels 46'. Unlike the inner tufts 48', which are tufted radially relative to the dowels 46' and perpendicular to the longitudinal or central axis of rotation of the dowels 46', the outer tufts 920 are tufted outwardly. Oriented at an acute angle A with respect to the central axis of rotation X, the tip or distal end 922 of each outer tuft 920 extends beyond the distal end 924 of the dowel 46', i.e., the side edge or side of the dowel 46'. It is adapted to extend outside the curved surface 926 of the cylindrical dowel 46'. As best shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, the distal end 922 of the outer tuft 920 can extend further beyond at least the inner surface 928 of the end plate 512' and the end plate 512'. It may extend up to or beyond the outer surface 930 .

As shown, bristle tufts 48' and outer bristle tufts 920 each include a plurality of bristles, and in one embodiment, the bristles of outer bristle tufts 920 are thicker and longer than the bristles of bristle tufts 48'. Further, in one non-limiting example, the outer tufts 920 are oriented outwardly at an acute angle of approximately 50-60 degrees with respect to the central axis of rotation X, and the radial tufts 48' It is oriented at an angle of approximately 90 degrees with respect to the axis X. Additionally, the length of tuft 920 can be longer than tuft 48'. In one non-limiting example, the length of tuft 920 is approximately 17.5 mm and the length of tuft 48' is approximately 12.5 mm.

As also shown herein, the outer tufts 920 do not project outwardly beyond the microfiber material 49' radially with respect to the central axis of rotation X and at least In some embodiments, the distal end 922 of the outer tuft 920 can be radially recessed relative to the outer surface of the microfiber material 49'. However, the distal end 922 of the outer tuft 920 can protrude beyond the microfiber material 49' at the outer end of the microfiber material 49'.

Outer bristle tufts 920 may be constructed of nylon bristles that are thicker than the bristles used in tufts 48'. In one non-limiting example, the bristles used for tuft 920 are 0.25 mm in diameter as opposed to the 0.15 mm diameter bristles used for tuft 48'. The bristles forming the tufts 920 are pressed into bristle holes (not shown) in the dowels 46' and secured using fasteners (not shown) such as, but not limited to, staples, wedges, or anchors. It can be assembled to the dowel 46' by fixing.

As in the first embodiment, microfiber material 49' is provided over dowels 46', with bristles 48', 920 disposed between bristles 48', 920 to expose bristles 48', 920. Hybrid brushroll 546' is suitable for use on both hard and soft surfaces, and is also suitable for wet or dry vacuum cleaning.

The angled outer tufts 920 serve to extend the effective cleaning/agitation path of the brushroll 546', thereby improving and enhancing edge cleaning.

23 is an enlarged cross-sectional view through the front section of the suction nozzle assembly 580. FIG. Brushroll 546' is arranged for rotational movement in direction R about central axis X of rotation. The front interference wiper 560 is configured to interfere with the front of the brushroll 546' as defined by the rotational direction R of the brushroll 546'. Spray tip 554 is oriented to spray fluid inwardly onto brush roll 546'. At this time, the wetted portion of brushroll 546' rotates past interference wiper 560, thereby scraping excess fluid off brushroll 546' before it reaches the surface to be cleaned.

To the extent not heretofore described, the different features and structures of the various embodiments of the invention can be used in combination with each other or separately as desired. Although one vacuum cleaner is shown herein as having all of these features, this does not mean that all of these features must be used in combination; It is done here for simplicity of explanation. Additionally, although the vacuum cleaner 10 shown herein has an upright configuration, the vacuum cleaner can be configured as a canister unit or a portable unit. For example, in a canister configuration, lower components such as suction nozzle assembly 580 and brush roll 546 can be provided in a cleaning head that is coupled to the canister unit. Still further, the vacuum cleaner can further have steam delivery capabilities. In this manner, various features of different embodiments can be mixed as desired to match various vacuum cleaner configurations to form new embodiments, whether explicitly described or not. .

Although the invention has been specifically described with respect to certain embodiments, it is understood that this is by way of illustration and not limitation. Reasonable variations and modifications are possible within the scope of the above disclosure and drawings without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Therefore, specific dimensions and other physical features of the embodiments disclosed herein should not be considered limitations unless explicitly stated otherwise in the claims.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 15/850,928, filed December 21, 2017, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Claims (14)

a housing comprising an upright handle assembly (12) and a base (14) attached to the upright handle assembly (12) and adapted to move across a surface to be cleaned;
a suction source (205);
A suction nozzle assembly (580) defining a suction nozzle (594) provided in the base (14) and in fluid communication with the suction source, comprising a nozzle housing (551) and a cover (551) on the nozzle housing (551). 552), a suction nozzle assembly ( 580 );
A fluid delivery system comprising:
a fluid supply chamber (554) provided on said housing and adapted to hold a supplied liquid;
a fluid dispenser (554) provided on the base (14) in fluid communication with the fluid supply chamber;
a fluid delivery system comprising
A hybrid brushroll (546') provided on the base (14), the hybrid brushroll (546') comprising a dowel (46') and a plurality of bristle tufts extending from the dowel (46'). (48'), microfiber material (49') provided on said dowels (46') between said bristle tufts (48'), outer bristle tufts (920) at the side ends of said dowels (46'). a hybrid brushroll comprising
said outer bristle tufts (920) are oriented outwardly at an acute angle (A) to a central axis of rotation (X) of said dowels (46');
The plurality of bristle tufts (48') and the outer bristle tufts (920) each comprise a plurality of bristles, the bristles of the outer bristle tufts (920) being the bristles of the plurality of bristle tufts (48'). thicker and longer than
The distal ends (922) of the outer bristle tufts (920) extend axially relative to the central axis of rotation (X) beyond the microfiber material (49 ') at the lateral ends of the dowels (46'). Protruding, surface cleaning equipment. The base (14) comprises a brush chamber (565), the hybrid brushroll (546') is mounted within the brush chamber (565), and the fluid dispenser (554) dispenses fluid into the hybrid brushroll. 2. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, disposed within said brush chamber (565) to dispense onto at least one of (546') and said surface to be cleaned. an interference wiper (560) disposed within said brush chamber (565) for interfering with a portion of said hybrid brushroll (546') to remove excess fluid from said hybrid brushroll (546'); 3. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2, further comprising an interference wiper (560) adapted to. The interference wiper (560) is positioned in front of the brush chamber (565) to interfere with the front portion of the hybrid brushroll (546') before the front portion rotates into contact with the surface to be cleaned. 4. The surface cleaning device of claim 3, adapted to. A squeegee (538) mounted on the base (14) behind the hybrid brushroll (546') for moving the surface to be cleaned as the base (14) moves across the surface to be cleaned. The surface cleaning apparatus of any of claims 2-4, further comprising a squeegee (538) adapted to contact a surface. The surface cleaning device of any of the preceding claims, wherein said plurality of bristle tufts (48') each comprise a plurality of nylon bristles and said microfiber material (49') comprises polyester. . 7. The method of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said microfiber material (49') comprises a plurality of strips of material attached to said dowels (46') between said bristle tufts (48'). Surface cleaning apparatus as described. Said hybrid brushroll (546') further comprises an outer bristle tuft (920) at said opposite end of said dowel (46') distinct from said outer bristle tuft (920) at said side end; of claims 1-7, wherein a bristle tuft (920) and said further outer bristle tuft (920) each extend the path of said hybrid brushroll (546') at both said side end and said opposite end respectively. The surface cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The dowel (46') is a cylindrical dowel (46') with a curved surface (926) and opposite side ends (924), and the outer bristle tuft (920) at opposite ends of the dowel (46'). 9. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 8, wherein a distal end (922) of a extends beyond said side end (924) of said cylindrical dowel (46'). Said hybrid brushroll (546' ) further comprises an end plate (512') located at said side end of said cylindrical dowel (46') and said end (512') of said outer bristle tuft (920). 922) further extends beyond at least a portion of the end plate (512'). The plurality of bristle tufts (48') are tufted perpendicular to a central axis of rotation (X) of the dowel (46') and radially relative to the dowel (46'). Item 11. The surface cleaning device according to any one of items 1 to 10. A surface cleaning apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said plurality of bristle tufts (48') extend in a spiral pattern around said dowels (46'). The hybrid brushroll (546') of any preceding claim, wherein the hybrid brushroll (546') is operatively coupled to a drive assembly for rotation about an axis defined by the dowel (46'). Surface cleaning apparatus as described. Said fluid dispenser comprises at least one spray tip (554) having an exit orifice (595) that directs fluid in a direction substantially along the axis of said hybrid brushroll (546'). A surface cleaning apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, oriented to spray onto said hybrid brushroll (546') at a.

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