WO1994017722A1

WO1994017722A1 - Appliances for cleaning or otherwise treating floor and other surfaces

Info

Publication number: WO1994017722A1
Application number: PCT/GB1994/000283
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mark Fernandes; Alexis Hammer
Original assignee: Vax Limited
Priority date: 1993-02-13
Filing date: 1994-02-11
Publication date: 1994-08-18
Also published as: AU6006594A; GB9302891D0

Abstract

An appliance for treating a surface comprises a body (10) which houses a container (30), a surface-treatment head (50) which is adapted to engage the surface, and one or more fluid-conveying ducts (180; 280) extending between said container (30) and said head (50). A recess (150) is formed in the body (10) to receive said container (30) releasably through an opening (145) formed at one side of said body. Upper and lower connecting means (31; 32) are provided for locating said container (30) within said recess (150) and for automatically establishing a fluid-tight connection between said container (30) and said one or more fluid-conveying ducts (180; 280) within said body (10) without requiring the user to make any connection. The container (30) includes a compartment (350) for collection of liquid from an air/liquid separator (200) and a compartment (330) to serve as a reservoir for cleaning liquid. Such collection compartment (330) at its upper end (351) is so dimensioned as to receive at least the lower end part of the separator (200) with radial clearance, and the upper connection means (31) comprises a sealing member (223) operative between an external surface of the separator (200) and an internal surface of the container (350). The reservoir compartment (380) includes a dispensing valve (340) at its lower end and the lower connection means (32) is operative to establish a fluid-tight connection between such valve (340) and a pipe (280) whereby liquid from the reservoir compartment (330) is delivered to the cleaning head (50).

Description

Title: "Appliances for cleaning or otherwise treating floor and other surfaces". Description of the invention

This invention relates to appliances for cleaning or otherwise treating floor surfaces (afforded by a floor or a floor covering) or other surface surfaces such as afforded by a wall or window and incorporating a container which requires filling and/or emptying.

One type of such appliance may be for use in floor cleaning or drying operations of the kind wherein liquid is picked-up from a floor surface by a suction head so as to be entrained in air flow from such head to an air/liquid separator in which entrained liquid is separated from the air flow and delivered to a collection container. Such an appliance may be designed and used for drying floor surfaces or picking up spillages.

A further type of such appliance may be for the application of a liquid to a floor surface, the liquid being stored in, and dispensed from, a reservoir container to an applicator head. Such an appliance may be used for a cleaning operation, the cleaning liquid being water or a suitable cleaning solution, or it may be used for other floor treatments, such as polishing, which require the application of an appropriate liquid composition.

A still further type of such appliance may be for both application and collection of a liquid, as in a cleaning and drying operation, and may incorporate a reservoir container for a cleaning liquid and means for delivering such liquid to a cleaning head, and a collection container associated with an air/liquid separator and a suction head whereby liquid is entrained in air flow from such head to the separator, the cleaning head being incorporated in, or separate from, the suction head, so that the appliance is capable of carrying out, simultaneously or sequentially, floor cleaning and floor drying operations or similar operations on other surfaces. Another type of such appliance may be for floor cleaning by the pick¬ up of dust and other generally dry matter (i.e. a vacuum cleaner) and may incorporate a collection container to receive such matter either on a filter or from an appropriate form of separator, such as a centrifugal or cyclone separator.

In all these appliances, such containers are desirably removable from the appliance for the purpose of filling and/or emptying. However, such appliances generally have arrangements for removing the collection container which are either relatively complex or difficult. For example, German Patent specification 1703220 shows an appliance having a body formed as separable upper and lower units, the upper unit having the motor and impeller which provides a source of suction, and the lower unit housing the collection container. The two units are connected by quick release catches, but in practice the user would find it difficult to bring the two units correctly into register with the catches aligned (since neither unit is free-standing) and then to manipulate the catches to secure the two units together. Likewise, when releasing the two units it would be difficult both to release the catches and simultaneously hold the two units.

British Patent specification 1601456 shows a somewhat similar arrangement in which two parts of the appliance are secured together by quick release clips. In this case, the lower unit comprises the collection container and this is free-standing so that the re-assembly operation is somewhat simpler, but nevertheless requires relatively careful alignment of the heavy upper unit which contains the motor and impeller.

According to one aspect of the invention an appliance for treating a surface comprises a body which houses a container and a surface-treatment head which is adapted to engage the surface, and one or more fluid-conveying ducts extending between said container and said head characterised by a recess formed in the body to receive said container releasably through an opening formed at one side of said body, and by means for locating said container within said recess and for automatically establishing a fluid-tight connection between said container and said one or more fluid-conveying ducts within said body without requiring the user to make any connection.

Preferably, the recess affords a base member to support the lower end of the container and the base of the container is arranged to co-operate with the base member in such a manner as to locate and hold the container in the correct position within the recess without requiring the operation of releasable fastening devices by the user.

The container may in one case serve as a collection container for the collection of liquid from an air/liquid separator which is connected in a suction duct which extends from a suction head for picking-up liquid from a surface and to a source of suction, and said connection means may act between the upper end of the container and said separator.

Internally, such collection container may be provided with a generally conical baffle which tapers inwardly towards the lower end of the container for the purpose of restricting movement of the collected liquid towards the separator due to back-and-forth movement of the appliance when in use.

The container may in another case serve as a reservoir container for a liquid to be applied to a surface by means of an applicator head through an outlet valve at the bottom of said container for dispensing the liquid therefrom to the applicator head through a duct, such as a pipe, connected thereto, and said connection means may act between said dispensing valve and said duct.

The dispensing valve may include a valve member which is carried by a rod which extends towards the upper end of the container and at its upper end affords an abutment which is engageable with a member forming part of the linkage system coupled to a trigger within the handle to enable the user to operate the outlet valve as and when required.

The container in a further case may be divided internally so as to afford both a compartment for collection of liquid from an air/liquid separator which is connected in a suction duct which extends from a suction head for picking-up liquid from a surface and to a source of suction, and a further compartment to serve as a reservoir for cleaning liquid to be supplied to an applicator head, which may be incorporated in the suction head, or separate therefrom.

Preferably, the reservoir compartment is disposed at least partially below the collection compartment. The collection compartment may be arranged generally concentrically within an outer body so that the reservoir compartment is at least partially of annular form.

The container may in a still further case serve as a collector for dry matter and said means for establishing a fluid-tight connection may act between the upper end of the container and a suction duct which extends from a suction head to said connection means and from said connection means to a source of suction. Alternatively, the connection means may act between the upper end of the container and the outlet of a separator whereby such dry matter is removed from air flow in a suction duct which extends from a suction head to said separator.

Preferably, the container is formed with a lateral handle at the side thereof which, in use, is disposed adjacent to the opening in the body.

According to a further aspect of the invention, an appliance for picking-up liquid from a surface includes a suction passageway extending from a source of suction through an air/liquid separator and to a suction head which entrains the liquid in air flow to said separator, a collection container for receiving liquid from said separator and a body housing said collection container, characterised by a recess formed in said body to receive said container releasably through an opening formed at one side of the body, and connection means at the upper end of said recess operative to establish a releasable connection between the container and said suction passageway, the connection means being so arranged that the required connection is established by insertion of the container within the recess without requiring the operation of releasable fastening elements by the user. Preferably, the recess affords a base member to support the lower end of the container and the base of the container is arranged to co-operate with the base member in such a manner as to locate and hold the container in the correct position within the recess without requiring the operation of releasable fastening devices by the user.

The base member preferably includes lateral shoulders which are arranged to engage laterally spaced ribs formed at the underside of the container so as to guide the base of the container as it is inserted into the recess and detent means may be provided on the base member to engage co-operative recesses formed in the base of the container in the required position.

In a preferred arrangement, the separator is housed in the body adjacent to the upper end of the recess and the connection means acts between the upper end of the container and the separator. For this purpose, the upper end of the container may be so dimensioned as to receive at least the lower end part of the separator therein with radial clearance, and the connection means may comprise a sealing member operative between an external surface of the separator and an internal surface of the container.

The radial clearance between the separator and the upper end of the container is preferably such that the upper end of the container may initially be engaged over the lower part of the separator whilst obliquely inclined in relation thereto until the container engages abutment means which limit further movement of the container in the upward direction, but permits the container to be pivoted about the abutment means so as to bring the lower end of the container into the bottom of the recess.

The sealing member in this case preferably comprises a radially projecting flexible rib which permits relative axial sliding movement of the two surfaces between which the sealing member acts.

In an alternative arrangement, the separator may be mounted on or in the container so as to be removable from the body of the appliance together with the container. In this case, the connection means may act between the separator and the adjacent parts of the suction passageway. For this purpose, the separator may include air inlet and air outlet ducts and the connection means may comprise sealing members operative between the respective ducts and corresponding co-operative ducts forming part of the suction passageway.

According to a still further aspect of the invention, an appliance for applying liquid to a surface includes a reservoir container for a cleaning liquid, an applicator head for applying such liquid to a surface, an outlet valve at the bottom of said container for dispensing the liquid therefrom, a pipe for supplying the liquid to said applicator head, and a body housing said container, characterised by a recess formed in said body to receive said container releasably through an opening formed at one side of the body, and connection means operative to establish a fluid-tight connection between said outlet valve and said pipe automatically by the insertion of said container into the recess without requiring the user to make any connection.

For this purpose, the base member may include a resilient tongue which is biased into engagement with the underside of the container and carries a protuberance adapted to engage sealingly with an outlet of the outlet valve, the protuberance affording a through bore through which liquid from the dispensing valve may flow into said pipe which is connected to said resilient tongue.

The base member preferably includes lateral shoulders which are arranged to engage laterally spaced ribs formed at the underside of the container so as to guide the base of the container as it is inserted into the recess and ensure that the protuberance on the resilient tongue registers correctly with the outlet of the outlet valve. Detent means may be provided on the base member to engage co-operative recesses formed in the base of the container. These and other features of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:-

FIGURE 1 shows in side view one embodiment of a floor cleaning appliance in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 shows a diametral section through a preferred embodiment of container which affords an internal collection compartment and an annular reservoir compartment, with the internal compartment shown connected to an air/liquid separator;

FIGURE 3 is a top view of the container shown removed from the separator;

FIGURE 4 is an underside view of the container;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the bottom end of a recess in which the container is located; and

FIGURE 6 is a transverse section on the line VI-VI of Figure 5.

A suction cleaner embodying the present invention, as illustrated in Figure 1 by way of example, includes a body 10 comprising a rear casing 110, an upper front casing 120 and a lower front casing 125 which in combination define a housing for the various operative components, including a motor/impeller unit 100 which provides a source of suction to draw air through a suction duct 180 and into an air/liquid separator and valve assembly 20. The casing components also define at the upper end of the body a handle 130 which is equipped with an electrical switch 131 to control energisation of the motor, and a trigger 132 which is coupled by means of a mechanical linkage system indicated diagrammatically at 133 to control the operation of a delivery valve 340 whereby a cleaning liquid can be dispensed from a removable container 30, by way of a delivery pipe 280 to a suction head 50 which is mounted by means of a swivel joint 40 within a lower extension 140 of the rear casing 110. In the illustrated embodiment, the container 30 also affords an inner compartment 350 which is connected to the air/liquid separator and valve assembly 20 to receive recovered water. The suction head 50 includes a removable cartridge assembly 60 whereby liquid delivered through pipe 280 can be applied to a floor surface to be cleaned. The suction head 50 also includes suction slots which communicate with the suction duct 180 whereby the floor surface may be dried.

The container 30 is removably located within a recess 150 which is defined by an opening 145 afforded by the body 10. The container 30 is positioned within the recess 150 by locating and connecting means 31,32 at the top and bottom thereof.

Whilst the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1 includes provision for dispensing cleaning liquid from the removable container 30, it is to be understood that this is not a requirement of the present invention, and that accordingly the cleaning liquid storage and delivery features may be omitted.

Further, for the purposes of the present invention the provision for collecting recovered liquid is not essential and only the liquid delivery features might be provided. Also, the container could alternatively be adapted to serve for the collection of generally dry matter, such as dust, fibres and other solids of the kind normally handled by conventional vacuum cleaners. For this purpose, the container could include a conventional filter bag or similar, or the air/liquid separator could be replaced by a centrifugal or like separator for removing such dry matter from the airstream induced by the impeller.

Likewise, whilst the illustrated embodiment incorporates a motor/impeller unit 100 for generating the required suction at the head 50, this unit may be omitted and instead the cleaner may be adapted for connection to an external source of suction, which may comprise either a free-standing unit coupled to the cleaner by means of a flexible hose or a remote installation including one or more suction points within the premises to be cleaned.

Moreover, whilst the embodiment illustrated is of the type in which the suction head is integrated with the body of the cleaner so that the whole appliance is supported and moved by the operator, the invention as hereinafter described may be incorporated into a free-standing collection unit to which the suction head is coupled by means of a flexible hose in well-known manner in which case the head may be adapted for any of a range of operations involving liquid pick-up or application, including not only floor cleaning and floor drying but also for example wall or window cleaning.

The container 30, comprises an outer body 310 of generally jug-like form having an integral handle 312 on the wall 313 thereof which in use is outside relative to the recess 150 within which the container is received. The bottom wall 315 carries an upstanding hollow boss 320 at its upper side for the purpose hereinafter described.

The inner compartment 350 is taller than the outer body 310 so as to project above the upper edge 311 of the latter. The inner compartment is formed at a position spaced from its upper end with a flange 352 which is shaped to correspond to the upper edge 311 of the outer body 310 and is formed with a downwardly projecting peripheral rib 356 which engages and is secured to the upper edge 311 of the outer body.

The upper portion 351 of the inner compartment above the flange 352 is of substantially cylindrical shape and in use is engaged over the lower end portion of the air/water separator and valve assembly 20 so that the inner compartment receives liquid thereby separated from the air flow, and the upper locating and connecting means 31 is provided for this purpose. The upper edge 353 of the inner compartment 350 engages transverse ribs 214 provided externally of the assembly 20 on mounting lugs 213 at diametrally opposed positions to act as abutment points to limit upward movement of the container 30 as it is assembled with the separator and valve assembly 20 and also to serve as pivot points to enable the container 30 to be pivoted so as to facilitate insertion of the lower end of the container 30 into the lower end of the recess 150 as hereinafter described. The assembly 20 also includes external seal 223 having a flexible lip 223a to engage sealingly with the inside face of the inner compartment 350, and a frusto-conical skirt 231 which forms part of an air/water separator whereby water is directed outwardly onto the interior surface of the inner container 350. The inner compartment 350 is also provided with a removable conical baffle 390 which is arranged internally at the level of the flange 352. This baffle serves to restrict upward movement of water collected within the inner compartment 350 due to to-and-fro movement of the cleaner in use. The baffle 390 comprises a conical member 391 with a peripheral upstanding wall 392 whereby the baffle is located within the inner compartment 350 and a generally triangular-shaped aperture 393 is formed in the conical member on the side thereof adjacent to the handle 312. The baffle further includes a shield 394 which is spaced downwardly from and in register with the aperture 393 and includes lip 395 which extends beneath the centre of the conical member. In use, liquid from the separator 20 is collected by the conical member 391 and passes through the aperture 393 into the lower part of the inner compartment 350.

Below the flange 352, the side wall of the inner compartment tapers inwardly to a concave bottom wall 355. As can be seen, the side and bottom walls of the inner compartment 350 are spaced inwardly relative to the corresponding walls of the outer body 310 so that in combination they define a generally annular reservoir chamber 330 for a cleaning liquid.

The outer body 310 includes a locally widened portion 319, immediately above the handle 312, whereby the reservoir chamber 330 may be filled. For this purpose, the flange 352 is formed with an inlet aperture 357 in register with the widened portion 319 of the body 310 which may be closed by means of a suitable vented plug 358.

Opposite the inlet aperture 357, the flange 352 is formed with a small aperture 359 which registers with the upper end of an externally-opening longitudinal recess 354 formed in the side wall of the inner compartment 350 at a position opposite the handle 312. The recess 354 widens towards the bottom wall 355 and at its lower end is aligned with the boss 320 and accommodates part of the linkage system 133 to operate the delivery valve 340 which is housed with the boss 320. The boss 320 has located therein a valve body member 341 which defines a frusto-conical seating 342 which is in communication with the interior of the reservoir chamber 330 by means of a bore 343 formed in the upper end of the body member 341.

The valve 340 also includes a sealing member 344 arranged to engage the seating 342. The sealing member 344 is formed at the end of an extension 346 at the lower end of a rod 345 which is disposed within the recess 354 and forms part of the linkage system 133. The upper end of the rod 345 has an extension 347 which protrudes through the small aperture 359 in the flange 352 so as to abut the lower end of a further rod (not shown) which is coupled to the trigger 132.

A spring 348 acts between the valve body member 341 and a flange 349 on the rod 345 so that the sealing member 344 normally engages the seating 342 so as to close the outlet opening afforded by the bore 343. Thus, when the container 30 is not assembled with the body of the cleaner, the outlet opening is closed by the valve 340 so that the reservoir chamber 330 can be filled with a suitable cleaning liquid.

The bottom wall 315 of the outer body 310 is curved downwardly so as to be convex at its underside and formed with spaced parallel downwardly protruding guide ribs 316 which extend from the bottom of the outside wall 313 substantially upto the bottom of the opposite wall 314 which in use is located within the recess 150. The ribs 316 are each formed with a locating gap 317, or alternatively a recess opening into the space between the ribs, and as can best be seen in Figure 2 the innermost end portions thereof are tapered to afford inclined lower faces 318.

To support the lower end of the container 30 in the recess 150, the lower front casing 125 of the body 10 affords a base plate 151 at the lower end of the recess 150 and on which the bottom locating and connecting means 32 is provided . To facilitate insertion of the bottom end of the container 30, the base plate 151 is formed to afford a diametral guide member 153 which is raised relative to the adjacent flat parts 154 of the base plate, so as to define vertical shoulders 155 which extend across the base plate 151 from front-to-rear for co¬ operation with the guide ribs 316 formed at the underside of the bottom wall 315 of the outer body 310 and provide side-to-side location of the bottom end of the container 30 within the recess 150. The guide member 153 is concavely curved at its upper side in a manner corresponding to the bottom wall of the outer body 310 of the container 30. The width of the guide member 153 tapers towards the front of the base plate so that front end portions 156 of the shoulders converge somewhat towards the front of the aperture 150 and the outer end portion of guide member 153 is convexly rounded as shown at 152 so as to facilitate the initial entry of the bottom of the container 30 without need for exact alignment.

Adjacent to the rearward end of the guide member 153 lateral recesses 157 interrupt the shoulders 155 and are spanned by resilient strips 158 of bowed shape, each integrally united at the ends 159 thereof with the respective shoulder 155. Centrally of its length, each strip 158 is formed with a projection 160, and apertures 161 and 162 in the base plate, between the upper edge of the strip 158 and the upper side of the guide member 153 on the one hand and between the lower edge of the strip 158 and the adjacent flat part 154 of the base plate, facilitate inward and outward flexing of the strips 158 which, by virtue of the resilience of the plastics material from which the base plate 151 is made enable the projections 160 to serve as detents which co-operate with the gaps 317 in the ribs 316 and thereby serve to hold the base of the container 30 in position and against inadvertent fore-and-aft movement.

The guide member 153 of the base plate 151, also affords a flexible tongue 165 which is defined by a U-shaped slot 166 and is formed with an aperture 167 to receive a spigot 170 having a rounded head 169 at the upper side of the tongue 165 and a tubular stem 168 which extends through the aperture 167 and below the tongue. The head 169 is formed with a bore 171 which communicates with the interior of the tubular stem 168.

The head 169 of the spigot 170 is so disposed that, when the container is inserted into the recess 150, it engages the open lower end of valve body member 341 located in the boss 320 at the bottom of the container 30, the tongue 165 being resiliently displaceable, and the head 169 thereby being urged into sealing contact with the valve body member 341 which in this embodiment is made of synthetic rubber or like material, although alternatively a separate sealing ring may be provided.

The valve 340 and spigot 170 form part of a liquid delivery system whereby cleaning liquid from the reservoir chamber 330 can be delivered to the cleaning head 50, and for this purpose the flexible pipe 280 is connected to the tubular stem 168 of the spigot 170.

To prepare the apparatus for use, the reservoir chamber 330 is initially filed with a suitable cleaning liquid though the inlet opening 357 which is then closed by the vented plug 358. At this stage, the inner compartment 350 will normally be empty. The container 30 is then inserted into the recess 150 by firstly engaging the upper end portion 351 of the inner compartment 350 upwardly around the air/water separator and valve assembly 20 until the upper edge 353 of the inner compartment 350 engages the ribs 214 formed externally of the assembly 20. The container 30 is then pivoted inwardly on the ribs 214 so as to bring the lower end of the container into the lower end of the recess 150 and to form the required seal between the assembly 20 and the inner compartment 350 whilst simultaneously engaging the spigot 170 with the valve 340 and locating the lower end of the container 30 by engagement of the projections 160 in the gaps 317 in the ribs 316.

When the container 30 is in place, the valve 340 engages the spigot 170 sealingly and the outlet bore 343 can be opened by operation of the trigger 132 to push the rod 345 downwardly and displace the sealing member 344 away from the seating 342 to allow liquid to flow from the reservoir chamber 330 through the valve 340, the bore 171, tubular stem 168 and flexible pipe 280 to the cleaning head 50.

The sealing engagement between the head 169 of the spigot 170 and the valve body member 341 ensures that liquid does not escape, whilst the flexibility of the tongue 165 enables the container 30 to be inserted to and removed from the recess 150 without impairing the effectiveness of the sealing action.

It is particularly to be noted that the required fluid-tight connections both at the inlet to the inner compartment 350 and at the outlet of the reservoir chamber 330 are established automatically by the insertion of the container 30 into the recess 150, without requiring the user to take any action other than the insertion of the container.

As will be appreciated, the above-described embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises a floor cleaning appliance for dispensing the cleaning liquid from the reservoir chamber 330 of the container 30 to the cleaning head 50 and simultaneously drying the floor surface by suction applied to the head 50 and collecting the recovered liquid in the inner compartment 350 of the container 30, the container 30 being removably received within the recess 150 and designed to establish automatically a fluid-tight connection between the upper end of the inner compartment 350 and the air/liquid separator and valve assembly 20, by means of the seal 223, and to establish a further fluid-tight connection between the dispensing valve 340 at the lower end of the reservoir chamber 330 and the delivery pipe 280, by means of the spigot 170 carried by the flexible tongue 165 provided at the base plate 151 of the recess.

However, a generally similar appliance may be designed to carry out only floor drying operations, by picking up liquid therefrom, and in this case the container 30 would be replaced by a somewhat similar container, not divided into inner and outer compartments, but with an upper end similar to the upper end of the inner compartment 350 and the bottom wall similar to the bottom wall 315, but without the outlet valve 340, the base plate 151 of the recess likewise being of similar form but with the omission of the resilient tongue 165 and the spigot 170. In this way, such an appliance could be used for floor drying operations, and it will be understood that the appliance would include a suction head without provision for applying liquid to the floor surface.

Likewise, in a further modification, the apparatus could be used for applying liquid to a floor surface without provision for a drying operation. In this, case the motor/impeller unit 100, air/liquid separator and valve assembly 20 and the suction duct 180 would be omitted, and the removable container 30 would be modified by the omission of the inner compartment 350, the upper end of the outer body 310 of the container preferably being modified so as to co-operate with ribs or other abutment fittings similar to the ribs 213 to facilitate insertion of the lower end of the container into the recess 150.

In a still further modification, similar apparatus could be used as a conventional vacuum cleaner. A suitably modified removable container for example could be coupled to an outlet of a cyclone separator in a manner similar to that illustrated in Figure 2. In another arrangement a removable container which houses a suitable filter to collect entrained dry material within such container could be connected to, preferably concentric, air inlet and outlet ducts in a similar manner.

Further, whilst in the illustrated embodiment the head 50 is carried by the body 10 so that the whole appliance is supported and moved by means of the handle 130, it will be appreciated that the container could be received in a body which forms a free-standing unit, the head then being mounted at the lower end of an extended handle which is movable by the user separately from the body unit and connected thereto by a flexible hose and/or pipe as necessary.

Claims

1. An appliance for treating a surface comprising a body (10) which houses a container (30), a surface-treatment head (50) which is adapted to engage the surface, and one or more fluid-conveying ducts (180,280) extending between said container and said head, characterised by a recess (150) formed in the body (10) to receive said container (30) releasably through an opening (145) formed at one side of said body (10), and by means (31;32) for locating said container (30) within said recess (150) and for automatically establishing a fluid-tight connection between said container (30) and said one or more fluid-conveying ducts within said body (10) without requiring the user to make any connection.

2. An appliance according to Claim 1 wherein the recess (150) affords a base member (151) to support the lower end of the container (30) and the base (315) of the container (30) is arranged to co-operate with the base member (151) in such a manner as to locate and hold the container (30) in the correct position within the recess (150) without requiring the operation of releasable fastening devices by the user.

3. An appliance according to Claim 1 wherein the container (30) serves as a collection container (350) for the collection of liquid from an air/liquid separator (200) which is connected in a suction duct (180) which extends from a suction head (50) for picking-up liquid from a surface and to a source of suction, said connection means (31) acting between the upper end (351) of the container (350) and said separator (200).

4. An appliance according to Claim 3 wherein said collection container (350) is provided with a generally frusto-conical baffle (390) which tapers inwardly towards the lower end of the container (350) for the purpose of restricting movement of the collected liquid towards the separator due to back-and-forth movement of the appliance when in use.

5. An appliance according to Claim 1 wherein the container (30) serves as a reservoir chamber (330) for a liquid to be applied to a surface by means of an applicator head (50) through an outlet valve (340) at the bottom of said container (30) for dispensing the liquid therefrom to the applicator head (50) through a duct (280), connected thereto, said connection means (32) acting between said outlet valve (340) and said duct (280).

6. An appliance according to Claim 5 wherein the outlet valve (340) includes a valve member (344) which is carried by a rod (345) which extends towards the upper end of the container (30) and at its upper end affords an abutment (347) which is engageable with a member forming part of the linkage system (133) coupled to a trigger (132) within a handle (130) to enable the user to operate the outlet valve (340) as and when required.

7. An appliance according to Claim 1 wherein the container (30) is divided internally so as to afford both a compartment (350) for collection of liquid from an air/liquid separator (200) which is connected in a suction duct (180) which extends from a suction head (50) for picking-up liquid from a surface and to a source of suction (100), and a further compartment (310) to serve as a reservoir (330) for cleaning liquid to be supplied to an applicator head (50).

8. An appliance according to Claim 7 wherein the reservoir compartment (330) is disposed at least partially below the collection compartment (350).

9. An appliance according to Claim 7 wherein the collection compartment (350) is arranged generally concentrically within an outer body so that the reservoir compartment (330) is at least partially of annular form.

10. An appliance according to Claim 1 wherein the container serves as a collector for dry matter and said means for establishing a fluid-tight connection acts between the upper end of the container and a suction duct which extends from a suction head to said connection means and from said connection means to a source of suction.

11. An appliance according to Claim 1 wherein the container serves as a collector for dry matter and said means for establishing a fluid-tight connection acts between the upper end of the container and the outlet of a separator whereby such dry matter is removed from air flow in a suction duct which extends from a suction head to said separator.

12. An appliance according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the container (30) is formed with a lateral handle (312) at the side (313) thereof which, in use, is disposed adjacent to the opening in the body (10).

13. An appliance for picking up liquid from a surface and which includes a suction passageway (180) extending from a source of suction (100) through an air/liquid separator (200) and to a suction head (50) which entrains the liquid in air flow to said separator (200), a collection container (350) for receiving liquid from said separator (200) and a body (10) housing said collection container (350), characterised by a recess (150) formed in said body (10) to receive said container (350) releasably through an opening formed at one side of the body (10), and connection means (31) at the upper end of said recess (150) operative to establish a releasable connection between the container (350) and said suction passageway (180), the connection means (31) being so arranged that the required connection is established by insertion of the container (350) within the recess without requiring the operation of releasable fastening elements by the user.

14. An appliance according to Claim 13 wherein the recess (150) affords a base member (151) to support the lower end of the container (350) and the base (315) of the container is arranged to co-operate with the base member (151) in such a manner as to locate and hold the container (350) in the correct position within the recess (150) without requiring the operation of releasable fastening devices by the user.

15. An appliance according to Claim 14 wherein the base member (151) includes lateral shoulders (155) which are arranged to engage laterally spaced ribs (316) formed at the underside of the container (350) so as to guide the base of the container as it is inserted into the recess (150).

16. An appliance according to any one of Claims 13 to 15 wherein the separator (200) is housed in the body (10) adjacent to the upper end of the recess (150) and the connection means (31) acts between the upper end of the container (350) and the separator (200).

17. An appliance according to Claim 16 wherein the upper end (351) of the container (350) is so dimensioned as to receive at least the lower end part of the separator (200) therein with radial clearance, and the connection means (31) comprises a sealing member (223) operative between an external surface of the separator and an internal surface of the container (350).

18. An appliance according to Claim 17 wherein the radial clearance between the separator (200) and the upper end (351) of the container (350) is such that the upper end of the container (350) may initially be engaged over the lower part of the separator (200) whilst obliquely inclined in relation thereto until the container (350) engages abutment means (214) which limit further movement of the container (350) in the upward direction, but permits the container to be pivoted about the abutment means (214) so as to bring the lower end of the container (350) into the bottom of the recess (100).

19. An appliance according to Claim 18 wherein the sealing member comprises a radially projecting flexible rib (223a) which permits relative axial sliding movement of the two surfaces between which the sealing member (223) acts.

20. An appliance for applying liquid to a surface and which includes a reservoir container (350) for such liquid, an applicator head (50) for applying such liquid to a surface, an outlet valve (340) at the bottom of said container (330) for dispensing the liquid therefrom, a pipe (280) for supplying the liquid to said applicator head (50), and a body (10) housing said container (330), characterised by a recess (150) formed in said body (10) to receive said container (330) releasably through an opening formed at one side of the body (10), and connection means (32) operative to establish a fluid-tight connection between said valve (340) and said pipe (280) automatically by the insertion of said container (330) into the recess (150) without requiring the user to make any connection.

21. An appliance according to Claim 20 wherein the recess (150) affords a base member (151) to support the lower end of the container (330) and the base of (315) the container is arranged to co-operate with the base member (151) in such a manner as to locate and hold the container (330) in the correct position within the recess (150) without requiring the operation of releasable fastening devices by the user.

22. An appliance according to Claim 21 wherein the base member (151) includes a resilient tongue (165) which is biased into engagement with the underside of the container (330) and carries a protuberance (169) adapted to engage sealingly with an outlet of the dispensing valve (340), the protuberance (169) affording a through bore (171) through which liquid from the dispensing valve (340) may flow into said pipe (280) which is connected to said resilient tongue (165).

23. An appliance according to Claim 22 wherein the base member (151) includes lateral shoulders (155) which are arranged to engage laterally spaced ribs (316) formed at the underside of the container (330)so as to guide the base of the container as it is inserted into the recess (150) and ensure that the protuberance (169) on the resilient tongue (165) registers correctly with the outlet of the dispensing valve (340).

24. An appliance according to Claim 23 wherein detent means (160) are provided on the base member (151) to engage co-operative recesses (317) formed in the base of the container (330) to hold the container in the required position.

25. A container for use with an appliance as claimed in Claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 2 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.