WO2006067425A1

WO2006067425A1 - Vacuum cleaning system

Info

Publication number: WO2006067425A1
Application number: PCT/GB2005/004953
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christopher Robert Duncan; Alan James Boxell
Original assignee: Numatic International Limited
Priority date: 2004-12-20
Filing date: 2005-12-20
Publication date: 2006-06-29
Also published as: GB0427877D0

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of floor and carpet cleaning. According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a vacuum cleaning system for the wet cleaning of surfaces such as carpets, which system comprises: a vacuum cleaning unit (10) comprising liquid distribution means (34) for introducing a cleaning liquid onto surface to be cleaned and extraction means (32) for removing cleaning liquid from the surface by entrainment of liquid into an airflow induced by a vacuum source (12), a first reservoir (53) for providing a source of cleaning liquid for use in wet cleaning, liquid transport means (36) for feeding cleaning liquid from the first reservoir (53) to the liquid distribution means (34) for the vacuum cleaning unit (10), and a second reservoir (11) into which airflow-entrained used cleaning liquid may be deposited from subsequent disposal, characterized in that the first and second reservoirs (53, 11) are spaced apart from one another and disposed in separate transportable units (51, 10), which units permit each reservoir to be manipulated and translated independently of the other, thereby facilitating emptying of the second reservoir (11) and filling of the first reservoir (53), and at least limited independent translational movement of the reservoirs over the surface to be cleaned.

Description

VACUUM CLEANING SYSTEM

The present invention relates to the field of floor and carpet cleaning. The invention is particularly concerned with a surface cleaning system which uses a cleaning liquid introduced onto the surface to be cleaned, such as a carpet, which liquid is then extracted and collected for disposal.

Vacuum cleaners have long been used to clean floors or floor coverings. Both domestic and commercial cleaners are known, the commercial cleaners being of greater size and more robust construction.

"Wet" caipet cleaning machines operate using an "extraction cleaning" method. Such machines function by injecting cleaning solution into a carpet under pressure at one location to dissolve and dislodge dirt and stains, and continuously extract dirty solution from the carpet and into a water-tight waste reservoir in the cleaner. Thus the nap of the carpet is washed in a continuous cycle. The provision of cleaning chemicals such as detergents in liquid assists in the cleaning effect achieved.

Surface cleaning systems which combine both a dry vacuuming function and a wet cleaning function in a single machine are also known. In such systems the water collection means of a typical wet cleaning machine also serves to collect air-entrained particulate matter.

Typical surface cleaners may be divided into two types: "cylinder" cleaners and "upright" cleaners. Cylinder cleaners typically comprise a body portion containing the vacuum drive and waste bin for collecting debris (for dry cleaning) or dirty water (for wet cleaning). A cleaning wand equipped with a nozzle is attached to the body portion by means of a flexible air conduit. The conduit serves to provide a passage for the collection of debris or dirty water lifted from the surface being cleaned as well as providing a mechanical link between the cleaning nozzle and the body portion. Wheels or rollers may be provided on the body portion whereby in use the body portion may be drawn by the user about an area to be cleaned as the user moves the wand over the surface to be cleaned.

In the typical upright cleaner, a cleaning nozzle is incorporated into a floor engaging lower portion of the cleaner, and the receptacle for vacuumed dirt is located above the nozzle, adjacent a generally vertically oriented elongate handle. The cleaner is supported by rollers or wheels for ease of translational movement over a surface to be cleaned. In either type of cleaner, the nozzle may be provided with a driven brush which disturbs the debris during dry or wet cleaning for cntrainment of the dislodged debris in the passing air stream for transport to a collection chamber. Upright cleaners with a wand portion are also known, so that the cleaner may be used as an upright cleaner, or in the manner of a cylinder cleaner according to user requirements.

Wet mode vacuum cleaners require two liquid reservoirs, one for fresh cleaning liquid and one for collecting dirty water. Both reservoirs are located within a main body of the cleaner to form a single unit. Conventional machines having a 10 litre reservoir for clean water will also require a 10 litre reservoir for the collection of dirty water. Machines used for contract or non-domestic cleaning must clean relatively large surface areas and therefore require larger clean and dirty water reservoirs. As a result, such machines may require clean and dirty water reservoirs each of around 30 to 40 litres. These machines are, thus large, heavy and not easy to handle. In particular, emptying of the waste liquid and refilling of the fresh cleaning liquid can be troublesome and cause spilling of liquid onto the surface to be cleaned.

US 4, 168,563 discloses an apparatus for cleaning carpet and textile floor coverings. The apparatus includes a mobile unit and a waste receptacle. The mobile unit carries two tanks; one for holding cleaning solution and the other for a surfactant. The apparatus includes a semi- automatic tank filling arrangement with metering valves for adding the correct amounts of liquid detergent and surfactant.

US 4,800,612 discloses a water vacuum extraction apparatus for use in large scale or commercial caipet cleaning. The apparatus includes a main housing unit and a mobile unit. The main housing contains a waste tank coupled to a vacuum source. The mobile unit contains a second vacuum source and a second waste tank. The main housing unit is typically stationary or mounted in a vehicle, such as a truck. The mobile unit is moveable with respect to the main housing. The second vacuum source of the mobile unit increases the total vacuum pressure of the apparatus.

GB 2,153,660 discloses an apparatus for cleaning textile materials, especially those present in public transport vehicles, such as railway carriages. The apparatus includes a mobile cleaning fluid delivery unit and a mobile suction unit. Both units are operated using compressed air. Both units include a mounting trolley frame. Handles allow the units to be tipped so that only a pair of wheels, and not any part of the underside of the units or another part of the frame, are in contact with the floor surface. The units can then be wheeled across the surface while the units are at an angle corresponding to how much they have been tipped. A cleaning head is connected to the suction unit by a length of hose and to the delivery unit by a second length of hose.

One object of the present invention is to provide a surface cleaning unit which solves the problems associated with the handling of large and cumbersome contract, or non-domestic, wet vacuum cleaners. This is particularly important as such machines may be operated by employees during long periods of cleaning use, and for whom ease of use is a primary requirement to avoid fatigue.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a vacuum cleaning system for the wet cleaning of surfaces such as carpets, which system comprises: a vacuum cleaning unit comprising liquid distribution means for introducing a cleaning liquid onto surface to be cleaned and extraction means for removing cleaning liquid from the surface by entrainment of liquid into an airflow induced by a vacuum source, a first reservoir for providing a source of cleaning liquid for use in wet cleaning, liquid transport means for feeding cleaning liquid from the first reservoir to the liquid distribution means of the vacuum cleaning unit, and a second reservoir into which airflow-entrained used cleaning liquid may be deposited lor subsequent disposal, characterised in that the first and second reservoirs are spaced apart from one another and disposed in separate transportable units, which units permit each reservoir to be manipulated and translated independently of the other, thereby facilitating emptying of the second reservoir and filling of the first reservoir, and at least limited independent translational movement of the reservoirs over the surface to be cleaned.

In this way one large and prior art cleaner body unit, having two liquid reservoirs, is replaced by two smaller units, which may be individually handled, in particular for filling or emptying. This considerably improves ease of use for the operator.

In a preferred arrangement, a primary transportable unit includes the vacuum cleaning unit and the second reservoir for used liquid and a secondary transportable unit comprises the first reservoir for clean liquid.

In use, the primary unit may be moved over the surface during cleaning, without the secondary unit being moved at the same time. Thus the deadweight of the secondary unit reservoir is detached from the cleaning unit moved by the operator.

The liquid transport means may comprise a flexible conduit between a first clean reservoir of the secondary transportable unit and the liquid distribution means of the vacuum unit. The flexible conduit may also serve as a mechanical tie which allows an operator moving the primary transportable unit to tow the secondary transportable unit over a floor surface.

The vacuum cleaning unit may comprise a cleaning head and wand combination located at an end region of a flexible vacuum hose.

The secondary transportable unit is preferably provided with a pressure pump for feeding cleaning liquid from the clean reservoir to the primary unit and in particular the cleaning head.

The system may be provided with a first flexible electric power supply cable, one end of which is adapted to be detachably engaged with a remote power supply source, which cable extends from said source end to the secondary transportable unit so as to power the pressure pump.

A second flexible electric power supply cable may extend from the secondary unit to the primary transportable unit to transmit electrical power to the vacuum cleaning unit. The second cable may detachably engage with the secondary unit, so that the cable between the primary and secondary units may be detached.

In a particular embodiment, the second cable engages with the secondary unit by plug engagement means, which plug engagement means permits detachable engagement both with the secondary transportable unit and optionally with a remote power supply source such as a mains power socket. Thus when a liquid reservoir is not required, say during dry mode cleaning, the primary unit may serve as an independent dry mode cleaner, with its own power supply cable.

The vacuum cleaning unit may comprise an electrically driven vacuum generation means.

The pressure pump may comprise an electrically driven pressure generation means.

At least one of the separate transportable units may be provided with translational movement means which support the unit in a generally upright working orientation on the surface to be cleaned and which peπnit wheeled translation of the unit over the said surface when in the same generally upright orientation. Both transportable units may be provided with said translational movement means.

The translational movement means may comprise wheel means such as castors, rollers, wheels or combinations thereof.

The wheel means associated with each unit may be provided at three or more spaced apart floor-engaging locations thereby stably to support the unit and allow wheeled translation without tipping of the unit.

The wheel means of at least one transportable unit may comprise two relatively large spaced apart wheels at a rear end region of the unit and one or more castors at a front end region of the unit, the rear wheels having a coaxial axis of rotation and said wheels being oriented to rotate in a plane parallel to a fore-aft direction, so as to facilitate wheeled directed pushing of the unit over a surface from a rear side of the unit, or tethered towing of the unit from a front side of the unit.

The wheel means of at least one transportable unit, preferably that associated with the first reservoir, may comprise three or more spaced apart castors which facilitate wheeled tethered towing of the unit over a floor surface regardless of a starting orientation of the unit. One transportable unit may be tethered to the other so as to permit towing by one unit of the other.

The tethering may comprise one or both of: a power supply lead and a liquid supply conduit extending between the two units.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a dual mode wet or dry cleaning system comprising a system as hereinbefore described, wherein the extraction means is adapted to remove, in a dry mode, airflow-entrained solid matter from the surface to be cleaned, and wherein the primary and secondary transportable units are detachably connected so that the secondary transportable unit may be completely detached from the primary unit when the system is to be operated in a dry mode.

The capacity of each reservoir in one embodiment lies between 20 and 50 litres, preferably 30 to 40 litres. The primary and secondary transportable units may be connected by a tie having a length of between 5 and 15 metres, preferably 9 to 1 1 metres. The tie may consist of a power cable and/or a liquid feed hose extending between the primary and secondary units. The power cable and hose may be mechanically connected to one another by bridging struts which maintain the hose and cable in spaced apart, generally parallel relation.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a dual mode vacuum cleaner for wet or dry cleaning of surfaces such as carpets, which cleaner comprises: a vacuum cleaning unit comprising liquid distribution means for introducing a cleaning liquid onto surface to be cleaned and extraction means for removing cleaning liquid or particulate solids from the surface by entrainment of liquid or the solids into an airflow induced by a vacuum source, and a reservoir into which airflow-entrained used cleaning liquid or solids may be deposited for subsequent disposal, characterised by a cleaning liquid supply inlet adapted to permit selective engagement with a liquid conduit which may provide a source of cleaning liquid fed from a remote first reservoir of cleaning liquid, thereby to supply cleaning liquid to the liquid distribution means of the vacuum cleaning unit when the unit is operated in a wet mode.

Thus the provision of the supply inlet enables the cleaner to be used as a dry mode cleaner without the encumbrance of a redundant liquid supply reservoir, whilst also permitting wet mode cleaning when a feed reservoir unit is attached.

Following is a description by way of example only and with reference to the drawings of a method of putting the present invention into effect.

In the drawings, the figure is a side elevation of a surface cleaner according to the present invention.

The cleaner comprises a primary cleaning unit 10 that has a generally cylindrical, upright configuration. The unit has a lower body portion 11 that includes an internal waste collection reservoir, suitable for storing both liquid and solid waste material. A base portion 20 is provided with two primary wheels (one visible as 21) at a rear end region of the unit and two casters 22 at the front end region of the unit. The two wheels and two castors stably support the unit in a generally upright working orientation and permit wheeled translation of the unit over the surface to be cleaned without tipping of the unit. The primary wheels have a coaxial axis of rotation and are oriented to rotate in a plane parallel to the fore-aft direction of the unit. The unit can thus be moved by wheeled directed pushing of the unit over the floor surface from the rear side of the unit. Alternatively, the unit can be towed from the front side of the unit. The base portion is also provided at a rear side thereof with an upstanding U-configuration tubular rigid handle 23. The handle is formed with a bend 24 which directs an upper end 25 of the handle away from the body unit. The unit can also be transported by tipping the unit backwards onto the primary wheels and pushing the unit along a surface. The tipping of the unit is done by pulling on the upper end of the handle 25 and the unit can also be pushed along the surface using this handle.

The unit 10 has an upper service portion 12 that includes an electric vacuum generator (not visible), which is electrically powered by an associated power cable 13. The upper service portion also has at a top region thereof a handle 14. The upper portion is detachable from the lower body portion, by the provision of conventional releasable clamps 15, circumferentially spaced apart around the body unit. Detachment of the upper portion allows access to the reservoir inside for emptying of the waste material therein.

A front portion of the base portion is formed with a waste inlet 30. The inlet communicates with a flexible vacuum conduit 31. The conduit is attached to a tubular wand portion 32. The wand portion is formed at a distal end thereof with a conventional wet cleaning head 33. A cleaning fluid supply hose 34 which leads back from the cleaning head, is carried on an outer surface of the wand and then along the interior of the flexible vacuum conduit to the base unit. The supply hose is led away from the conduit in a region adjacent to the waste inlet, and up to the service portion as indicated at 35. A further cleaning fluid feed hose leads from the service portion at 36. The further hose is detachably connected by conventional means, such as a bayonet, friction or threaded engagement. The further hose leads to an outlet port 50 in an ancillary unit 51. The ancillary unit has a generally cylindrical configuration and is provided on an underside thereof with four casters 52 (two visible). The four castors stably support the unit in a generally upright working orientation and permit wheeled translation of the unit over the surface to be cleaned without tipping of the unit. The four castors also allow wheeled tethered towing of the unit over the floor surface, regardless of the starting orientation of the unit. The ancillary unit has a lower body portion 53, which serves as a reservoir for cleaning liquid solution. The ancillary unit has an upper service portion 54 which includes an electric feed pressure pump, which pumps liquid from the reservoir and out of the outlet port 50 and along the feed hose. The service portion is provided with a mains power supply cable 55, having a male plug 56 at a distal end thereof. The service portion is formed with a female power socket 57, which engages with a power cable 58 and associated plug 60 from the primary unit 10. The service portion is adapted to transmit power both to the electric pressure pump in the ancillary unit, but also to the primary vacuum unit.

When the ancillary unit is not used (e.g. during dry mode cleaning), the plug 60 may be engaged with a mains socket directly, so as to power the primary unit.

The power cable 58 and feed hose 36 are connected at several bridging struts 37, thereby to prevent cable tangling, but also to increase structural strength and allow the cable and hose together to act as a mechanical tie connecting the primary and ancillary units. Hence, the units are tethered to each other to permit towing of one unit by the other.

In wet mode use, cleaning fluid is fed from the ancillary unit, along the feed hoses and to the cleaning head. Fluid is injected into/onto the carpet or floor surface, and then vacuumed into the vacuum conduit, along with debris or fluid waste entrained in air draw into the cleaning head.

When dry mode operation is required, the ancillary unit may be detached, and the primary unit plugged into the mains supply. The cleaner now functions as a dry mode cleaner in which solids and any liquids present on the surface are lifted into the vacuum conduit and collected in the body portion.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaning system for the wet cleaning of surfaces such as carpets, which system comprises: a vacuum cleaning unit comprising liquid distribution means for introducing a cleaning liquid onto surface to be cleaned and extraction means for removing cleaning liquid from the surface by entrainment of liquid into an airflow induced by a vacuum source, a first reservoir for providing a source of cleaning liquid for use in wet cleaning, liquid transport means for feeding cleaning liquid from the first reservoir to the liquid distribution means of the vacuum cleaning unit, and a second reservoir into which airflow-entrained used cleaning liquid may be deposited for subsequent disposal, characterised in that the first and second reservoirs are spaced apart from one another and disposed in separate transportable units, which units are adapted for translational movement to permit each reservoir to be manipulated and translated independently of the other, thereby facilitating emptying of the second reservoir and filling of the first reservoir, and at least limited independent translational movement of the reservoirs over the surface to be cleaned.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein a primary transportable unit includes the vacuum cleaning unit and the second reservoir for used liquid and wherein a secondary transportable unit comprises ihe first reservoir for clean liquid.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the liquid transport means comprises a flexible conduit between a first clean reservoir of the secondary transportable unit and the liquid distribution means of the vacuum unit.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the flexible conduit also serves as a tie which allows an operator moving the primary transportable unit to tow the secondary transportable unit over a floor surface.

5. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the vacuum cleaning unit comprises a cleaning head and wand combination located at an end region of a flexible vacuum hose.

6. A system as claimed in any of claims 2 to 5 wherein the secondary transportable unit is provided with a pressure pump for feeding cleaning liquid from the clean reservoir.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6 and provided with a first flexible electric power supply cable, one end of which is adapted to be detachably engaged with a remote power supply source, which cable extends from said source end to the secondary transportable unit so as to power the pressure pump.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7 wherein a second flexible electric power supply cable extends from the secondary unit to the primary transportable unit to transmit electrical power to the vacuum cleaning unit.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the second cable detachably engages with the secondary unit, so that the cable between the primary and secondary units may be detached.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the second cable is engaged with the secondary unit by plug engagement means, which plug engagement means permits detachable engagement both with the secondary transportable unit and optionally with a remote power supply source such as a mains power socket.

11. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the vacuum cleaning unit comprises an electrically driven vacuum generation means.

12. A system as claimed in any of claims 6 to 1 1 wherein the pressure pump comprises an electrically driven pressure generation means.

13. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein at least one of the separate transportable units is provided with translational movement means which support the unit in a generally upright working orientation on the surface to be cleaned and which permit wheeled translation of the unit over the said surface when in the same generally upright orientation.

14. A system as claimed in claim 13, wherein both transportable units are provided with said translational movement means.

15. A system as claimed in claim 13 or 14 wherein the translational movement means comprises wheel means such as castors, rollers, wheels or combinations thereof.

16. A system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the wheel means associated with each unit are provided at three or more spaced apart floor-engaging locations thereby stably to support the unit and allow wheeled translation without tipping of the unit.

17. A system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the wheel means of at least one transportable unit comprise two relatively large spaced apart wheels at a rear end region of the unit and one or more castors at a front end region of the unit, the rear wheels having a coaxial axis of rotation and said wheels being oriented to rotate in a plane parallel to a fore-aft direction, so as to facilitate wheeled directed pushing of the unit over a surface from a rear side of the unit, or tethered towing of the unit from a front side of the unit.

18. A system as claimed in claim 16 or claim 17 wherein the wheel means of at least one transportable unit, preferably that associated with the first reservoir, comprise three or more spaced apart castors which facilitate wheeled tethered towing of the unit over a floor surface regardless of a starting orientation of the unit.

19. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein one transportable unit is tethered to the other so as to permit towing by one unit of the other.

20. A system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the tethering comprises one or both of: a power supply lead and a liquid supply conduit extending between the two units.

21. A dual mode wet or dry cleaning system comprising a system as claimed in any of claims 2 to 20 wherein the extraction means is adapted to remove, in a dry mode, airflow-entrained solid matter from the surface to be cleaned, and wherein the primary and secondary transportable units are detachably connected so that the secondary transportable unit may be completely detached from the primary unit when the system is to be operated in a dry mode.

22. A dual mode vacuum cleaner for wet or dry cleaning of surfaces such as carpets, which cleaner comprises: a vacuum cleaning unit comprising liquid distribution means for introducing a cleaning liquid onto surface to be cleaned and extraction means for removing cleaning liquid or particulate solids from the surface by entrainment of liquid or the solids into an airflow induced by a vacuum source, and a reservoir into which airflow-entrained used cleaning liquid or solids may be deposited for subsequent disposal, characterised by a cleaning liquid supply inlet adapted to permit selective engagement with a liquid conduit which may provide a source of cleaning liquid fed from a remote first reservoir of cleaning liquid, thereby to supply cleaning liquid to the liquid distribution means of the vacuum cleaning unit when the unit is operated in a wet mode.