Surface cleaner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12465187-B2
Application number	US-202118255319-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2021
Priority date	Dec 1, 2020
Publication date	Nov 11, 2025
Grant date	Nov 11, 2025

Abstract

A surface cleaner configured to distribute a liquid to a surface to be cleaned. The surface cleaner includes a supply tank and a recovery tank that are removable from the surface cleaner.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A surface cleaner comprising:
a main body having a base that supports the surface cleaner on a surface and a center column extending upwardly from the base; a supply tank removably coupled to and supported by the base; a recovery tank removably coupled to and supported by the base; wherein one or both of the supply tank and the recovery tank are substantially U-shaped around the main body and encompass the center column, such that the supply tank and the recovery tank form an outer side wall of the surface cleaner, the outer side wall having an upper end that extends to a top portion of the surface cleaner, the upper end opposite the base, wherein the upper end of the outer side wall, defined only by the supply tank and recovery tank, extends around the entire perimeter of the surface cleaner with the center column extending upwards into a space between the supply tank and the recovery tank.

2 . The surface cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein the supply tank and the recovery tank are formed from a transparent or translucent material.

3 . The surface cleaner according to claim 1 , further comprising a handle coupled to the center column.

4 . The surface cleaner according to claim 3 , wherein the handle extends above the supply tank and the recovery tank.

5 . A surface cleaner comprising:
a main body having a base that supports the surface cleaner on a surface and a center column extending upwardly from the base; a supply tank removably coupled to and supported by the base, the supply tank having an upper portion and a lower portion, where the lower portion is positioned to be coupled to the base in an attached position; a recovery tank removably coupled to and supported by the base, the recovery tank having an upper portion and a lower portion, where the lower portion is positioned to be coupled to the base in an attached position; a detergent tank removably coupled to and supported by the base, the detergent tank including an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the lower portion is positioned to be coupled to the base in an attached position, wherein both the supply tank and the recovery tank are substantially U-shaped around the main body and the supply tank, recovery tank and detergent tank together encompass the center column, such that the upper portion of the supply tank, the upper portion of the recovery tank and the upper portion of the detergent tank form an exterior wall the floor cleaner, wherein wherein the upper end of the exterior wall, defined only by the supply tank, recovery tank and detergent tank, extends around the entire perimeter of the surface cleaner with the center column extending upwards into a space between the supply tank, the recovery tank, and the detergent tank.

6 . The surface cleaner according to claim 5 , wherein the supply tank and the recovery tank are formed from a transparent or translucent material.

7 . The surface cleaner according to claim 5 , further comprising a handle coupled to the center column.

8 . The surface cleaner according to claim 7 , wherein the handle extends above the upper portion of the supply tank and the upper portion of the recovery tank.

9 . The surface cleaner according to claim 7 , wherein the handle extends between the supply tank and the recovery tank.

10 . The surface cleaner according to claim 5 , wherein the supply tank further includes a tank handle on the upper portion.

11 . The surface cleaner according to claim 10 , wherein the tank handle is a bail handle.

12 . The surface cleaner according to claim 5 , further comprising a cleaning tool attached to the main body.

13 . The surface cleaner according to claim 5 , further comprising a suction source, wherein the suction source is powered by a battery pack.

14 . The surface cleaner according to claim 5 , wherein the center column includes a protrusion positioned to mate with a groove in the supply tank to guide the supply tank into the attached position.

15 . The surface cleaner according to claim 5 , wherein the center column includes a groove positioned to mate with a protrusion in the supply tank to guide the supply tank into the attached position.

Assignees

• Techtronic Cordless Gp
• Techtronic Floor Care Tech Ltd

Inventors

• Chan Somnanritha
• Davila Rafael
• Dawson Michael
• Hansen Jeremy

Classifications

• A47L11/4075

  Handles; levers · CPC title

• A47L11/4016 Primary

  specially adapted for collecting fluids · CPC title

• A47L11/34 Primary

  Machines for treating carpets in position by liquid, foam, or vapour, e.g. by steam · CPC title

• A47L11/30

  by suction · CPC title

• A47L11/4083 Primary

  Liquid supply reservoirs; Preparation of the agents, e.g. mixing devices · CPC title