Extraction cleaner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12484746-B2
Application number	US-202418664955-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2024
Priority date	Jan 20, 2023
Publication date	Dec 2, 2025
Grant date	Dec 2, 2025

Abstract

An extraction cleaner may include a base, an upright body pivotally coupled to the base, a supply tank removably coupled to the upright body and a recovery tank removably coupled to the upright body. The base may include a non-removable door and a removable suction nozzle. At least one fluid dispensing nozzle may be provided on the door. The door may be pivotally coupled to the base for providing access to an agitator. The cleaner may include and auto-spray configuration. The cleaner may include a support on the upright portion for the recovery tank. The cleaner may include an additive tank received in a receptacle of the supply tank. The recovery tank may include a float and/or an airflow management configuration. The cleaner may include a cleaning tool and a suction changeover valve and/or a fluid changeover valve. The cleaner may include a mixing valve for supplying fluid to a fluid changeover valve. A cleaning composition including an aqueous based cleaning solution mixed, on demand, with an aqueous based oxidizing solution is also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An extraction cleaner comprising:
a base comprising:
a frame,
a door coupled to the frame, a bottom surface of the door defining at least a portion of an agitator cavity,
at least one fluid dispensing nozzle coupled to the door, the at least one fluid dispensing nozzle being configured for distributing a cleaning fluid directly or indirectly onto a surface to be cleaned, and
a suction nozzle removably coupled to the base, the suction nozzle defining a suction inlet configured to be disposed adjacent the surface to be cleaned;
an upright body pivotally coupled to the base; an agitator disposed in the agitator cavity and configured for agitating the surface to be cleaned; a supply tank for storing the cleaning fluid; a recovery tank configured for receiving recovered fluid extracted from the surface to be cleaned by suction established at the suction inlet; and an auto-spray detector, the auto-spray detector comprising a floor contacting member configured to engage the surface to be cleaned, and being configured to pivot in response to movement of the base and engagement of the surface to be cleaned by the floor contacting member and configured to cause distribution of the cleaning fluid from the at least one fluid dispensing nozzle at a first flow rate when the base is moved in a forward direction and at a second, non-zero, flow rate when the base is moved in rearward direction.

2 . The extraction cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein the first flow rate is greater than the second flow rate.

3 . The extraction cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein the auto-spray detector comprises a detector body pivotally coupled to the frame, and a hammer being configured for contacting a switch arm of a switch upon rotation of the detector body for changing a state of the switch, and wherein the cleaning fluid is distributed from the at least one fluid dispensing nozzle in response to the state of the switch.

4 . The extraction cleaner according to claim 1 , the extraction cleaner further comprising:
a flexible hose; a cleaning tool coupled to the flexible hose and having a suction inlet, wherein a cleaning tool airflow path extends from the suction inlet and through the flexible hose; and at least one cleaning tool fluid dispensing nozzle coupled to the cleaning tool.

5 . The extraction cleaner according to claim 4 , the extraction cleaner further comprising a fluid changeover valve, the fluid changeover valve having a base supply state wherein the cleaning fluid is fluidly coupled to a base supply line coupled to the at least one fluid dispensing nozzle of the base and a cleaning tool supply state wherein a second cleaning fluid is fluidly coupled to a cleaning tool supply line fluidly coupled to the at least one cleaning tool fluid dispensing nozzle.

6 . The extraction cleaner according to claim 5 , wherein the cleaning fluid is different from the second cleaning fluid.

7 . The extraction cleaner according to claim 5 , wherein the fluid changeover valve comprises a first fluid input port, a second fluid input port, a pump output port, a pump input port, a base output port and a cleaning tool output port, the first fluid input port being fluidly coupled for receiving the cleaning fluid and the second fluid input port being fluidly coupled for receiving the second cleaning fluid, the pump output port being coupled to an inlet port of a pump, the pump input port being fluidly coupled to an outlet of the pump, the base output port being fluidly coupled to the base supply line and the cleaning tool output port being fluidly coupled to the cleaning tool supply line.

8 . The extraction cleaner according to claim 7 , wherein the fluid changeover valve comprises at least one valve member, wherein when the fluid changeover valve is in the base supply state the at least one valve member fluidly couples the first fluid input port to the pump output port and the pump input port to the base output port, and blocks fluid communication from the second fluid input port to the pump output port and fluid communication from the pump input port to the cleaning tool output port, and
when the fluid changeover valve is in the cleaning tool supply state, the at least one valve member fluidly couples the second fluid input port to the pump output port and the pump input port to the cleaning tool output port, and blocks fluid communication from the first fluid input port to the pump output port and fluid communication from the pump input port to the base output port.

9 . The extraction cleaner according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one valve member comprises a first valve member disposed in a first chamber and a second valve member disposed in a second chamber, wherein the fluid changeover valve is in the base supply state when the first valve member is in a first position in the first chamber the second valve member is in a first position in the second the second chamber and the fluid changeover valve is in the cleaning tool supply state when the first valve member is in a second position in the first chamber and the second valve member is in a second position in the second chamber.

10 . The extraction cleaner according to claim 7 , the extraction cleaner further comprising a mixing valve, the mixing valve having a first mixing valve inlet, a second mixing valve inlet, a first mixing valve outlet and a second mixing valve outlet, the first and second mixing valve inlets and the first mixing valve outlet being fluidly coupled to a mixing cavity, whereby the first fluid received at the first mixing valve inlet and a second fluid received at the second input port are mixed in the mixing cavity and a mixture of the first and second fluids are provided at the first mixing valve outlet, the first mixing valve inlet being fluidly coupled to the second mixing valve outlet for providing a first fluid received at the first mixing valve inlet at the second mixing valve outlet, wherein the second mixing valve outlet is fluidly coupled to the first fluid input port of the fluid changeover valve and the first mixing valve outlet is fluidly coupled to the second fluid input port of the fluid changeover valve.

11 . The extraction cleaner according to claim 4 , the extraction cleaner further comprising a suction changeover valve, the suction changeover valve comprising:
a base inlet port fluidly coupled to a base airflow path; a cleaning tool inlet port fluidly coupled to the cleaning tool airflow path; and an outlet port fluidly coupled to the recovery tank, the suction changeover valve having a base suction state wherein the outlet port is fluidly coupled to the base inlet port for receiving the recovered fluid from the surface to be cleaned through the base airflow path and into the recovery tank and a cleaning tool suction state wherein the outlet port is fluidly coupled to the cleaning tool inlet port for receiving the recovered fluid from the target surface through the cleaning tool inlet port and into the recovery tank.

12 . The extraction cleaner according to claim 11 , wherein the suction changeover valve comprises:
a housing defining the base inlet port, the cleaning tool inlet port, the outlet port, and a rotor cavity; and a rotor rotatably disposed in the rotor cavity and comprising a plug, the rotor being rotatable between a first orientation wherein the suction changeover valve is in the base suction state and the plug blocks fluid communication between the outlet port and the cleaning tool inlet port and a second orientation wherein the suction changeover valve is in the cleaning tool suction state and the plug blocks fluid communication between the

Assignees

• Sharkninja Operating Llc

Inventors

• Udy Adam
• Cottrell Lee
• Hui Chi Ho
• Wang Jian Cheng
• Ahmed Fariha
• Andrews Jennifer
• Schappler Devan
• He Dejian
• O'Malley Kevin
• Vrdoljak Ognjen
• Cahaly Peter
• Niedzwecki Scott
• De Banzie Lampard Bartholomew
• Liu Qiang
• Li Yinhui
• Innes Daniel
• Ridgley Jordan
• Yao Bin
• Feng Linqiang
• Lai Yongsheng
• Zhu Mingchun
• Qin Mingliang
• Cullere Xavier
• Shonfeld Zach
• Shimizu Ryan
• Mcdaniel Jeremy
• Dahlgren Richard Marc

Classifications

• A47L11/408

  Means for supplying cleaning or surface treating agents · CPC title

• A47L11/4011

  Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor · CPC title

• A47L9/04

  with driven brushes or agitators · CPC title

• A47L9/2847

  Surface treating elements · CPC title

• A47L7/0023

  Recovery tanks (for cleaning machines A47L11/4013) · CPC title