Wand with integral hose cleanout feature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12593950-B2
Application number	US-202318218929-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2023
Priority date	Jul 7, 2022
Publication date	Apr 7, 2026
Grant date	Apr 7, 2026

Abstract

An accessory tool usable with an extraction cleaner having fluid delivery and recovery systems includes a conduit body, spray nozzle, and first and second valves. The conduit body contains a fluid delivery pathway and an airflow pathway. The fluid delivery pathway connects to the fluid delivery system at a hose end of a wand. The airflow pathway connects to the fluid recovery system at the same hose end. The spray nozzle is in fluid communication with the fluid delivery pathway. The second valve is operable for selectively directing a liquid stream, i.e., cleaning fluid provided by the extraction cleaner, to the spray nozzle when the hose end is attached to the extraction cleaner via an accessory hose. The first valve is operable for selectively diverting the liquid stream into the airflow pathway to clean the hose.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A wand for use with an extraction cleaner having a fluid delivery system and a fluid recovery system, the wand comprising:
a conduit body containing therein a fluid delivery pathway and an airflow pathway, wherein the fluid delivery pathway is configured to connect to said fluid delivery system at a hose end of said wand and supply a cleaning fluid as a liquid stream, and wherein the airflow pathway is configured to connect to said fluid recovery system at the hose end of said wand; a spray nozzle in fluid communication with the fluid delivery pathway; a first valve operable for selectively diverting the liquid stream into the airflow pathway to clean an accessory hose, wherein an inner wall of the conduit body defines or is connected to a cap that is positioned above the first valve, wherein the cap defines one or more orifices and is connected to or formed integrally with a baffle, and wherein the baffle is configured to deflect the liquid stream toward the hose end of said wand when the liquid stream passes through the one or more orifices; and a second valve operable for selectively directing the liquid stream to the spray nozzle when the hose end of said wand is attached to said extraction cleaner via the accessory hose.

2 . The wand of claim 1 , wherein an outer wall and the inner wall of the conduit body together defining the airflow pathway, and wherein the first valve includes a steady-state position configured to direct the liquid stream to the second valve and a bypass position configured to divert the liquid stream through the one or more orifices in the inner wall and into the airflow pathway.

3 . The wand of claim 2 , further comprising:
an actuator configured to transition the first valve from the steady-state position to the bypass position.

4 . The wand of claim 3 , wherein the actuator includes a spring-biased button or plunger.

5 . The wand of claim 4 , further comprising:
an annular standoff at least partially circumscribing or surrounding an outer perimeter of the spring-biased button or plunger and protruding from the conduit body.

6 . The wand of claim 4 , further comprising:
a detent device in engagement with the spring-biased button or plunger, wherein the detent device is configured to provide tactile and/or audible feedback to a user of said wand when the user translates the spring-biased button or plunger toward the conduit body.

7 . The wand of claim 2 , further comprising:
an opening defined by the outer wall; and a sight window disposed within the opening and providing a user of said wand with a view of the fluid delivery pathway.

8 . The wand of claim 7 , wherein the first valve includes a center axis, and wherein the sight window is coaxially aligned with the center axis.

9 . The wand of claim 1 , wherein the spray nozzle is connected to or formed integrally with the conduit body, and wherein the second valve is actuatable via a trigger mechanism disposed on an undersurface of the conduit body.

10 . An extraction cleaner comprising:
a fluid delivery system; a fluid recovery system; an accessory hose connectable to the fluid delivery system and the fluid recovery system; an accessory tool; and a wand having a tool end connectable to the accessory tool and a hose end connectable to the accessory hose, the wand comprising:
a conduit body including an outer wall, the conduit body containing a fluid delivery pathway and an airflow pathway, wherein the fluid delivery pathway is configured to connect to the fluid delivery system at the hose end of the wand and receive a cleaning fluid as a liquid stream, and wherein the airflow pathway is configured to connect to the fluid recovery system at the hose end of the wand;
a spray nozzle in fluid communication with the fluid delivery pathway;
a first valve operable for selectively diverting the liquid stream into the airflow pathway to clean the accessory hose;
a second valve operable for selectively directing the liquid stream to the spray nozzle when the hose end of the wand is attached to said extraction cleaner via the accessory hose;
an opening defined by the outer wall; and
a sight window disposed within the opening and providing a user of the wand with a view of the fluid delivery pathway.

11 . The extraction cleaner of claim 10 , wherein an inner wall and the outer wall of the conduit body together at least partially define the airflow pathway, and wherein the first valve includes a steady-state position configured to direct the liquid stream to the second valve, a bypass position in which the first valve is configured to divert the liquid stream through one or more orifices in the inner wall and into the airflow pathway, and a spring-biased button or plunger configured to transition the second valve from the steady-state position to the bypass position.

12 . The extraction cleaner of claim 11 , wherein the spring-biased button or plunger protrudes from the outer wall of the conduit body.

13 . The extraction cleaner of claim 11 , further comprising:
an annular standoff at least partially circumscribing or surrounding an outer perimeter of the spring-biased button or plunger and protruding from the outer wall of the conduit body.

14 . The extraction cleaner of claim 11 , further comprising:
a detent device in engagement with the spring-biased button or plunger, wherein the detent device is configured to provide tactile and/or audible feedback to a user of the wand when the user actuates the spring-biased button.

15 . The extraction cleaner of claim 10 , wherein the first valve includes a center axis, and wherein the sight window is coaxially aligned with the center axis.

16 . A tool assembly for use with an extraction cleaner having an accessory hose, a fluid delivery system, and a fluid recovery system, the tool assembly comprising:
an accessory tool having a tool body defining a suction nozzle; and a wand comprising:
a conduit body having a tool end configured to connect to the accessory tool and a hose end configured to connect to said accessory hose, the conduit body containing a fluid delivery pathway and an airflow pathway respectively connectable via said accessory hose to said fluid delivery system and said fluid recovery system;
a sight window disposed within a wall of the conduit body;
a spray nozzle configured to direct a cleaning fluid as a liquid stream from the fluid delivery pathway onto a surface to be cleaned; and
a first valve configured, when actuated to a bypass position, to direct the liquid stream into the airflow pathway and toward the sight window to clean said accessory hose, and to direct the liquid stream to a second valve when in a default steady-state position, wherein the second valve is configured, when actuated, to direct the liquid stream from the first valve to the spray nozzle.

17 . The tool assembly of claim 16 , wherein the first valve is an inline valve having coaxially aligned input and output ports.

Assignees

• Bissell Inc

Inventors

• Stuive Eric J
• Smith Derek

Classifications

• A47L11/4088

  Supply pumps; Spraying devices; Supply conduits · CPC title

• A47L11/4044

  Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees · CPC title

• A47L5/36

  Suction cleaners with hose between nozzle and casing; Suction cleaners for fixing on staircases; Suction cleaners for carrying on the back · CPC title

• A47L9/0472

  Discs · CPC title

• A47L9/248 Primary

  Parts, details or accessories of hoses or pipes (nozzles A47L9/02) · CPC title