Surface cleaning apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020405117-A1
Application number	US-202017016814-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 10, 2020
Priority date	Jan 8, 2019
Publication date	Dec 31, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a surface cleaning apparatus that includes a housing including a base adapted for movement across a surface to be cleaned, a fluid delivery system, and a recovery system. The surface cleaning apparatus can be configured to clean multiple surfaces, including hard and soft surfaces, and for different cleaning modes, including wet cleaning, dry vacuum cleaning, and self-cleaning. Methods for self-cleaning a surface cleaning apparatus are also provided.

First claim

1 . A floor cleaning system, comprising:
a surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
a fluid delivery system comprising a supply tank, a pump, and a fluid distributor;
a recovery system comprising a recovery tank, a suction nozzle, and a vacuum motor;
a brushroll within a recovery pathway of the recovery system;
a brushroll motor operably coupled to the brushroll for rotating the brushroll, wherein the suction nozzle is configured to extract fluid and debris from the brushroll;
a rechargeable battery selectively powering the pump, the vacuum motor, and the brushroll motor;
a self-cleaning mode input control which initiates an automatic cleanout cycle for a self-cleaning mode of operation during which the pump, the brushroll motor, and the vacuum motor are energized; and
a controller controlling the operation of the fluid delivery and recovery systems, and operably coupled with the self-cleaning mode input control;
a storage tray configured to dock the surface cleaning apparatus for recharging the battery of the surface cleaning apparatus and for self-cleaning of the surface cleaning apparatus; wherein the controller is configured to execute the automatic cleanout cycle for the self-cleaning mode of operation upon actuation of the self-cleaning mode input control, and wherein the self-cleaning mode is operable only when the surface cleaning apparatus is docked on the storage tray.

2 . The floor cleaning system of claim 1 , comprising a housing including an upright handle assembly and a cleaning head mounted to the upright handle assembly and adapted for movement across a surface to be cleaned, wherein the self-cleaning mode input control is provided on the upright handle assembly.

3 . The floor cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to lock-out the automatic cleanout cycle when the surface cleaning apparatus is not docked with the storage tray and prevent initiation of the automatic cleanout cycle.

4 . The floor cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to activate the pump and the brushroll motor during the automatic cleanout cycle, whereby the pump draws cleaning fluid from the supply tank, the fluid distributor sprays cleaning fluid, and the brushroll motor rotates the brushroll.

5 . The floor cleaning system of claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to activate the vacuum motor after the pump and the brushroll motor during the automatic cleanout cycle, and the vacuum motor extracts cleaning fluid from the storage tray for collection in the recovery tank.

6 . The floor cleaning system of claim 5 , wherein the storage tray comprises a sump in register with the suction nozzle and the brushroll when the surface cleaning apparatus is docked with the storage tray

7 . The floor cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein:
the storage tray comprises at least one charging contact, a power cord, and a wall charger configured to be plugged into a household outlet; and the surface cleaning apparatus comprises at least one corresponding charging contact configured to couple with the at least one charging contact of the storage tray when the surface cleaning apparatus is docked with the storage tray.

8 . The floor cleaning system of claim 7 , comprising a battery charging circuit controlling the recharging of the rechargeable battery, wherein the battery charging circuit is disabled during the automatic cleanout cycle.

9 . The floor cleaning system of claim 7 , wherein the charging contacts on the storage tray and on the surface cleaning apparatus respectively are engaged and remain engaged during self-cleaning cycle.

10 . The floor cleaning system of claim 9 , wherein docking the apparatus with the storage tray automatically moves a contact cover on at least one of the surface cleaning apparatus and the storage tray to an uncovered or open position to enable engagement of the charging contacts.

11 . The floor cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the storage tray comprises a removable accessory holder for storing at least one accessory for the surface cleaning apparatus, wherein the accessory holder can removably receive at least the brushroll in a vertical position for drying.

12 . A floor cleaning system, comprising:
a surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
a fluid delivery system comprising a supply tank, a pump, and a fluid distributor;
a recovery system comprising a recovery tank and a vacuum motor;
an upright body comprising a handle, the supply tank and the recovery tank;
a base coupled with the upright body and adapted for movement across a surface to be cleaned, the base comprising the fluid distributor, a brushroll, a brushroll motor operably coupled to the brushroll for rotating the brushroll, and a suction nozzle configured to extract fluid and debris from the brushroll;
a rechargeable battery selectively powering the pump, the vacuum motor, and the brushroll motor;
a self-cleaning mode input control on the upright body which initiates an automatic cleanout cycle for a self-cleaning mode of operation during which the pump, the brushroll motor, and the vacuum motor are energized; and
a controller controlling the operation of the fluid delivery and recovery systems;
a storage tray configured to dock the surface cleaning apparatus for recharging the battery of the surface cleaning apparatus and for self-cleaning of the surface cleaning apparatus; wherein the controller is configured to execute the automatic cleanout cycle for the self-cleaning mode of operation upon actuation of the self-cleaning mode input control, and wherein the controller is configured to lock-out the automatic cleanout cycle when the surface cleaning apparatus is not docked with the storage tray and prevent initiation of the automatic cleanout cycle.

13 . The floor cleaning system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to activate the pump and the brushroll motor during the automatic cleanout cycle, whereby the pump draws cleaning fluid from the supply tank, the fluid distributor sprays cleaning fluid, and the brushroll motor rotates the brushroll.

14 . The floor cleaning system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to activate the vacuum motor after the pump and the brushroll motor during the automatic cleanout cycle, and the vacuum motor extracts cleaning fluid from the storage tray for collection in the recovery tank.

15 . The floor cleaning system of claim 12 , wherein:
the storage tray comprises at least one charging contact, a power cord, and a wall charger configured to be plugged into a household outlet; and the surface cleaning apparatus comprises at least one corresponding charging contact configured to couple with the at least one charging contact of the storage tray when the surface cleaning apparatus is docked with the storage tray.

16 . The floor cleaning system of claim 12 , comprising a battery charging circuit controlling the recharging of the rechargeable battery, wherein the battery charging circuit is disabled during the automatic cleanout cycle.

17 . A method for self-cleaning a surface cleaning apparatus docked at a cleaning tray, the surface cleaning apparatus comprising a battery, a fluid delivery system, and a recovery system having a recovery pathway, and the cleaning tray configured to recharge the battery of the surface cleaning apparatus, the method comprising:
initiating, by a controller of the surface cleaning apparatus, a self-cleaning mode of operation for the surface cleaning apparatus upon actuation of a self-cleaning mode input control on the surface cleanin

Assignees

• Bissell Inc

Inventors

• Resch Jacob
• Boles Jacob S

Classifications

• A47L11/4094 Primary

  Accessories to be used in combination with conventional vacuum-cleaning devices · CPC title

• A47L9/2873

  Docking units or charging stations (for autonomous or robotic vacuum cleaners A47L2201/02) · CPC title

• A47L11/4019 Primary

  Fill level sensors; Security means to prevent overflow, e.g. float valves · CPC title

• Y02T10/70

  Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries · CPC title

• Y02T90/14

  Plug-in electric vehicles · CPC title