Surface cleaning apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9398836-B2
Application number	US-201313788976-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2013
Priority date	Mar 9, 2012
Publication date	Jul 26, 2016
Grant date	Jul 26, 2016

Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus, such as a steam mop or fluid delivery mop, comprises an upright housing and a foot coupled to the upright housing. The cleaning apparatus comprises an illumination element for illuminating a fluid supply tank and the contents therein. A cleaning pad can be mounted to a lower surface of the foot and positioned to contact the surface to be cleaned. A movable agitator provided on the foot is configured for movement between a first use position in contact with the surface to be cleaned and a second non-use position out of contact with the surface to be cleaned.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
a foot movable along a surface to be cleaned;
an upright housing coupled to the foot;
a fluid source provided on one of the foot or the upright housing;
a first fluid distributor provided on the foot and fluidly connected to the fluid source to distribute fluid onto the surface to be cleaned;
a cleaning pad comprising microfiber fabric removably mounted to a lower surface of the foot and positioned to contact the surface to be cleaned; and
an agitator movably mounted to the foot for movement between a use position in contact with the surface to be cleaned and a non-use position out of contact with the surface to be cleaned.

2. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the agitator is mounted on a rear side of the foot, such that the agitator is positioned behind the foot in the use position.

3. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the agitator is pivotally mounted on the foot for rotation between the use and non-use positions.

4. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising an actuator assembly for selectively moving the agitator from the use position to the non-use position.

5. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the actuator assembly comprises a latch and a latch actuator coupled with the latch, where the latch engages a portion of the agitator to retain the agitator in the use-position.

6. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the agitator comprises a latch receiver that is engaged by the latch to retain the agitator in the use-position.

7. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
a foot movable along a surface to be cleaned;
an upright housing coupled to the foot;
a fluid source provided on one of the foot or the upright housing;
a first fluid distributor provided on the foot and fluidly connected to the fluid source to distribute fluid onto the surface to be cleaned;
a cleaning pad mounted to the lower surface of the foot and positioned to contact the surface to be cleaned;
an agitator movably mounted to the foot for movement between a use position in contact with the surface to be cleaned and a non-use position out of contact with the surface to be cleaned; and
an actuator assembly for selectively moving the agitator from the use position to the non-use position, the actuator assembly comprising a latch and a latch actuator coupled with the latch, where the latch engages a portion of the agitator to retain the agitator in the use-position,
wherein the actuator assembly further comprises at least one spring biasing the agitator to the non-use position when the latch actuator is actuated.

8. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 5 wherein the latch actuator comprises a foot pedal provided on the foot and adapted to be engaged by the foot of a user.

9. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
a foot movable along a surface to be cleaned;
an upright housing coupled to the foot;
a fluid source provided on one of the foot or the upright housing;
a first fluid distributor provided on the foot and fluidly connected to the fluid source to distribute fluid onto the surface to be cleaned;
a cleaning pad mounted to the lower surface of the foot and positioned to contact the surface to be cleaned;
an agitator movably mounted to the foot for movement between a use position in contact with the surface to be cleaned and a non-use position out of contact with the surface to be cleaned; and
a second fluid distributor provided on the agitator and fluidly connected to the fluid source to distribute fluid onto the surface to be cleaned.

10. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 and further comprising a valve fluidly connected to the second fluid distributor to control fluid flow through the second fluid distributor.

11. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 and further comprising a valve actuator physically coupling an open/closed condition of the valve with the movement of the agitator, such that when the agitator is in the use position, the valve is in the open condition, and when the agitator is in the non-use position, the valve is in the closed condition.

12. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the valve actuator comprises a cam operably coupled with one of the agitator and the valve, and a cam follower operably coupled with the other of the agitator and the valve.

13. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the cam is operably coupled with the agitator via a gear train.

14. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the agitator comprises a plate that is configured to automatically adjust to different floor surface features and an agitator element coupled to the bottom of the plate, wherein the agitator element is in contact with the surface to be cleaned when the agitator is in the use position.

15. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 14 , wherein and further comprising at least one biasing element biasing the plate toward the surface to be cleaned when the agitator is in the use position.

16. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid distributor is positioned above the cleaning pad for distributing heated fluid to the cleaning pad.

17. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising a heating element mounted in one of the foot or the upright housing, wherein the heating element is positioned between the fluid source and the first fluid distributor such that heated fluid is distributed onto the surface to be cleaned.

18. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the heating element comprises a steam generator.

19. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid source comprises a fluid supply tank, and the surface cleaning apparatus further comprises at least one of:
a light source, wherein light is transmitted from the light source to the fluid supply tank for illuminating the fluid supply tank;
the upright housing comprising a viewing window, wherein the fluid supply tank is mounted to the housing and the fluid supply tank can be viewed through the viewing window;
a second fluid supply tank comprising a viewing window, wherein the first and second fluid supply tanks are at least partially nested, such that a user can view the first fluid supply tank through the viewing window;
a coupling joint pivotably coupling the upright housing pivotally to the foot for movement about a first axis and a second axis, and a detent mechanism for selectively preventing the coupling joint from rotating about the second axis when the surface cleaning apparatus is in a stored position; or
a filter assembly, wherein the filter assembly is slidably mounted to the fluid supply tank.

20. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the agitator comprises a plurality of bristles configured to agitate the surface to be cleaned in the use position.

Assignees

• Bissell Homecare Inc

Inventors

• Luedke Adam
• Yiu Kan Yuk
• Pi Jian Yun
• Perry Joseph P
• Fan Jian Gang

Classifications

• A47L13/225 Primary

  Steam mops · CPC title

• A47L13/22 Primary

  with liquid-feeding devices · CPC title

• A47L13/12

  Implements with several different treating devices · CPC title

• A47L11/4091

  Storing or parking devices, arrangements therefor; Means allowing transport of the machine when it is not being used · CPC title

• A47L13/42

  Details · CPC title