Royal Appliance Mfg., Co.

The Hoover Comapny

Glenn E Specht

Craig M Saunders

Michael F Wright

Richard C Farone

Mark Edward Cipolla

Terry L Zahuranec

Jeffrey M Kalman

Laurie M Shumaker

Joseph Lazarra

Vincent L Weber

Kenneth L Symensma

Joseph Lazzara

Jeffery A Morgan

Gary J Dieterich

Jeffrey S Louis

Jeffrey A Morgan

David J Shimko

A self-propelled vacuum cleaner is provided having an upper handle portion and a carriage pivotally mounted to a lower end of the handle portion for pivotal motion relative the handle portion about a horizontally extending carriage axis. A transmission drivingly connected to at least one drive wheel mounted on the carriage, whereby the at least one drive wheel propels the vacuum cleaner over a floor surface. A nozzle body pivotally mounted to the carriage for pivotal motion relative the carriage about a generally horizontally extending nozzle axis, the nozzle body having a downward facing suction opening. The nozzle axis being generally horizontally offset from the carriage axis.

Vacuum cleaner agitator control

Self-propelled upright vacuum cleaner with offset agitator and motor

The present invention relates to a suction cleaning device which provides liquid dispensing, scrubbing, squeegeeing, and suction drying in a single, compact, self contained device. The suction cleaning device includes a cleaning device housing, a handle connected to the housing, an absorbent cleaning member mounted on the housing and movable between an extended and a retracted position, and a pair of squeegee blades. The squeegee blades are mounted in a squeegee tray, and at least one of the squeegee blades is movable between an extended and a retracted position in response to changes in the relative angle between the housing and the surface being cleaned. The movable squeegee blade is spring-biased into the extended position by one or more springs such as leaf springs. The device includes a suction system which draws the water from the floor surface which has been cleaned into a tank mounted on the housing which collects the liquid from the floor surface. A clean water bottle is provided on the housing for delivering cleaning liquid to the floor and an AC power source provides power to the suction motor. The cleaning device is compact and lightweight and leaves the floor in a substantially dry state.

Wet mop and vacuum assembly

The present invention relates to a suction cleaning device which provides liquid dispensing, scrubbing, squeegeeing, and suction drying in a single, compact, self contained device. The suction cleaning device includes a cleaning device housing, a handle connected to the housing, an absorbent cleaning member mounted on the housing and movable between an extended and a retracted position, and a pair of squeegee blades. The device includes a suction system which draws the water from the floor surface which has been cleaned into a tank mounted on the housing which collects the liquid from the floor surface. A clean water bottle is provided on the housing for delivering cleaning liquid to the floor and a rechargeable battery power source provides power to the suction motor. The cleaning device is compact and lightweight and leaves the floor in a substantially dry state.

Cordless wet mop and vacuum assembly

The present invention relates to a suction cleaning device which provides liquid dispensing, scrubbing, squeegeeing, and suction drying in a single, compact, self contained device. The suction cleaning device includes a cleaning device housing, a handle connected to the housing, an absorbent cleaning member mounted on the housing and movable between an extended and a retracted position, and a pair of squeegee blades. The squeegee blades are mounted in a squeegee tray, and at least one of the squeegee blades is movable between an extended and a retracted position in response to changes in the relative angle between the housing and the surface being cleaned. The movable squeegee blade is spring-biased into the extended position by one or more springs such as leaf springs. The device includes a suction system which draws the water from the floor surface which has been cleaned into a tank mounted on the housing which collects the liquid from the floor surface. A clean water bottle is provided on the housing for delivering cleaning liquid to the floor and a rechargeable battery power source provides power to the suction motor. The cleaning device is compact and lightweight and leaves the floor in a substantially dry state.

A self-propelled upright vacuum cleaner is provided having a lower portion and an upright handle portion pivotally attached to the floor engaging portion for a pivotal motion between an upright storage position and a pivotal operating position. A drive wheel mounted to the floor engaging portion. A transmission operatively connected to the drive wheel and a motor drivingly connected to the transmission for driving the drive wheel in forward and reverse. A transmission actuator arm pivotally mounted to the floor engaging portion adjacent to the transmission for pivotal motion about a pivot axis located at a central portion of the actuator arm. A manual actuator mounted to the handle portion. The manual actuator is operatively connected to the actuator arm, whereby when an operator actuates the manual actuator actuator arm pivots in first and second directions, respectively, from a neutral position, such that the actuator arm actuates the transmission to place the transmission in forward and reverse, respectively. First and second cams extend from the handle portion and are located to engage the actuator arm at two locations spaced to either side of the pivot axis of the actuator arm when the handle is raised to the upright storage position, whereby the cams place and lock the actuator arm in the neutral position when the handle portion is pivoted to the upright storage position.

Transmission neutral locking arrangement for a self-propelled vacuum

The present invention relates to a method of using a suction cleaning device which provides liquid dispensing, scrubbing, squeegeeing, and suction drying in a single, compact, self contained device. The suction cleaning device includes a cleaning device housing, a handle connected to the housing, an absorbent cleaning member mounted on the housing and movable between an extended and a retracted position, and a pair of squeegee blades. The device includes a suction system which draws the water from the floor surface which has been cleaned into a tank mounted on the housing which collects the liquid from the floor surface. A clean water bottle is provided on the housing for delivering cleaning liquid to the floor and a rechargeable battery power source provides power to the suction motor. The cleaning device is compact and lightweight and leaves the floor in a substantially dry state. The method includes dispensing cleaning liquid from the bottle provided in the self contained cleaning system and cleaning the floor with the cleaning member and the cleaning liquid. The cleaning member is retracted and contaminated cleaning liquid is wrung from it. The squeegee member collects the contaminated cleaning liquid from the floor and the suction system draws the contaminated cleaning liquid into the tank to leave the floor in a substantially dry state.

Method for mopping and drying a floor

A handle mounted trigger lever which is utilized as a solution release mechanism in an extractor is provided. The trigger switch as an `off` position and two `on` positions with the second `on` position obtainable by the depression of a release button, the release button being in a normally obstructing relationship with the trigger switch's movement in its first position. The release button includes a deformable obstructing portion which abuts with the trigger lever and limits trigger lever swing at the first `on` position. This obstructing portion may then be moved to a non-interfering relationship be deformation of the obstructing portion of the release button so that the trigger lever may then be moved to the second `on` position.

Trigger lever arrangement

A hose coupling latching arrangement is disclosed in which a resilient bendable member engages with an abutment to prevent the coupling from turning to a release position.

Hose coupler locking arrangement

There is provided a full bag indicator which is calibrated by movement of it along the structure it is mounted to, to thereby vary an aperture leading into the full bag indicator.

Growing community of inventors

Massillon, OH, United States of America

Glenn E Specht