Bissell Homecare, Inc.

Bissell Inc.

Other

Luke E Kelly

Timothy E Kasen

Charles A Reed, Jr

Gary L Smith

Gary A Kasper

Eric R Metzger

Kenneth M Lenkiewicz

Eric C Huffman

Jonathan A Miner

Stephen Joseph Simpson

Brenda K Langeland

Michael R Blase

Steven Keith Meek

Richard L Norwood

Michael R Blase, Deceased

By Gloria Blase, Legal Representative

A portable surface cleaning apparatus including a base module for movement along a surface, an upright handle pivotally attached to the base module, a liquid dispensing system including a flexible bladder defining a fluid supply chamber for holding a supply of cleaning fluid, a fluid recovery system including a tank on the base module having a fluid recovery chamber for holding recovered fluid and housing the flexible bladder, and a fluid passageway between the fluid supply chamber and the recovery chamber, whereby the recovery chamber is in fluid communication with the fluid supply chamber and the pressure in the flexible bladder is equalized with the pressure in the tank as the cleaning fluid is dispensed from the supply chamber and the dirty liquid is collected in the recovery chamber. In a further embodiment the tank has an outlet opening in a bottom portion thereof and a drain plug is removably mounted in the outlet opening. In another embodiment a lid mounted on the tank defines an expansion chamber having an inlet opening, an outlet passage, and first and second diverters against which the working air flow reverses direction twice between the inlet opening of the expansion chamber and the tank. In another embodiment the working air conduit includes a manual actuator knob having an over-center linkage mechanism connected to a conversion valve for movement between first and second positions and thereby selectively moving the conversion valve between open and closed positions, whereby fluid communication between the tank and the suction nozzle is selectively opened and closed. In a further embodiment, a flow indicator is mounted to the base module and has a visibility window observable to a user and the flow indicator is disposed in the fluid supply conduit and is responsive to the flow of fluid through the fluid supply conduit to visually indicate the flow of fluid through the supply conduit to the user. Another embodiment includes a pump primer connected to the pump and having a housing defining a priming chamber with a valved opening connected to the vacuum source, an inlet opening connected to the fluid supply chamber, and an outlet opening connected to an inlet for the pump. A further embodiment includes a first mechanical connector extending between the motor drive shaft and the pump drive shaft, whereby the motor drives both the agitation brush and the pump. In a further embodiment, the base module includes an upper housing portion and a lower housing portion and an upright handle is pivotably mounted to the rear portion of the base module through at least one bearing for rotatable reception in the housing. In another embodiment, an elevator assembly is reciprocally mounted to the base module and movable in response to movement of the upright handle from an operative position to the upright position for upwardly pivoting a pivot arm mounting an agitation brush.

Upright extraction cleaning machine

A portable surface cleaning apparatus has a base for movement along a surface to be cleaned and an upright handle pivotally attached to a rearward portion of the base. A fluid dispensing nozzle for applying fluid to the surface and a suction nozzle for picking up fluid and debris from the surface are associated with the base. A clean water holding tank and a detergent holding tank are removably mounted to the handle while a recovery tank is removably mounted to the base. A mixing valve is fluidly connected between the holding tanks and the spray nozzle for changing the mixing ratio of the detergent with respect to the water. The fluid recovery tank includes an integrally molded conduit that extends from the suction nozzle and a mounting for an accessory hose that interrupts the fluid path from the suction nozzle in the conduit and redirects fluid flow through the hose. A pump is fluidly connected between the mixing valve and the dispensing nozzle and includes a pump priming valve that operates on negative air pressure to clear air from the fluid lines during pump operation. A free floating brush is pivotally attached to the base for automatically adjusting to different surface conditions during cleaning operations.

Upright water extraction cleaning machine pump priming

Upright water extraction cleaning machine

A portable surface cleaning apparatus including a base module for movement along a surface, an upright handle pivotally attached to the base module, a liquid dispensing system including a flexible bladder defining a fluid supply chamber for holding a supply of cleaning fluid, a fluid recovery system including a tank on the base module having a chamber for holding recovered fluid and housing the flexible bladder, and a passageway between the fluid supply chamber and the recovery chamber, whereby the recovery chamber is in communication with the fluid supply chamber and the pressure in the flexible bladder is equalized with the pressure in the tank as the cleaning fluid is dispensed from the supply chamber and the dirty liquid is collected in the recovery chamber. In a further embodiment the tank has an outlet opening in a bottom portion thereof and a drain plug is removably mounted in the outlet opening. In another embodiment a lid mounted on the tank defines an expansion chamber having an inlet opening, an outlet passage, and first and second diverters against which the working air flow reverses direction twice between the inlet opening of the expansion chamber and the tank. In another embodiment the working air conduit includes a manual actuator knob having an over-center linkage mechanism connected to a conversion valve for movement between first and second positions, thereby selectively moving the conversion valve between open and closed positions, whereby fluid communication between the tank and the suction nozzle is selectively opened and closed.

A portable surface cleaning apparatus has a base for movement along a surface to be cleaned and an upright handle pivotally attached to a rearward portion of the base. A fluid dispensing nozzle for applying fluid to the surface and a suction nozzle for picking up fluid and debris from the surface are associated with the base. Supply tanks are removably mounted to the handle or base while a recovery tank is removably mounted to the handle or base. An outlet in each supply tank includes a valve to close the outlet when the supply tank is removed from the base. A protrusion in a bottom surface of the supply tank defines a measuring volume for concentrated cleaning solution and is further adapted to stabilize the supply tank in the base or handle. The supply tank also includes an aperture through a lower portion selectively closed by a drain plug. A conduit connecting each supply tank to a dispensing nozzle includes a check valve restricting fluid flow to a direction from the tank and to the nozzle. Also, a float assembly in the recovery tank includes a first end for covering an air exit from the recovery tank and a second end, which is buoyant and elevated by the rising recovered fluid in the tank, for raising the first end to cover the air exit.

Upright water extraction cleaning machine with improved tank structure

A portable surface cleaning apparatus has a base for movement along a surface to be cleaned and an upright handle pivotally attached to a rearward portion of the base. A fluid dispensing nozzle for applying fluid to the surface and a suction nozzle for picking up fluid and debris from the surface are associated with the base. Supply tanks are removably mounted to the handle or base while a recovery tank is removably mounted to the handle or base. An outlet in each supply tank includes a valve to close the outlet when the supply tank is removed from the base. A float valve assembly in the recovery tank includes a first end for covering an air outlet port from the recovery tank and a second end, which is buoyant and elevated by the rising recovered fluid in the tank, for raising the first end to cover the air outlet port.

Upright water extraction cleaning machine with improved float assembly

An upright water extraction cleaning machine having an assembly of tanks efficiently stored on and interconnected to the machine is shown. The tank assembly has at least two tanks nested with one another and having one-way valve mechanisms on the bottom thereof. The two tanks are slidably mounted to one another and the tank assembly is slidably mounted and operatively connected to the machine. With this structure, the user can quickly and easily remove and refill the tanks and continue operation of the machine with a minimum amount of interruption and delay.

Water extraction cleaning machine with nesting tank assembly

A water extraction cleaning machine has a suction nozzle assembly with two suction nozzle openings incorporated. The suction nozzle openings are preferably positioned one on each side of the cleaning solution spray nozzles so that the cleaning machine can be used for simultaneous application and removal of cleaning fluid regardless of whether the user is pushing or pulling the cleaning machine. In another aspect, a plate member is slidably mounted to the bottom of the suction nozzle assembly. The plate member has a pair of suction nozzle openings which are spaced to seal one of the two suction nozzles of the suction nozzle assembly depending upon the direction of travel of the suction nozzle assembly.

Upright water extraction cleaning machine with two suction nozzles

A water extractor and nozzle for spraying fluid in an even distribution across a predetermined area. The nozzle comprises a tubular body with an axial fluid channel, which intersects a nozzle opening through which the fluid is sprayed onto the surface being cleaned. The nozzle opening is defined by opposed sidewalls connected to opposed end walls. The sidewalls are concave outwardly. The sidewalls and end walls define the spray coverage area and the shape of the opening controls the distribution of the fluid across the spray coverage area.

Growing community of inventors

Kentwood, MI, United States of America

Luke E Kelly