Wheeled cleaning machine for vacuuming carpeted flooring and cleaning hard surface flooring

Abstract

A wheeled cleaning machine for vacuuming carpeted flooring and cleaning hard surface flooring, comprising: a reservoir assembly, including: a reservoir; and a spigot fluidly connected to the reservoir, the spigot including a valve; a plurality of wheels; a wet vacuum assembly including: a vacuum tank including a recovery inlet; and a vacuum motor; a liquid spreading / agitating assembly; a squeegee head assembly; an enclosed passage fluidly connected to the vacuum tank, the enclosed passage including the squeegee head assembly; and a liquid line including an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end fluidly connected to the reservoir, and the outlet end fluidly connected to the enclosed passage, the liquid line operable to provide liquid to the enclosed passage when the reservoir contains a liquid and the vacuum motor is activated, with soils from the carpeted flooring and liquid from the reservoir mixing in the enclosed passage to form a liquid and soils mixture that is captured in the vacuum tank, the spigot valve adjustable and operable to dispense and regulate the flow of liquid from the reservoir as desired, with dispensed liquid spread on hard surface flooring with the liquid spreader assembly, and with soil and dispensed-and-spread liquid vacuumed from hard surface flooring through the squeegee head assembly into the vacuum tank.

Description

[0001] Wheeled Cleaning Machine for Vacuuming Carpeted Flooring and Cleaning Hard Surface Flooring

[0002] Cross-Reference to Related Applications

[0003] This patent document claims the benefit of the filing date of Provisional Application No. 63 / 588,672, entitled “Manually Propelled Wheeled Cleaning Machine for Vacuuming Carpeting and Cleaning Hard Surface Flooring, and Method of Using Same” and filed on October 6, 2023.

[0004] This patent document also claims the benefit of the filing of Provisional Application No. 63 / 602,440, entitled “Manually Propelled Wheeled Cleaning Machine for Vacuuming Carpeting and Cleaning Hard Surface Flooring, and Method of Using Same” and filed on November 23, 2023.

[0005] The entire disclosure of each of Provisional Application No. 63 / 588,672 and Provisional Application No. 63 / 602,440 is incorporated into this patent document by reference.

[0006] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into this patent document and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0008] Detailed Description of the Drawings

[0009] In this detailed description of the drawings, in many instances, like reference numbers are used for like elements across multiple embodiments of the invention.

[0010] With reference to Figs. 1-24, the reference numbers identify various items, elements, features, and / or components of the particular' embodiments of the machine and the method, in accordance with the principles of the invention, as follows:

[0011] 10 an embodiment of a wheeled cleaning machine for vacuuming carpeted flooring

[0012] 12 a reservoir

[0013] 14 a reservoir spigot

[0014] 16 a reservoir spigot valve

[0015] 18 wheels

[0016] 20 a vacuum tank

[0017] 22 a recovery inlet

[0018] 24 a vacuum motor

[0019] 26 a liquid spreading / agitating assembly

[0020] 28 a spreader pad and frame

[0021] 30 a powered cylindrical brush

[0022] 32 a powered rotary disc

[0023] 34 a powered vibrating frame and pad

[0024] 36 a squeegee head assembly 38 an enclosed passage

[0025] 40 a liquid line

[0026] 42 a liquid line valve

[0027] 44 an embodiment of a wheeled cleaning machine for vacuuming carpeted flooring and cleaning hard surface flooring

[0028] 46 an enclosed passage section

[0029] 48 a section opening

[0030] 50 a section vacuum hose

[0031] 52 a vacuum wand

[0032] 54 an embodiment of an accessory tool

[0033] 56 a section tube

[0034] 58 a tube sidewall

[0035] 60 a first vacuum hose

[0036] 62 a second vacuum hose

[0037] 64 a third vacuum hose

[0038] 66 a vacuum hose coupler

[0039] 68 a steering handle

[0040] 70 a pump

[0041] 72 a vacuum tank liquid transfer outlet

[0042] 74 a vacuum tank spigot

[0043] 76 a vacuum tank spigot valve

[0044] 78 a strap

[0045] Some aspects of the invention are shown or described in the five patent documents identified below; each of these five patent documents is incorporated into this patent document by reference:

[0046] 1. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 427,456, entitled “Manually Propelled Dry Vacuum Cleaning Machine Including Wet Vacuum Assembly, for Dry Vacuum Removal of Dry Soil from Carpeting and Wet Capture of Removed Dry Soil” and filed on November 23, 2022;

[0047] 2. U.S. Patent No. 10,786,131, entitled “Multi-Functional Cleaning and Floor Care System” and issued on September 29, 2020;

[0048] 3. U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 115,361, entitled “Multi-Functional Cleaning and Floor Care System” and filed on December 8, 2020;

[0049] 4. U.S. Patent No. 10,959,592, entitled “Portable Liquid-Recycling Liquid-Reusing Cleaning System for Hard Surface Flooring” and issued on March 30, 2021 ; and

[0050] 5. U.S. Patent No. 11,317,777, entitled “Method of Cleaning Hard Surface Flooring with Portable Liquid-Recycling Liquid-Reusing Cleaning System” and issued on May 3, 2022.

[0051] An embodiment of the present invention may be made using any suitable material(s) and manufacturing technique(s). While the present invention has been illustrated by a description of embodiments, and while the illustrative embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the inventors to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the following claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications readily will appear to those skilled in the ail upon a reading of this patent document. The invention, in its broader aspects, is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods, and illustrative examples shown and described in this patent document. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventors’ general inventive concept.

[0052] What is claimed is:

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS received by the International Bureau on 27 January 20251. A wheeled cleaning machine for vacuuming carpeted flooring and / or cleaning hard surface flooring, comprising: a reservoir assembly including a reservoir; a plurality of wheels; a wet vacuum assembly including: a vacuum tank including a recovery inlet; and a vacuum motor; a squeegee head assembly; an enclosed passage fluidly connected to the recovery inlet, the enclosed passage including the squeegee head assembly; and a liquid line including an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end fluidly connected to the reservoir, and the outlet end fluidly connected to the enclosed passage, the liquid line operable to provide liquid to the enclosed passage when the reservoir contains a liquid and the vacuum motor is activated, with soils from the carpeted flooring and liquid from the reservoir mixing in the enclosed passage to form a liquid and soils mixture that is captured in the vacuum tank.

2. The machine of claim 1 wherein the reservoir assembly further includes a spigot, and the machine further includes a liquid spreading / agitating assembly, with the spigot including a valve, and with the spigot fluidly connected to the reservoir, the liquid line operable to provide liquid to the enclosed passage when the reservoir contains a liquid and the vacuum motor is activated, with soils from the carpeted flooring and liquid from the reservoir mixing in the enclosed passage to form a liquid and soils mixture that is captured in the vacuum tank, the spigot valve adjustable and operable to dispense and regulate the flow of liquid from the reservoir as desired, with dispensed liquid spread on hard surface flooring with the liquid spreader assembly, and with soil and dispensed-and-spread liquid vacuumed from hard surface flooring through the squeegee head assembly into the vacuum tank.

3. The machine of either claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the machine is manually propelled.

4. The machine of either claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the squeegee head assembly includes a floor-contacting position and a floor non-contacting position.

5. The machine of either claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the enclosed passage includes a section fluidly connecting the squeegee head assembly to the recovery inlet, the section including an opening, with the liquid line outlet end fluidly connected to the enclosed passage via the section opening.

6. The machine of claim 5 wherein the enclosed passage section includes a vacuum hose, the vacuum hose including an inlet end and an outlet end, the machine further including a vacuum wand, the vacuum wand including an inlet end and an outlet end, the vacuum hose inlet end fluidly disconnectable from the squeegee head assembly and fluidly connectable to the vacuum wand outlet end.

7. The machine of claim 6 further including an accessory tool, the accessory tool fluidly connectable to the vacuum wand inlet end.

8. The machine of claim 5 wherein the enclosed passage section includes a tube, and the tube includes a sidewall, with the tube sidewall including the section opening.

9. The machine of claim 8 wherein the enclosed passage section includes a first vacuum hose and a second vacuum hose, the first vacuum hose positioned between the squeegee head assembly and the tube, and the second vacuum hose positioned between the tube and the recovery inlet.

10. The machine of claim 9 wherein the enclosed passage section includes a third vacuum hose, the third vacuum hose positioned between the first vacuum hose and the tube.

11. The machine of claim 10 wherein the third vacuum hose includes an inlet end and an outlet end, the machine further including a vacuum wand, the vacuum wand including an inlet end and an outlet end, the third vacuum hose inlet end fluidly disconnectable from an outlet end of the first vacuum hose and fluidly connectable to the vacuum wand outlet end.

12. The machine of claim 11 further including an accessory tool, the accessory tool fluidly connectable to the vacuum wand inlet end.

13. The machine of claim 10 further including a vacuum hose coupler, wherein each of the first, second, and third vacuum hoses, the tube, and the vacuum hose coupler includes an inlet end and an outlet end, the first vacuum hose inlet end connected to the squeegee head assembly, and the first vacuum hose outlet end connected to the vacuum hose coupler inlet end, the second vacuum hose inlet end connected to the tube outlet end, and the second vacuum hose outlet end connected to the recovery inlet, and the third vacuum hose inlet end connected to the vacuum hose coupler outlet end, and the third vacuum hose outlet end connected to the tube inlet end.

14. The machine of claim 13 further including a steering handle, with the tube connected to one or more of the steering handle and the vacuum assembly, and with the vacuum hose coupler connected to one or more of the steering handle and the vacuum assembly.

15. The machine of either claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the liquid line includes a valve constructed and arranged to regulate movement of liquid from the reservoir through the liquid line into the enclosed passage when a liquid is in the reservoir.

16. The machine of either claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the machine does not include a pump to assist in moving liquid from the reservoir through the liquid line into the enclosed passage.

17. The machine of either claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the machine includes a pump to assist in moving liquid from the reservoir through the liquid line into the enclosed passage.

18. The machine of claim 17 wherein the liquid line includes a valve constructed and arranged to regulate movement of liquid from the reservoir through the liquid line into the enclosed passage when a liquid is in the reservoir.

19. The machine of claim 17 wherein the pump is fluidly connected to the liquid line.

20. The machine of claim 17 wherein the liquid line includes the pump.

21. The machine of either claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the vacuum tank includes a liquid transfer outlet constructed and arranged to transfer recovered liquid from the vacuum tank to the reservoir for reuse in subsequent vacuuming of carpeted flooring.

22. The machine of claim 21 wherein the vacuum tank includes a spigot fluidly connected to the liquid transfer outlet, the spigot including a valve, the spigot constructed and arranged to regulate the transfer of recovered liquid from the vacuum tank to the reservoir via the liquid transfer outlet.

23. The machine of claim 2 wherein the spigot is manually adjustable.

24. The machine of claim 2 wherein the liquid spreading / agitating assembly includes one or more of a spreader pad and frame, a powered cylindrical brush, a powered rotary disc, and a powered vibrating frame and pad.

25. The machine of claim 2 wherein the liquid spreading / agitating assembly includes a spreader pad and frame.

26. The machine of claim 2 wherein the valve of the reservoir assembly spigot is adjustable through a range between and including a closed position and an open position, the range including at least one partially open position between the closed position and the open position.

27. The machine of claim 2 wherein the liquid spreader assembly includes a floor-contacting position and a first floor-non-contacting position, the floor-contacting position for when the machine is used to clean hard surface flooring, the first floor-non-contacting position for when the machine is used to vacuum carpeting.

28. The machine of claim 27 including a steering handle and a strap, the strap connected to the liquid spreader assembly and manually releasably connectable to the steering handle, the liquid spreader assembly in the floor-contacting position when the strap is connected to the steering handle at a first strap position.

29. The machine of claim 28 wherein the squeegee head assembly includes a floor-contacting position and a floor non- contacting position, the floor-contacting position for when the machine is used to clean hard surface flooring and for when the machine is used to vacuum carpeting, the squeegee head assembly in the floor-contacting position when the strap is connected to the steering handle at the first strap position.

30. The machine of claim 29 including a second strap position, the liquid spreader assembly in the first floor-non-contacting position and the squeegee head assembly in the floor-contacting position when the strap is connected to the steering handle at the second strap position.

31. The machine of claim 30 including a third strap position, the liquid spreader assembly in a second floor-non-contacting position and the squeegee head assembly in the floor noncontacting position when the strap is connected to the steering handle at the third strap position.

32. The machine of claim 31 wherein the first, second, and third strap positions are located on the strap.

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