Floor treatment apparatus and method

Abstract

A floor treatment device may include a body portion comprising one or more pumps, one or more spray outlets, and one or more reservoir receptacles configured to receive one or more reservoirs. The one or more pumps are operable to be activated and direct liquids to the spray outlets. The device may include swappable heads, each comprising a body connector configured to mate with a head connector of the body portion. In an embodiment, the head connector may include a sensor system and a controller communicatively connected to the sensor system. When one of swappable heads is connected to the body portion, the sensor system is configured to detect the identity of the swappable heads connected, and the controller is configured to selectively activate, based on the identity of the swappable heads, at least one of the one or more pumps.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device comprising:
 a body comprising:
 first and second ends; 
 a body portion comprising a housing between the first and second ends; 
 a pole portion disposed between the housing and the first end of the body; 
 wherein the body portion comprises:
 one or more pumps disposed inside the housing; 
 one or more spray outlets formed through the housing; and 
 one or more reservoir receptacles configured to receive one or more reservoirs operable to supply one or more liquids through the one or more reservoir receptacles to the one or more pumps, wherein the one or more pumps are operable to be activated and direct the one or more liquids to the spray outlets; 
 
   a handle coupled to the first end of the body;   a head connector connected to the second end of the body;   a plurality of swappable heads, each comprising:
 a body connector comprising a body end and a base end; and 
 a floor treatment instrument connected to the base end of the body connector; 
 wherein the body end of the body connector is operable to mate with the head connector of the body of the device, thereby removably connecting one of the plurality of swappable heads to the body of the device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a first head of the plurality of heads comprises spray outlets. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the floor cleaning instrument of a first head of the plurality of heads further comprises:
 a water reservoir;   a heating element;   a pump configured to direct water from the water reservoir to the heating element, the heating element operable to convert water into steam; and   a steam outlet configured to provide a conduit for the steam converted by the heating element to exit the floor cleaning instrument.   
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the floor cleaning instrument of a second head of the plurality of heads further comprises a base operable to receive a floor cleaning pad. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the floor cleaning instrument of a third head of the plurality of heads further comprises:
 a yoke connected to the base end of the body connector;   a cover housing the yoke;   a supporting bar positioned inside the yoke, wherein the supporting bar defines a central latitudinal axis substantially parallel to a cleaning surface;   a brush roll connected to and encircling the supporting bar, the brush roll comprising one or more floor treatment implements extending radially from a surface of the brush roll, wherein a first floor cleaning implement of the one or more floor treatment implements is configured contact the cleaning surface when the brush roll is locked in a first rotational position and a second floor cleaning implement of the one or more floor treatment implements is configured contact the cleaning surface when the brush roll is locked in a second rotational position.   
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reservoir receptacles further comprise a lock mechanism that is configured to prevent removal of a reservoir when the body is inverted with respect to a normal cleaning orientation and to permit removal of the reservoir when the body is in the normal cleaning orientation. 
     
     
         7 . A device comprising:
 a body comprising:
 first and second ends; 
 a body portion comprising a housing between the first and second ends; 
 a pole portion disposed between the housing and the first end of the body; 
 wherein the body portion comprises:
 one or more pumps disposed inside the housing; 
 one or more spray outlets formed through the housing; and 
 one or more reservoir receptacles configured to receive one or more reservoirs operable to supply one or more liquids through the one or more reservoir receptacles to the one or more pumps, wherein the one or more pumps are operable to be activated and direct the one or more liquids to the spray outlets; 
 
   a handle coupled to the first end of the body;   a head connector connected to the second end of the body, the head connector comprising a sensor system;   a controller communicatively connected to the sensor system;   a plurality of swappable heads, each comprising a body connector configured to mate with the head connector of the body of the device, thereby removably connecting one of the plurality of swappable heads to the body of the device;   wherein when the one of the plurality of swappable heads is connected to the body of the device, the sensor system is configured to detect the identity of the one of the plurality of swappable heads, and the controller is configured to selectively activate, based on the identity of the one of the plurality of swappable heads, at least one of the one or more pumps.   
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein a first head of the plurality of heads comprises a floor treating instrument comprising:
 a water reservoir;   a heating element;   a pump configured to direct water from the water reservoir to the heating element, the heating element operable to convert water into steam; and   a steam outlet configured to provide a conduit for the steam converted by the heating element to exit the floor cleaning instrument;   wherein the pump and the heating element of the floor cleaning instrument are configured to be activated by the controller in synchronization with the at least one of the one or more pumps of the body portion.   
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the controller comprises a microprocessor. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the sensor system comprises a plurality of electro-mechanical switches configured to be triggered by only one of the plurality of swappable heads. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of heads each comprise a signal emitter and the sensor system comprises a signal receiver. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the signal emitter comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) emitter and the signal receiver comprises an RFID receiver. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the signal emitter comprises a bar code and the signal receiver comprises an optical scanner configured to scan the bar code. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the signal emitter is configured to emit a magnetic signal and the signal receiver is configured to receive the magnetic signal. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more reservoir receptacles comprise a plurality of reservoir receptacles, and the one or more reservoirs comprise a plurality of reservoirs configured to store a plurality of liquids, and further wherein the plurality of reservoir receptacles each comprise a reservoir sensor system in communication with the controller and configured to identify one of the plurality of reservoirs. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the reservoirs each comprise a signal emitter and the reservoir sensor system comprises a signal receiver. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the signal emitter comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) emitter and the signal receiver comprises an RFID receiver. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the signal emitter comprises a bar code and the signal receiver comprises an optical scanner configured to scan the bar code. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the handle further comprises a trigger that is operable to override the controller and activate the one or more pumps. 
     
     
         20 . A device comprising:
 a body comprising:
 first and second ends; 
 a body portion comprising a housing between the first and second ends; 
 a pole portion disposed between the housing and the first end of the body; 
 wherein the body portion comprises:
 one or more pumps disposed inside the housing; 
 one or more spray outlets formed through the housing; and 
 one or more reservoir receptacles configured to receive one or more reservoirs operable to supply one or more liquids through the one or more reservoir receptacles to the one or more pumps, wherein the one or more pumps are operable to be activated and direct the one or more liquids to the spray outlets; 
 
   a handle coupled to the first end of the body;   a head connector connected to the second end of the body, the head connector comprising a sensor system;   a controller communicatively connected to the sensor system;   a plurality of swappable heads, each comprising:
 a body connector comprising a body end and a base end; and 
 a floor treatment instrument connected to the base end of the body connector; 
 wherein the body end of the body connector is operable to mate with the head connector of the body of the device, thereby removably connecting one of the plurality of swappable heads to the body of the device; 
   wherein when the one of the plurality of swappable heads is connected to the body of the device, the sensor system is configured to detect the identity of the one of the plurality of swappable heads, and the controller is configured to selectively activate, based on the identity of the one of the plurality of swappable heads, at least one of the one or more pumps; and   wherein a first head of the plurality of heads comprises a floor treating instrument comprising:
 a water reservoir; 
 a heating element; 
 a pump configured to direct water from the water reservoir to the heating element, the heating element operable to convert water into steam; and 
 a steam outlet configured to provide a conduit for the steam converted by the heating element to exit the floor cleaning instrument; 
 wherein the pump and the heating element of the floor cleaning instrument are configured to be activated by the controller in synchronization with the at least one of the one or more pumps of the body portion.