Floor cleaning apparatus with cleaning fluid delivery system

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a sweeper that includes a fluid delivery system for providing cleaning fluid to a floor surface. The sweeper can be configured to perform multiple cleaning functions, including wet mopping and dry sweeping. The sweeper can have a collection cup and a microfiber brushroll which mechanically propels dirt and liquid from the surface to be cleaned into the collection cup.

1 . A sweeper for cleaning a floor surface, comprising:
 a housing adapted to move along a surface to be cleaned, the housing having a brush chamber and an inlet opening configured to be adjacent the surface to be cleaned as the housing moves across a surface;   a fluid delivery system including a supply tank configured to store cleaning fluid and a fluid distributor configured to apply cleaning fluid to the surface to be cleaned;   a collection cup rearward of the inlet opening and the brush chamber, and removably mounted to the housing;   a brushroll in the brush chamber mounted in the housing for rotation about an axis, a portion of the brushroll projecting through the inlet opening to sweep the surface to be cleaned, the brushroll having a sweeping medium comprising microfiber material capable of absorbing liquid, the brushroll configured to mechanically propel dirt and liquid from the surface to be cleaned into the collection cup; and   a brushroll motor drivingly connected to the brushroll for rotation of the brushroll about the axis;   wherein the collection cup comprises an entrance opening and a collection chamber that is in fluid communication with the brush chamber via the entrance opening, whereby dirt and liquid mechanically propelled through the entrance opening by the brushroll are collected within the collection chamber defined by the collection cup.   
     
     
         2 . The sweeper of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises opposing lateral sides, and the collection cup is removable from the housing through one of the opposing lateral side of the housing for emptying. 
     
     
         3 . The sweeper of  claim 1 , comprising a pocket in which the collection cup is mounted, wherein the housing comprises opposing lateral sides and the pocket is accessible through one of the opposing lateral sides, wherein the collection cup is slidable through the one of the opposing lateral sides to remove the collection cup from the pocket. 
     
     
         4 . The sweeper of  claim 1 , comprising a battery mounted to the housing and electrically connected to the brushroll motor. 
     
     
         5 . The sweeper of  claim 4 , comprising a USB charging port on one of the housing and the battery. 
     
     
         6 . The sweeper of  claim 4 , wherein the collection cup is positioned between the brushroll and the battery. 
     
     
         7 . The sweeper of  claim 1 , wherein the brush chamber comprises a brushroll clearance that varies radially relative to the axis to increase or decrease the compression of the brushroll by the brush chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The sweeper of  claim 1 , comprising a ramp provided at a rear portion of the brush chamber for guiding dirt and liquid toward the entrance opening and into the collection chamber, the ramp extending from a rear side of the inlet opening upwardly to the entrance opening of the collection cup. 
     
     
         9 . The sweeper of  claim 8 , comprising a cover on the housing which encloses the collection cup and the brushroll, the cover comprising an upper inside surface which overlies the ramp, and wherein the upper inside surface of the cover is angled downwardly in a rearward direction toward the collection cup. 
     
     
         10 . The sweeper of  claim 1 , comprising:
 an interference edge facing the brush chamber and interfacing with a leading portion of the brushroll; and   a squeegee is provided on the housing, rearwardly of the brushroll, and configured to contact the surface to be cleaned below the housing as the housing moves along the surface to be cleaned.   
     
     
         11 . The sweeper of  claim 1 , comprising a cover on the housing which encloses the collection cup and the brushroll, wherein the cover is removable from the housing without the use of tools, and wherein the collection cup is configured to be removed from the housing for emptying without removing the cover from the housing. 
     
     
         12 . The sweeper of  claim 11 , wherein the cover is at least partially formed from one of a translucent material and a transparent material, such that the brushroll and the collection chamber defined by the collection cup are at least partially visible to a user through the cover without removing the cover. 
     
     
         13 . The sweeper of  claim 11 , comprising a brushroll latch securing the brushroll within the brush chamber, wherein the brushroll is removably mounted in the brush chamber by the brushroll latch, wherein the brushroll latch is inaccessible with the cover on the housing and accessible with the cover removed from the housing. 
     
     
         14 . The sweeper of  claim 1 , comprising an upright body pivotally mounted to the housing, wherein the fluid distributor is located on the upright body and configured to spray cleaning fluid outwardly and forwardly in front of the housing directly onto the surface to be cleaned. 
     
     
         15 . The sweeper of  claim 1 , wherein the brushroll comprises a hybrid brushroll including a plurality of bristles, with the microfiber material arranged between the bristles. 
     
     
         16 . The sweeper of  claim 1 , comprising:
 an upright body, wherein the supply tank is mounted to the upright body; and   a swivel joint coupling the upright body to the housing, the swivel joint defining a first axis about which the upright body is configured to be pivoted front-to-back with respect to the housing and a second axis about which the upright body is configured to be pivoted side-to-side with respect to the housing.   
     
     
         17 . The sweeper of  claim 1 , comprising:
 an upright body pivotally mounted to the housing,   a single rear wheel disposed at a rear of the housing and centered below the upright body; and   a pair of forward wheels disposed on the housing, forwardly of the single rear wheel.   
     
     
         18 . The sweeper of  claim 1 , comprising:
 an upright body pivotally mounted to the housing, the upright body comprising a handle and a frame,   wherein the supply tank is mounted to the frame, and   wherein the handle pivotally-coupled with the frame to pivot between an extended position and a folded position.   
     
     
         19 . The sweeper of  claim 1 , wherein the sweeper is an autonomous sweeper comprising an autonomous drive system configured to drive the housing autonomously over the surface to be cleaned. 
     
     
         20 . The sweeper of  claim 1 , wherein the sweeper is a multi-function sweeper configured to perform both dry sweeping and wet mopping.