Surface cleaning apparatus and tray

Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus adapted for movement across a surface to be cleaned includes a recovery system and a fluid delivery system. The surface cleaning apparatus can have a rechargeable battery and a battery housing for the rechargeable battery. The surface cleaning apparatus has a self-cleaning mode of operation in which an unattended automatic cleanout cycle is executed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A floor cleaning system, comprising:
 a surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
 an upright body comprising a handle and a frame, the frame supporting a supply tank that is selectively removable from the upright body and a recovery tank that is selectively removable from the upright body; 
 a base operably coupled with the upright body, the base comprising a base housing and a brushroll cover, the brushroll cover at least partially defining a brush chamber; 
 a recovery system comprising a suction inlet in the base housing, a vacuum motor, and the recovery tank; 
 a brushroll selectively receivable within the base and at least partially located within the brush chamber, the brushroll rotatable therein about a brushroll axis; 
 a brushroll motor adapted to provide a driving force to rotate the brushroll about the brushroll axis; 
 a fluid delivery system comprising the supply tank, a pump, and a fluid distributor, the fluid distributor provided on the base and configured to spray the brushroll; 
 at least one controller configured to execute an unattended automatic cleanout cycle for a self-cleaning mode of operation during which the pump, the brushroll motor, and the vacuum motor are energized; and 
 a rechargeable battery provided within a battery housing on the upright body, the rechargeable battery configured to selectively supply power to the vacuum motor, the pump, and the brushroll motor; and 
   a storage tray configured to dock the surface cleaning apparatus to recharge the battery and for self-cleaning of the surface cleaning apparatus, the storage tray comprising at least one charging contact, a power cord, and a wall charger configured to be plugged into a household outlet, the wall charger having a first operating power;   wherein the unattended automatic cleanout cycle has a second operating power that is at least  5 . 7  times greater than the first operating power.   
     
     
         2 . The floor cleaning system of  claim 1 , wherein the first operating power is 35 W and the second operating power is at least 200 W. 
     
     
         3 . The floor cleaning system of  claim 1 , wherein the second operating power is 200-250 W. 
     
     
         4 . The floor cleaning system of  claim 1 , wherein the recovery tank comprises:
 a recovery container forming a collection chamber for the recovery system, the recovery container defining an open top;   a tank inlet formed at a lower end of the recovery container;   a hollow standpipe extending upwardly from the tank inlet and comprising a pipe outlet at an upper end thereof;   a lid assembly sized for receipt on the recovery container and at least partially enclosing the open top, the lid assembly including an air outlet of the recovery tank and supporting a filter at the air outlet; and   a removable strainer having a plurality of apertures, the strainer having a portion that mounts to the hollow standpipe.   
     
     
         5 . The floor cleaning system of  claim 1  wherein the handle comprises a hand grip, and the at least one input control comprises:
 a power input control on the hand grip adapted to control a supply of power to one or more electrical components; and 
 a cleaning mode input control on the hand grip adapted to select at least one mode of operation. 
 
     
     
         6 . The floor cleaning system of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a self-cleaning mode input control; and   a controller adapted to receive a signal from the self-cleaning mode input control and control the operation of the fluid delivery system and the recovery system, wherein the controller is configured to execute an automatic cleanout cycle for a self-cleaning mode of operation upon actuation of the self-cleaning mode input control.   
     
     
         7 . The floor cleaning system of  claim 1 , comprising a moveable joint assembly coupling the upright body to the base for movement about at least two axes relative to the base, wherein the suction inlet is in fluid communication with the recovery tank through a conduit, wherein the conduit passes through the moveable joint assembly and is flexible to accommodate the movement of the moveable joint assembly about the at least two axes. 
     
     
         8 . The floor cleaning system of  claim 1  wherein the recovery tank is provided below the supply tank and is removably mounted at a front of the frame, the recovery tank having a tank inlet at a lower end thereof that is configured to align with the conduit to establish fluid communication between the base and the recovery tank. 
     
     
         9 . The floor cleaning system of  claim 1  wherein the upright body comprises:
 a first tank receiver to receive the supply tank, the supply tank having an externally-facing surface which forms a first external surface of the surface cleaning apparatus when the supply tank is seated in the first tank receiver; and 
 a second tank receiver to receive the recovery tank, the recovery tank having an externally-facing surface which forms a second external surface of the surface cleaning apparatus when the recovery tank is seated in the second tank receiver, and the recovery tank has an integral hand grip provided on the externally-facing surface thereof. 
 
     
     
         10 . The floor cleaning system of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a first wiper configured to interface with a portion of the brushroll; and   a second wiper mounted to the base housing behind the brushroll and configured to contact a surface to be cleaned.   
     
     
         11 . The floor cleaning system of  claim 1 , wherein the unattended automatic cleanout cycle for the self-cleaning mode of operation comprises:
 a dispensing phase in which the pump is activated to dispense cleaning fluid from the supply tank;   a brushroll rotation phase in which the brushroll motor is activated to rotate the brushroll; and   an extraction phase in which the vacuum motor is activated to extract cleaning fluid and flush out a portion of the recovery system;   wherein the unattended automatic cleanout cycle has a dispensing phase time and a total cycle time, and wherein a ratio of the dispensing phase time to the total cycle time is approximately 2:3.   
     
     
         12 . The floor cleaning system of  claim 11 , wherein the unattended automatic cleanout cycle has an extraction phase time, and wherein a ratio of the extraction phase time to the total cycle time is 1:3 to 1:4.5. 
     
     
         13 . The floor cleaning system of  claim 11 , wherein the vacuum motor is activated after the brushroll motor and the pump are activated. 
     
     
         14 . The floor cleaning system of  claim 11 , wherein the dispensing phase ends prior to the brushroll rotation phase and prior to the extraction phase. 
     
     
         15 . A surface cleaning apparatus, comprising:
 an upright body comprising a handle and a frame, the frame supporting a supply tank that is selectively removable from the upright body and a recovery tank that is selectively removable from the upright body;   a base operably coupled with the upright body, the base comprising a base housing and a brushroll cover, the brushroll cover at least partially defining a brush chamber;   a recovery system comprising a suction inlet in the base housing, a vacuum motor, and the recovery tank;   a brushroll selectively receivable within the base and at least partially located within the brush chamber, the brushroll rotatable therein about a brushroll axis;   a brushroll motor adapted to provide a driving force to rotate the brushroll about the brushroll axis;   a fluid delivery system comprising the supply tank, a pump, and a fluid distributor, the fluid distributor provided on the base and configured to spray the brushroll;   a rechargeable battery provided within a battery housing on the upright body, the rechargeable battery configured to selectively supply power to the vacuum motor, the pump, and the brushroll motor; and   at least one controller configured to execute an unattended automatic cleanout cycle for a self-cleaning mode of operation during which the pump, the brushroll motor, and the vacuum motor are energized;   wherein the unattended automatic cleanout cycle for the self-cleaning mode of operation comprises:
 a dispensing phase in which the pump is activated to dispense cleaning fluid from the supply tank; 
 a brushroll rotation phase in which the brushroll motor is activated to rotate the brushroll; and 
 an extraction phase in which the vacuum motor is activated to extract cleaning fluid and flush out a portion of the recovery system; 
 wherein the unattended automatic cleanout cycle has a dispensing phase time and a total cycle time, and wherein a ratio of the dispensing phase time to the total cycle time is approximately 2:3. 
   
     
     
         16 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the unattended automatic cleanout cycle has an extraction phase time, and wherein a ratio of the extraction phase time to the total cycle time is 1:3 to 1:4.5. 
     
     
         17 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the vacuum motor is activated after the brushroll motor and the pump are activated. 
     
     
         18 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the dispensing phase ends prior to the brushroll rotation phase and prior to the extraction phase. 
     
     
         19 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the dispensing phase ends prior to the brushroll rotation phase and prior to the extraction phase. 
     
     
         20 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the recovery tank comprises:
 a recovery container forming a collection chamber for the recovery system, the recovery container defining an open top;   a tank inlet formed at a lower end of the recovery container;   a hollow standpipe extending upwardly from the tank inlet and comprising a pipe outlet at an upper end thereof;   a lid assembly sized for receipt on the recovery container and at least partially enclosing the open top, the lid assembly including an air outlet of the recovery tank and supporting a filter at the air outlet; and   a removable strainer having a plurality of apertures, the strainer having a portion that mounts to the hollow standpipe.   
     
     
         21 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the handle comprises a hand grip, and the at least one input control comprises:
 a power input control on the hand grip adapted to control a supply of power to one or more electrical components; and 
 a cleaning mode input control on the hand grip adapted to select at least one mode of operation. 
 
     
     
         22 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 15 , comprising:
 a self-cleaning mode input control; and   a controller adapted to receive a signal from the self-cleaning mode input control and control the operation of the fluid delivery system and the recovery system, wherein the controller is configured to execute an automatic cleanout cycle for a self-cleaning mode of operation upon actuation of the self-cleaning mode input control.   
     
     
         23 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 15 , comprising a moveable joint assembly coupling the upright body to the base for movement about at least two axes relative to the base, wherein the suction inlet is in fluid communication with the recovery tank through a conduit, wherein the conduit passes through the moveable joint assembly and is flexible to accommodate the movement of the moveable joint assembly about the at least two axes. 
     
     
         24 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the recovery tank is provided below the supply tank and is removably mounted at a front of the frame, the recovery tank having a tank inlet at a lower end thereof that is configured to align with the conduit to establish fluid communication between the base and the recovery tank. 
     
     
         25 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the upright body comprises:
 a first tank receiver to receive the supply tank, the supply tank having an externally-facing surface which forms a first external surface of the surface cleaning apparatus when the supply tank is seated in the first tank receiver; and 
 a second tank receiver to receive the recovery tank, the recovery tank having an externally-facing surface which forms a second external surface of the surface cleaning apparatus when the recovery tank is seated in the second tank receiver, and the recovery tank has an integral hand grip provided on the externally-facing surface thereof. 
 
     
     
         26 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 15 , comprising:
 a first wiper configured to interface with a portion of the brushroll; and   a second wiper mounted to the base housing behind the brushroll and configured to contact a surface to be cleaned.