Surface cleaning apparatus with steam

Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus includes a steam delivery system, a liquid delivery system, and a recovery system. The apparatus may have multiple cleaning modes, including a mode where liquid is dispensed, a mode where liquid and steam are dispensed, and/or a self-cleaning mode in which an unattended, automatic cleanout mode of operation is executed to clean at least a portion of a recovery pathway of the recovery system. Methods for operating a surface cleaning apparatus and for self-cleaning a surface cleaning apparatus are also provided.

1 . A surface cleaning apparatus, comprising:
 an upright body comprising a handle and a frame;   a base coupled with the upright body and adapted for movement across a surface to be cleaned, the base having a floor-facing side disposed toward the surface to be cleaned and a non-floor facing side disposed away from the surface to be cleaned;   a recovery system comprising a recovery pathway, a suction inlet port on the base at least partially defining the recovery pathway, a recovery tank at least partially defining the recovery pathway, and a vacuum motor in fluid communication with the suction inlet port;   a brushroll at least partially within the recovery pathway, the brushroll configured to rotate about an axis to agitate the surface to be cleaned;   a supply tank configured to store a supply of a cleaning fluid;   a liquid delivery system comprising a liquid dispenser;   a steam delivery system comprising a steam dispenser and a heater in fluid communication with the supply tank and the steam dispenser;   a power source comprising a power cord configured to be plugged into a household electrical outlet, wherein at least the vacuum motor and the heater are electrically coupled to the power source;   a controller configured to control the operation of the vacuum motor and the heater, and configured to operate the surface cleaning apparatus in a self-cleaning mode in which an unattended, automatic cleanout mode of operation is executed to clean at least a portion of the recovery pathway;   a sensor configured to detect docking of the base on a tray; and   a self-cleaning mode activating switch configured to close in the presence of the tray and open in the absence of the tray;   wherein the controller is configured to enable the self-cleaning mode in response to closure of the self-cleaning mode activating switch and the controller is configured to disable the self-cleaning mode in response to opening of the self-cleaning mode activating switch.   
     
     
         2 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the liquid delivery system comprises a first pump disposed in a liquid supply path between the supply tank and the liquid dispenser;   the steam delivery system comprises a second pump disposed in a steam supply path between the supply tank and the heater;   the heater, the vacuum motor, and the second pump are disposed within the frame;   at least one of the supply tank and the recovery tank is removably mounted to the frame; and   the liquid dispenser and the first pump are disposed on the base.   
     
     
         3 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a moveable joint assembly mounting the base to the upright body, wherein the upright body is pivotable via the joint assembly between an upright stored position and a reclined use position; and   a de-activating switch to de-activate at least one electrical component of the surface cleaning apparatus when the upright body is in the upright stored position.   
     
     
         4 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 3 , comprising a PCB mounting the self-cleaning mode activating switch and the de-activating switch within the base. 
     
     
         5 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 3 , comprising an actuator controlling fluid dispensing from at least one of the liquid dispenser and the steam dispenser, wherein the de-activating switch is in communication with the controller to disable the actuator when the upright body is in the upright stored position. 
     
     
         6 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one electrical component is a brush motor coupled with the brushroll. 
     
     
         7 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises an effective sensing zone configured to sense a detectable component on the tray within a predetermined distance away from the sensor, wherein the predetermined distance is a distance within which the detectable component is spaced from the sensor when the surface cleaning apparatus is correctly docked on the tray. 
     
     
         8 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the sensor comprises a Hall Effect sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to detect whether the self-cleaning mode activating switch is in a closed state or an open state, and wherein the controller is configured to enable the self-cleaning mode when the self-cleaning mode activating switch is in the closed state and to disable the self-cleaning mode when the self-cleaning mode activating switch is in the open state. 
     
     
         10 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a user-selectable self-cleaning mode button configured to activate the self-cleaning mode, wherein when the sensor does not detect docking of the base on the tray, user selection of the self-cleaning mode via the self-cleaning mode button does not execute the automated, unattended clean-out mode of operation. 
     
     
         11 . A surface cleaning apparatus, comprising:
 an upright body comprising a handle and a frame;   a base coupled with the upright body and adapted for movement across a surface to be cleaned, the base having a floor-facing side disposed toward the surface to be cleaned and a non-floor facing side disposed away from the surface to be cleaned;   a recovery system comprising a recovery pathway, a suction inlet port on the base at least partially defining the recovery pathway, a recovery tank at least partially defining the recovery pathway, and a vacuum motor in fluid communication with the suction inlet port;   a brushroll at least partially within the recovery pathway, the brushroll configured to rotate about an axis to agitate the surface to be cleaned;   a supply tank configured to store a supply of a cleaning fluid;   a liquid delivery system comprising a liquid dispenser;   a steam delivery system comprising a steam dispenser and a heater in fluid communication with the supply tank and the steam dispenser;   a controller configured to control the operation of the recovery system, the liquid delivery system, and the steam delivery system, and configured to operate the surface cleaning apparatus in a self-cleaning mode in which an unattended, automatic cleanout mode of operation is executed to clean at least a portion of the recovery pathway; and   a detection mechanism that detects docking of the base on a tray;   wherein the controller is configured to enable the self-cleaning mode when the detection mechanism detects the base on the tray and the controller is configured to disable the self-cleaning mode when the detection mechanism does not detect the base on the tray.   
     
     
         12 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the detection mechanism comprises a self-cleaning mode activating switch on the base including a sensing component configured to detect the tray, wherein the self-cleaning mode activating switch closes in the presence of the tray and opens in the absence of the tray, wherein the closure of the self-cleaning mode activating switch enables the self-cleaning mode. 
     
     
         13 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 12 , comprising:
 a moveable joint assembly mounting the base to the upright body, wherein the upright body is pivotable via the joint assembly between an upright stored position and a reclined use position; and   a de-activating switch to de-activate at least one electrical component of the surface cleaning apparatus when the upright body is in the upright stored position.   
     
     
         14 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 13 , comprising a PCB mounting the self-cleaning mode activating switch and the de-activating switch within the base. 
     
     
         15 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 13 , comprising an actuator controlling fluid dispensing from at least one of the liquid dispenser and the steam dispenser, wherein the de-activating switch is in communication with the controller to disable the actuator when the upright body is in the upright stored position. 
     
     
         16 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one electrical component is a brush motor coupled with the brushroll. 
     
     
         17 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the sensing component comprises an effective sensing zone configured to sense a detectable component on the tray within a predetermined distance away from the sensing component, wherein the predetermined distance is a distance within which the detectable component is spaced from the sensing component when the surface cleaning apparatus is correctly docked on the tray. 
     
     
         18 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the sensing component comprises a Hall Effect sensor. 
     
     
         19 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to detect whether the self-cleaning mode activating switch is in a closed state or an open state, and wherein the controller is configured to enable the self-cleaning mode when the self-cleaning mode activating switch is in the closed state and to disable the self-cleaning mode when the self-cleaning mode activating switch is in the open state. 
     
     
         20 . A surface cleaning apparatus, comprising:
 a recovery system comprising a recovery pathway, a suction inlet port at least partially defining the recovery pathway, a recovery tank at least partially defining the recovery pathway, and a vacuum motor in fluid communication with the suction inlet port;   a brushroll at least partially within the recovery pathway, the brushroll configured to rotate about an axis to agitate the surface to be cleaned;   a supply tank configured to store a supply of a cleaning fluid;   a liquid delivery system comprising a liquid dispenser;   a steam delivery system comprising a steam dispenser and a heater in fluid communication with the supply tank and the steam dispenser;   a power source comprising a power cord configured to be plugged into a household electrical outlet, wherein at least the vacuum motor and the heater are electrically coupled to the power source;   a controller configured to control the operation of the vacuum motor and the heater, and configure to operate the surface cleaning apparatus in a self-cleaning mode in which an unattended, automatic cleanout mode of operation is executed to clean at least a portion of the recovery pathway;   a sensor configured to detect docking of the apparatus on a tray; and   a self-cleaning mode activating switch configured to close in the presence of the tray and open in the absence of the tray;   wherein the controller is configured to enable the self-cleaning mode in response to closure of the self-cleaning mode activating switch and the controller is configured to disable the self-cleaning mode in response to opening of the self-cleaning mode activating switch.