Cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A wet/dry cleaner may include a supply tank configured to receive a cleaning fluid, a recovery tank, a cleaning tool having a suction inlet, a flexible conduit configured to fluidly couple the cleaning tool to the supply tank and the recovery tank, and a tool cleaner coupled to the supply tank, the tool cleaner being configured to cooperate with the cleaning tool to draw the cleaning fluid from the supply tank and into the cleaning tool.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wet/dry cleaner comprising:
 a supply tank configured to receive a cleaning fluid;   a recovery tank;   a cleaning tool having a suction inlet;   a flexible conduit configured to fluidly couple the cleaning tool to the supply tank and the recovery tank; and   a tool cleaner coupled to the supply tank, the tool cleaner being configured to cooperate with the cleaning tool to draw the cleaning fluid from the supply tank and into the cleaning tool.   
     
     
         2 . The wet/dry cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the tool cleaner includes a tool platform having one or more fluid apertures and a tank duct, the one or more fluid apertures being fluidly coupled to the tank duct, the tank duct extending into a fluid cavity of the supply tank. 
     
     
         3 . The wet/dry cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more fluid apertures include a central group of apertures, a first lateral group of apertures arranged at one side of the central group of apertures, and a second lateral group of apertures arranged at another side of the central group of apertures. 
     
     
         4 . The wet/dry cleaner of  claim 3 , wherein a common aperture axis passes through at least a portion of each aperture forming the central group of apertures, the first lateral group of apertures, and the second lateral group of apertures. 
     
     
         5 . The wet/dry cleaner of  claim 3 , wherein the tool cleaner includes a tool cleaner valve configured to selectively transition between an open state and a closed state. 
     
     
         6 . The wet/dry cleaner of  claim 5 , wherein the tool platform includes a valve actuator configured to transition the tool cleaner valve from the closed state to the open state, the valve actuator including at least one aperture of the central group of apertures. 
     
     
         7 . The wet/dry cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein one or more tool alignment walls extend from the tool platform. 
     
     
         8 . The wet/dry cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible conduit includes a supply line and a recovery line, the supply line fluidly coupling the supply tank to the cleaning tool and the recovery line fluidly coupling the recovery tank to the cleaning tool. 
     
     
         9 . An upright extraction cleaner comprising:
 a surface cleaning head;   an upright section pivotally coupled to the surface cleaning head;   a supply tank configured to receive a cleaning fluid, the supply tank having a fluid cavity;   a recovery tank;   a cleaning tool having a suction inlet;   a flexible conduit configured to fluidly couple the cleaning tool to the supply tank and the recovery tank; and   a tool cleaner coupled to the supply tank, the tool cleaner being configured to cooperate with the cleaning tool to draw the cleaning fluid from the supply tank and into the cleaning tool, the tool cleaner including:
 a tool platform having one or more fluid apertures; and 
 a tank duct, the one or more fluid apertures being fluidly coupled to the tank duct, the tank duct extending into the fluid cavity of the supply tank. 
   
     
     
         10 . The upright extraction cleaner of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more fluid apertures include a central group of apertures, a first lateral group of apertures arranged at one side of the central group of apertures, and a second lateral group of apertures arranged at another side of the central group of apertures. 
     
     
         11 . The upright extraction cleaner of  claim 10 , wherein a common aperture axis passes through at least a portion of each aperture forming the central group of apertures, the first lateral group of apertures, and the second lateral group of apertures. 
     
     
         12 . The upright extraction cleaner of  claim 10 , wherein the tool cleaner includes a tool cleaner valve configured to selectively transition between an open state and a closed state. 
     
     
         13 . The upright extraction cleaner of  claim 12 , wherein the tool platform includes a valve actuator configured to transition the tool cleaner valve from the closed state to the open state, the valve actuator including at least one aperture of the central group of apertures. 
     
     
         14 . The upright extraction cleaner of  claim 9 , wherein one or more tool alignment walls extend from the tool platform. 
     
     
         15 . A portable extraction cleaner comprising:
 a main body having a supply receptacle and a recovery receptacle;   a handle extending from the main body;   a supply tank removably received in the supply receptacle and configured to receive a cleaning fluid, the supply tank having a fluid cavity;   a recovery tank removably received within the recovery receptacle;   a cleaning tool having a suction inlet;   a flexible conduit configured to fluidly couple the cleaning tool to the supply tank and the recovery tank; and   a tool cleaner coupled to the supply tank, the tool cleaner being configured to cooperate with the cleaning tool to draw the cleaning fluid from the supply tank and into the cleaning tool, the tool cleaner including:   a tool platform having one or more fluid apertures; and   a tank duct, the one or more fluid apertures being fluidly coupled to the tank duct, the tank duct extending into the fluid cavity of the supply tank.   
     
     
         16 . The portable extraction cleaner of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more fluid apertures include a central group of apertures, a first lateral group of apertures arranged at one side of the central group of apertures, and a second lateral group of apertures arranged at another side of the central group of apertures. 
     
     
         17 . The portable extraction cleaner of  claim 16 , wherein a common aperture axis passes through at least a portion of each aperture forming the central group of apertures, the first lateral group of apertures, and the second lateral group of apertures. 
     
     
         18 . The portable extraction cleaner of  claim 16 , wherein the tool cleaner includes a tool cleaner valve configured to selectively transition between an open state and a closed state. 
     
     
         19 . The portable extraction cleaner of  claim 18 , wherein the tool platform includes a valve actuator configured to transition the tool cleaner valve from the closed state to the open state, the valve actuator including at least one aperture of the central group of apertures. 
     
     
         20 . The portable extraction cleaner of  claim 15 , wherein one or more tool alignment walls extend from the tool platform.