Handheld extraction cleaner

Abstract

A handheld extraction cleaner includes a unitary body provided with a carry handle, and further provided with a supply tank, a recovery tank, and a suction source, all of which are carried on the unitary body. A powered cleaning head including a removable brushroll is provided on the unitary body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A handheld extraction cleaner, comprising:
 a unitary body comprising a carry handle and a cleaning head that includes a brush housing defining a brush chamber and a brush motor chamber;   a fluid delivery system including a supply tank carried by the unitary body and at least one fluid distributor;   a recovery system including a working air path through the unitary body, a suction nozzle defining an inlet to the working air path, a suction source in fluid communication with the suction nozzle, the suction source comprising a vacuum motor, and a recovery tank carried by the unitary body;   a brush drive motor in the brush motor chamber of the cleaning head;   a brushroll coupled to and driven by a drive assembly including the brush drive motor, wherein the brushroll is removable from the brush chamber of the cleaning head; and   a sole plate mounted beneath the brush housing and securing the brushroll within the brush chamber, wherein the sole plate includes an opening through which a portion of the brushroll projects to engage a surface to be cleaned, wherein removal of the sole plate from the brush housing allows for removal of the brushroll from the brush chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The handheld extraction cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the unitary body comprises a rearward body and a neck connecting the cleaning head to the rearward body, wherein the suction nozzle is provided in the cleaning head, and the suction source and the recovery tank are provided in the rearward body. 
     
     
         3 . The handheld extraction cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the recovery tank has a substantially flat bottom end on which the extraction cleaner can be supported in a self-standing position on a surface;   the neck projects forwardly to support the cleaning head away from said surface on which the extraction cleaner is supported in a self-standing position to space the suction nozzle and the brushroll out of contact with said surface on which the extraction cleaner is supported in a self-standing position; and   the carry handle is oriented so that when the cleaning head is flat against the surface to be cleaned the carry handle is generally parallel to said surface to be cleaned.   
     
     
         4 . The handheld extraction cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the brushroll includes a driven end and a non-driven end;   the brushroll is mounted at the driven end to a first brush holder driven by the brush drive motor, wherein the first brush holder is configured to transmit torque to the brushroll; and   the brushroll is mounted at the non-driven end to a second brush holder, wherein the second brush holder is removably mounted within the brush chamber, whereby the brushroll can be detached from the first brush holder and removed from the brush chamber.   
     
     
         5 . The handheld extraction cleaner of  claim 4 , wherein the brushroll has a handle on the non-driven end of the brushroll to facilitate removal of the brushroll from the brush chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The handheld extraction cleaner of  claim 5 , wherein the handle is coupled with the second brush holder to facilitate removal of the brushroll from the brush chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The handheld extraction cleaner of  claim 5 , wherein the brushroll comprises a dowel and the handle is pivotable to rotate the second brush holder relative to the dowel, wherein the handle comprises a lever arm attached to the second brush holder. 
     
     
         8 . The handheld extraction cleaner of  claim 7 , wherein the sole plate comprises a partition separating the brush chamber from a handle cavity within the brush housing, wherein the lever arm projects into the handle cavity. 
     
     
         9 . The handheld extraction cleaner of  claim 8 , wherein the handle is spaced from a surface of the handle cavity by a gap so that a user can reach under the lever arm to pivot the lever arm out of the handle cavity. 
     
     
         10 . The handheld extraction cleaner of  claim 9 , wherein a standoff is provided in the handle cavity to maintain the gap between the handle and the brush housing. 
     
     
         11 . The handheld extraction cleaner of  claim 7 , wherein the second brush holder is attached to a stub shaft mounted in the non-driven end of the brushroll, whereby when the lever arm is lifted up, the stub shaft will rotate with the second brush holder, while the dowel remains stationary. 
     
     
         12 . The handheld extraction cleaner  claim 11 , wherein the second brush holder is keyed with the brushroll to maintain axial alignment between the handle and the brushroll without slipping. 
     
     
         13 . The handheld extraction cleaner of  claim 12 , wherein the brushroll is attached to the second brush holder by a bushing surrounding the stub shaft, wherein the bushing is press fit into a recess in the second brush holder surrounding an aperture receiving the stub shaft, and the bushing is keyed with the recess to ensure that pivoting of the handle rotates the second brush holder relative to the dowel while maintaining axial alignment between the second brush holder and the dowel. 
     
     
         14 . The handheld extraction cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the brush housing comprises a first brushroll cradle for supporting a first end of the brushroll within the brush chamber, a second brushroll cradle for supporting a second end of the brushroll within the brush chamber, and a partition separating the brush chamber from the brush motor chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The handheld extraction cleaner of  claim 14 , comprising a brush holder at the second end of the brushroll, wherein the brush holder is removably mounted within the brush chamber, wherein the sole plate comprises a cradle supporting the second end of the brushroll within the brush chamber, wherein the cradle of the sole plate presses the brush holder against the cradle of the brush housing. 
     
     
         16 . The handheld extraction cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the sole plate is removable brush housing without the use of tools. 
     
     
         17 . The handheld extraction cleaner of  claim 16 , comprising a snap-lock retainer to removably secure the sole plate on the brush housing without the use of tools, wherein the snap-lock retainer includes a latch on the sole plate and a latch receiver on the brush housing. 
     
     
         18 . The handheld extraction cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the brushroll and the brush drive motor are at a forward end of the unitary body, and the vacuum motor is at a rearward end of unitary the body. 
     
     
         19 . The handheld extraction cleaner of  claim 18 , comprising a battery, wherein the battery is below the carry handle. 
     
     
         20 . The handheld extraction cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the suction nozzle comprises a front wall and a rear wall defining a narrow suction pathway therebetween, with an opening forming a suction nozzle inlet at a lower end thereof, wherein the rear wall defines a portion of the brush chamber and is disposed forwardly of the brushroll.