Surface cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus includes a housing including a base adapted for movement across a surface to be cleaned, a fluid delivery system, and a recovery system. The surface cleaning apparatus can be configured to clean multiple surfaces, including hard and soft surfaces, and for different cleaning modes, including wet cleaning, dry vacuum cleaning, and self-cleaning. A brushroll is provided on the base, along with various wipers, squeegees, and/or fluid dispensers.

1 . A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
 a recovery system including a recovery pathway, a recovery tank, and a suction source configured to generate a working air steam through the recovery pathway,   a base comprising a base housing at least partially forming a brush chamber, wherein the brush chamber defines a portion of the recovery pathway;   a nozzle cover removably coupled with the base housing, the nozzle cover closing the brush chamber;   a brushroll positioned within the brush chamber, wherein the brushroll is within the recovery pathway;   a suction duct forming a portion of the recovery pathway, the suction duct extending from a rear side of the brush chamber and comprising a duct inlet;   a fluid distributor positioned to deliver cleaning fluid onto the brushroll, wherein the fluid distributor is rear of the brushroll, above a rotational axis of the brushroll, and above the duct inlet such that a portion of the brushroll wetted with cleaning fluid from the fluid distributor rotates past a surface to be cleaned below the base before reaching the suction duct; and   a squeegee mounted to the base housing behind the brushroll and the brush chamber, wherein the squeegee is angled obliquely to the surface to be cleaned at an incline rising toward the suction duct and is configured to contact the surface as the base moves across the surface to be cleaned;   wherein the suction duct comprises a narrowed section downstream of the duct inlet to increase air velocity within the brush chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the duct inlet is defined between a lower duct wall and an upper duct wall, and the narrowed section is formed by a portion of the upper duct wall that converges toward the lower duct wall and then diverges away from the lower duct wall. 
     
     
         3 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the duct inlet is defined between a lower duct wall and an upper duct wall, and the narrowed section is formed by a portion of the lower duct wall that converges toward the upper duct wall and then diverges away from the upper duct wall. 
     
     
         4 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the suction duct is defined between a lower duct wall and an upper duct wall which is formed by an underside of the nozzle cover. 
     
     
         5 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle cover defines a top wall of the suction duct. 
     
     
         6 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the base comprises a suction nozzle, wherein the suction duct forms a portion of the recovery pathway between the suction nozzle and the recovery tank. 
     
     
         7 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the squeegee projects forward of the duct inlet. 
     
     
         8 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the duct inlet is defined between a lower duct wall and an upper duct wall, and wherein the squeegee projects forwardly from the lower duct wall and under a rear portion of the brushroll. 
     
     
         9 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid distributor comprises a manifold having a plurality of manifold outlets that distribute cleaning fluid to the brushroll. 
     
     
         10 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the manifold is integrated with the nozzle cover, and the nozzle cover and the manifold form an assembly that is removable from the base housing as a unit. 
     
     
         11 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the fluid distributor comprises an inlet port that feeds cleaning fluid to the manifold outlets via an interior supply channel of the manifold. 
     
     
         12 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the manifold comprises a curved brushroll-facing surface configured to face the brushroll, the curved brushroll-facing surface having the plurality of manifold outlets, wherein a gap is defined between the curved brushroll-facing surface and the brushroll whereby the manifold does not interfere with the brushroll. 
     
     
         13 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the nozzle cover comprises an interior brushroll-facing side configured to face the brushroll, and the manifold is provided on the interior brushroll-facing side of the nozzle cover. 
     
     
         14 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle cover is removable from the base housing without removing the brushroll or the squeegee from the base housing, and wherein the fluid distributor is integrated with the nozzle cover, and the nozzle cover and the fluid distributor form an assembly that is removable from the base housing as a unit. 
     
     
         15 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle cover comprises a fluid channel supplying cleaning fluid to the fluid distributor and terminating in a connector port, wherein the connector port couples with a spray connector on the base housing when the nozzle cover is installed on the base housing. 
     
     
         16 . A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
 a recovery system including a recovery pathway, a recovery tank, and a suction source configured to generate a working air steam through the recovery pathway,   a base comprising a base housing at least partially forming a brush chamber, wherein the brush chamber defines a portion of the recovery pathway;   a nozzle cover coupled with the base housing, the nozzle cover closing the brush chamber;   a brushroll positioned within the brush chamber, wherein the brushroll is within the recovery pathway;   a suction duct forming a portion of the recovery pathway, the suction duct extending from a rear side of the brush chamber and comprising a duct inlet;   a fluid distributor positioned to deliver cleaning fluid onto the brushroll; and   wherein the suction duct comprises a narrowed section downstream of the duct inlet to increase air velocity within the brush chamber.   
     
     
         17 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the nozzle cover defines a top wall of the suction duct. 
     
     
         18 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 16 , comprising a squeegee mounted to the base housing behind the brushroll and the brush chamber, wherein the squeegee is angled obliquely to the surface to be cleaned at an incline rising toward the suction duct and is configured to contact the surface as the base moves across the surface to be cleaned. 
     
     
         19 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid distributor comprises a manifold having a plurality of manifold outlets that distribute cleaning fluid to the brushroll, wherein the manifold is rear of the brushroll, above a rotational axis of the brushroll, and above the duct inlet. 
     
     
         20 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the nozzle cover comprises an interior brushroll-facing side configured to face the brushroll, and the manifold is provided on the interior brushroll-facing side of the nozzle cover; and   the manifold comprises a curved brushroll-facing surface configured to face the brushroll, the curved brushroll-facing surface having the plurality of manifold outlets, wherein a gap is defined between the curved brushroll-facing surface and the brushroll whereby the manifold does not interfere with the brushroll.