Abstract: A tire mold segment containing a mold surface with a plurality of groove forming and sipe forming protrusions arranged to form tread portions of tires. At the end faces of the tire mold segment, the portion of sipe forming protrusions with an end that terminates at or near the mold segment end face have an increased width to provide a countermeasure against irregular tread wear and tire noise. The sipe forming protrusions having an end that terminates at or near a tire mold segment end face have a width of about 0.7 mm or more. The remaining sipe forming protrusions positioned on the tire mold segment can a reduced thickness to accommodate high sipe density tread designs.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a tire having a three-dimensional tire sipe are disclosed. In one embodiment, a tire having a sipe is provided, the tire comprising: opposing tread element portions separated by the sipe, each opposing tread element portion including a plurality of positive elements and a plurality of negative elements, wherein the plurality of positive elements and the plurality of negative elements include three substantially quadrilateral-shaped planar surfaces, each planar surface being oriented relative to another planar surface by an angle of 90 degrees, and wherein the three planar surfaces meet at a rounded terminal portion.

Abstract: An extraction cleaning apparatus includes separate cleaning tanks for water and detergent and optionally also for rinse agent. The apparatus is able to sense its direction of travel and/or rate of travel and to control the cleaning liquid composition and/or rate of its delivery onto the floor in accordance therewith. For example, the apparatus is able to dispense detergent at a higher rate when the forward rate of travel increases and to dispense only water and/or rinse agent in the reverse direction.

Abstract: An upright vacuum cleaner is provided having a suction nozzle height adjustment arrangement controlled by a rotary mode control member located on the upper housing. The rotary mode control member controls a suction nozzle height adjustment motor and a rotary agitator drive disconnect arrangement. A wheel tensioner located on an idler arm is operatively connected to a cam on the suction nozzle height adjustment motor which tensions and de-tensions the agitator drive belt to control the rotary agitator. The rotary mode control member could have discrete settings for the various floor surfaces to be cleaned including bare floors and carpet of varying pile heights. Alternately, the rotary mode control member could be variable so that an infinite number of suction nozzle height settings can be selected.

Abstract: An upright vacuum cleaner is provided having a dirt collecting system with a downwardly pivoting lid for disposing of the collected dirt. The dirt collecting system has a latching arrangement for securing the pivoting lid into the closed position. A release member on the sidewall of the dirt collecting container is in operative engagement with a latching arrangement for releasing the pivoting lid from the closed position when the dirt collecting container is removed from the cleaner housing. The latching arrangement utilizes a slide member that traverses the underside of the pivoting lid. The slide member is biased into the latched position by a pair of resilient members. A pair of torsional springs are disposed in the hinges pivotally connecting the pivoting lid to the sidewall of the dirt collecting container to bias the pivoting lid into the open position when the release member is depressed.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus for cleaning a surface in which cleaning solution is dispensed to the surface and substantially simultaneously extracted along with the dirt on the surface in a continuous operation is provided. The cleaning apparatus includes a base portion for movement along the surface and a handle pivotally connected to the base portion. A solution tank for supplying a flow of cleaning solution to the surface is removably mounted to one of the base portion and handle. A recovery tank is removably mounted to the handle. A suction nozzle is secured to the base portion. A suction source is located downstream of the recovery tank in fluid communication with the suction nozzle for generating suction to draw dirt and liquid through the suction nozzle and into the recovery tank. A suction conduit is fluidly connected between the recovery tank and the suction source.

Abstract: A floor care appliance is provided with a switch for controlling the height of the suction nozzle. The switch controls the height of the suction nozzle by controlling the operation of an independent motor and a gear and cam arrangement operatively connected to the wheel carriage. Another cam arrangement is operatively connected to the independent motor which engages suction nozzle height adjustment travel limits at both extremes of the suction nozzle height. The suction nozzle height adjustment travel limit switches turn off current to the independent motor at the extremes of the suction nozzle height to prevent overheating of the independent motor and over travel. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, two wires connect the suction nozzle height control switch to the independent motor along with the two travel limit switches and a pair of diodes.