Abstract: A vacuum cleaner comprises a cleaning head having a suction nozzle adapted to be moved along a surface to be cleaned, and a hair collection assembly provided on the cleaning head and having a hair collection element adapted to collect hair from the surface to be cleaned as the cleaning head moves along the surface to be cleaned.

Abstract: A wet extraction floor cleaning device having a base assembly adapted for movement on a surface being cleaned, an operating handle pivotally attached to the base assembly, a supply tank having a supply tank outlet, and a recovery tank having a recovery tank inlet and a recovery tank outlet. The base assembly has an inlet nozzle that extends from an inlet slit proximal the surface being cleaned to a nozzle outlet. The device further includes a fluid deposition assembly that can be selectively placed in fluid communication with the supply tank outlet, a vacuum source, and first and second external pockets. The supply and recovery tanks are adapted to be selectively placed in the first and second external pockets, thereby placing the supply tank outlet in fluid communication with the fluid deposition system, the recovery tank inlet in fluid communication with the nozzle outlet, and the recovery tank outlet in fluid communication with the vacuum source inlet.

Abstract: Vibration dampening elements that are made of rubber and/or an elastomer may fail when subjected to vertical and/or horizontal stresses caused by repeated lifting of the cleaning head assembly and/or unintentional bumping of the cleaning head assembly into door frames, walls or other non-movable objects. The present invention includes, among other things, at least one stabilizer element and preferably two stabilizer elements to reduce damage to certain vibration dampening elements caused by vertical and/or horizontal stress. Alternative embodiments of the stabilizer element are also disclosed.

Abstract: A cleaning device with sweeping and vacuuming functions includes a body accommodating a sweep module and a vacuum module. A main brush and an auxiliary brush driven by a power unit are pivoted in the sweep module. The main brush partially extends outside an opening at a bottom of the sweep module and contacts a ground surface. The sweep module has an outlet adjacent to a top of the auxiliary brush, and is pivoted in the body to freely and pivotally swing under weight. A first chamber of a dust collector of the vacuum module has an inlet corresponding to the outlet, and trash removed by the sweep module is collected into the first chamber. An air inlet communicating with an air intake component is formed above a second chamber of the dust collector. A suction port is formed below the second chamber to draw dust into the second chamber.

Abstract: A brush roller accessory for a vacuum cleaner includes a main support roller and a power-driven brush roller rotatably arranged in a housing, and a spring-biased adjusting roller that adjustably protrudes from the housing to bear some of the total contact force of the accessory against a floor, to reduce or relieve the contact force exerted by the brush roller against the floor. The adjusting roller is rotatably mounted on a pivot lever, having a first end pivotally connected to the housing and a second end connected to a spring that biases the lever to pivot the adjusting roller outwardly from the housing. A rotary knob with several stop surfaces selects an upper limit on the pivot range of the lever and the adjustment height of the adjusting roller. A coupling link pivots the adjusting roller to a maximally protruding position to lift the brush roller into a parking position.

Abstract: A robot cleaner with a pivotable brush which pivots in accordance with a condition of a floor surface to be cleaned. The pivotal brush prevents overload to a suction motor caused by excessive contact of the brush with the floor surface to be cleaned. The robot cleaner includes a robot cleaner body with a hinge receiving portion, a brush frame with a hinge protrusion pivotally connected to the hinge receiving portion, and a suction port sealingly connected with the dust suction portion of the robot cleaner body. A brush cover is detachable from the brush frame via a brush cover locking mechanism. A rotatable brush is rotatably disposed between the brush frame and the brush cover.

Abstract: A vacuum sweeper is cantilevered to a hinged bracket mounted to the front of a conventional automatic floor scrubber. The sweeper includes a vacuum head, an overlying debris ramp, and two vertically rotating, conical brushes having their base ends in contact with the floor. The base end of the conical brushes sweep a path at the edge of the vacuum sweeper in excess of the width of the scrubber. The entire vacuum sweeper apparatus is mounted for vertical excursion relative to the cantilevered mount to the hinge bracket to enable up and down excursion of the sweeper and vacuum responsive to either scrubber motion or inevitable floor irregularities encountered during floor scrubbing. Where vacuuming is not required in advance of scrubbing, such as during double scrubbing or floor stripping cycles, provision is made to hinge the vacuum sweeper upwardly away from floor engagement. A ramp is used in conjunction with the vacuum for collecting large debris.

Abstract: An extraction cleaning machine has a solution dispensing system and a recovery system for applying a cleaning solution to a surface and recovering the solution from the surface, and an agitation brush assembly for agitating the surface. The agitation brush assembly can include friction-type or other dampers for reducing brush bounce, and biasing elements for maintaining a constant downward force on the brush. The brush can have multiple helical rows of tufted bristles, preferably at least four rows, or can comprise a continuous helix of bristles in a twisted-wire spindle. The brush can further have a removable fabric cover for mounting over a bristle brush for contacting a surface being cleaned. The brush assembly can function in an upright extraction cleaning machine with or without an above floor cleaning tool, a hand-held extractor, or a hand-held attachment to a canister extractor or an above floor tool in upright extractor.

Abstract: An improved floor cleaning device having a base assembly for movement along a cleaning surface is provided. The base assembly comprises a brush assembly for engaging the surface of the floor being cleaned removably mounted to a base part. A nozzle assembly is removably mounted to the base part such that the nozzle assembly is positioned adjacent to the brush assembly to prevent the brush assembly from disengaging from the base part.

Abstract: A recovery system for use in a floor cleaning machine of the type including a dispensing system and a recovery system. The dispensing system configured for dispensing a liquid cleaning solution onto a floor surface to facilitate the removal of dirt from the floor surface. A recovery system configured for recovering cleaning solution and dirt from the floor surface thereby leaving a cleaned floor surface. The recovery system comprises a recovery tool movable over the floor surface. The recovery tool comprises a body including an interior suction chamber in fluid communication with a source of vacuum. At least one blade is secured to the tool body and depending therefrom for engagement with the floor surface to provide fluid communication between the suction chamber and the floor surface, whereby cleaning solution and dirt are suctioned from the floor surface.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner of the fixed or floating nozzle type wherein a spring is utilized for urging the suction nozzle into the carpet pile to maintain and improve nozzle suction over a wide range of carpet pile heights and types. Such cleaners often lose nozzle suction as the pile height of the carpet increases and forces the suction nozzle upward away from the carpet. The addition of a spring to force the suction nozzle downward restores and improves nozzle suction and thereby improves overall cleaning efficiency of the vacuum cleaner.

Abstract: The invention relates to a surface-cleaning device (61, 63) which has a base part (69) and a cleaning part (67) having a substantially flat contact surface (71) for contact with a surface (41) to be cleaned and which is rotatable relative to the base part about an axis of rotation (77) extending substantially perpendicularly to the contact surface. According to the invention, the cleaning part is pivotable relative to the base part about a pivot axis (105) which extends transversely to the axis of rotation, and the base part is so constructed that a component (93) is present and exerts a pre-tension force, preferably a pre-tension torque (Mp) on the cleaning part about said pivot axis.

Abstract: A floor cleaning machine having a body in which the body cover assembly is hollow and serves as the recovery solution reservoir; while the lower body assembly, which is also hollow, serves as the cleaning solution tank or reservoir. In addition, the lower body has a recessed area proportioned to receive and secure the batteries required for driving the motors involved in the floor cleaning machine. A trans-axle drive supports the lower body and has a drive wheel at each end powered by a motor differential engaging the axles coupled to the wheels. Together the body and trans-axle drive comprise a modular power unit. Mounting means are provided on the forward portion of the lower body of the power unit for lift arms to be secured to various power floor scrubbers for use on hard floors or a carpet extractor for cleaning carpeted floors. The linkage for the floor scrubber mode and carpet cleaning mode is the same.

Abstract: A floor care appliance, in particular a vacuum cleaning appliance, for example a vacuum cleaner (1) or a floor polisher, with downwardly directed bristles (11) arranged preferably around its outer periphery, the bristles (11) being fixed in a mounting strip (13), and the mounting strip (13) being positively held in a downwardly open receiving groove portion (14) of sidewalls (16, 19) inwardly extending projections (17, 24) being disposed on the sidewalls (16, 19). In order to enable force-free installation and removal of the mounting strip fitted with the bristles, the projections (24) of one sidewall (19) are displaceable into a release disposition for the mounting strip (13).

Abstract: The present invention is a hand held tool for removing coatings from a substrate. The hand held tool includes a housing having a front section with an outlet, a mid section with an inlet, and a rear section, a heat source disposed within the front section of the housing for emitting heat through the outlet, and a vacuum source disposed within the mid section of the housing for providing suction through the inlet. The hand held coating remover further includes a power source disposed within the rear section for supplying power to the heat source and the vacuum source, a control panel having a heat controller for adjusting and controlling the heat emitted from the heat source through the outlet and a vacuum controller for adjusting and controlling the suction provided by the vacuum through the inlet, and a blade located adjacent to the inlet and resiliently coupled to the housing.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner nozzle having a first nozzle part (11) which has brush elements (23) or the like facing the floor and a second nozzle part (25) which is movably arranged with respect to the first part (11) and which has at least one suction opening (27) through which air flows to an outlet tube (13) connected to the nozzle. The second nozzle part (25) is supported by the first nozzle part (11) by means of a resilient element (31). The resilient element maintains the second part (25) above the floor when the nozzle is moved on a hard surface and allows the second part (25) to move toward the floor when the nozzle is moved on a soft surface, such as a soft carpet.

Abstract: A vertically sliding brush is provided along each edge of a vacuum cleaner nozzle. The edge brush is spring biased downwardly. A sliding lever operates the brush between engaged, self-adjusting, and disengaged positions. The edge brush acts to agitate or disturb dirt and debris in corners of a floor to provide improved cleaning.

Abstract: The present invention describes improvements to an air-floated apparatus having a deck with an open bottom, a platform enclosing a portion of the open bottom of the deck to define a pressure chamber, and an impeller for pressurizing air in the pressure chamber to float the housing above a support surface, the platform having an opening and the deck having an outer periphery. According to the invention, a novel structural member is supported between the deck and the platform along a predetermined portion of the deck outer periphery, the structural member including an upper wall and a lower wall defining a chamber. A pressure seal is supported in the platform opening.

Abstract: The invention comprehends the use of a brush mounting housing mounted over a nozzle housing so as to dispose brushes forwardly and rearwardly of a nozzle opening. The brush mounting housing is pivotally mounted relative to the nozzle housing so that the forward and rearward brushes may be movable relative to the nozzle. The brush mounting housing is advantageously pivoted to the nozzle at the location of nozzle housing pivot to a wand coupling for the floorcare appliance.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner nozzle arrangement has a nozzle defining a suction channel arranged across the width of the nozzle with suction edges surrounding the channel. The nozzle is connected to a connecting wand via a conduit segment disposed therebetween and a vacuum cleaner can be attached to the connecting wand. The nozzle is suspended from the nozzle housing by means of a so-called parallel crank drive. The nozzle housing is configured to be driven or pushed upon a surface to be cleaned.

Abstract: A self-adjusting wiper strip assembly for use with a vacuum cleaner includes a surface engaging wiper strip made of a relatively soft, compliant plastic material. The wiper strip includes a colored tip portion; when the colored tip portion wears off, an operator is alerted to the need to replace the wiper strip assembly. The wiper strip is connected to a relatively hard, plastic rigid component that provides rigidity to the wiper strip. The rigid component is connected by a relatively soft, flexible, web-like plastic hinge component to a relatively hard, plastic attachment component that removably, securely attaches the wiper strip assembly to the vacuum cleaner. The hinge component automatically enables the wiper strip to move vertically with respect to the attachment component so that the wiper strip automatically adjusts its vertical position depending on the type of surface being cleaned by the vacuum cleaner.

Abstract: A nozzle is disclosed having a brush adjustably mounted in it so as to be movable inwardly and outwardly of a slotted bottom plate forming member. This bottom plate forming member includes resilient, deformable tabs which pass the brush inwardly into the nozzle during forceable assembly but limit outward movement of the brush when it is moved outwardly within the nozzle.

Abstract: Vacuum cleaner attachments which have a V-shaped cleaning head and are particularly suited for cleaning in corners and crevices and along the edges of surfaces. Vertically biased and rotatable brushes and other disturbers can be provided to promote the dislodgement of foreign substances from the surface being cleaned. A preferred universal-type connection between the cleaning head and a vacuum fitting attached thereto facilitate the manipulation of the attachment and allow pressure to be brought to bear on the nose of the cleaning head, thereby promoting the dislodgement of foreign substances from the surface being cleaned.

Abstract: A nozzle for a vacuum suction cleaner has a suction inlet on its bottom surface, and behind the inlet, the nozzle has a brush receiving chamber. The brush comprises a support bar in the brush chamber and the support bar supports depending bristles. A respective spring at both lateral ends of the brush chamber presses against the bristle support bar and urges the brush out of the housing. A respective spring supporting retainer which is integral with each spring is clipped to each of two projections at the lateral ends of the brush chamber and that spring supporting retainer is removable from its projection to facilitate removal of the brush from the brush chamber.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner nozzle particularly adapted to clean carpets and characterized by its efficient combination of central brushing and downward and inward air flows on opposite sides and toward the central brush and also characterized by selective height setting in relation to the length of the hairs of a carpet. This vacuum cleaner nozzle includes a central body defining an air suction chamber, a rim engaging around the central body and cooperatively forming therewith a pair of downwardly extending slots laterally communicating with the central suction chamber under the nozzle, these slots extending against the laterally opposite sides of the central body, and the rim being settable relative to the latter in relation to the length of the hairs of any carpet.