Hard and soft floor surface cleaner

Abstract

A floor cleaner configured to perform both hard and soft floor cleaning operations includes a mobile body, a motorized cleaning head, a cleaning liquid dispenser, a vacuum, a first vacuum extractor tool and a vacuum squeegee connected to the mobile body. The mobile body is configured to travel over a surface. The motorized cleaning head is connected to the mobile body and includes a cleaning tool. The cleaning liquid dispenser is configured to apply a cleaning liquid to the surface or the cleaning tool. The first vacuum extractor tool is configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum through a first vacuum path.

1 . A floor cleaner comprising: 
 a mobile body configured to travel over a surface;    a motorized cleaning head connected to the mobile body and comprising a cleaning tool;    a cleaning liquid dispenser configured to apply a cleaning liquid to one of the surface and the cleaning tool;    a vacuum supported on the mobile body;    a first vacuum extractor tool configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum through a first vacuum path; and    a vacuum squeegee connected to the mobile body.    
     
     
         2 . The cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum squeegee is configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum through a second vacuum path.  
     
     
         3 . The cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning tool comprises a hard floor surface cleaning tool.  
     
     
         4 . The cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning tool comprises a hard floor scrub brush.  
     
     
         5 . The cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning tool comprises a soft floor surface cleaning tool.  
     
     
         6 . The cleaner of  claim 5 , wherein the cleaning tool comprises one of a soil transfer roller and a soft floor extraction brush.  
     
     
         7 . The cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the first vacuum extractor tool is configured to remove liquid from a surface of the cleaning tool.  
     
     
         8 . The cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the first vacuum extractor tool is configured to engage the surface.  
     
     
         9 . The cleaner of  claim 8 , further comprising an extractor tool lift coupled to the first vacuum extractor tool, the lift mechanism configured to move the first vacuum extractor tool relative to the mobile body between a raised position, in which the first vacuum extractor tool is displaced from the surface, and an operating position, in which the first vacuum extractor tool engages the surface.  
     
     
         10 . The cleaner of  claim 2 , further comprising a second vacuum extractor tool configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum.  
     
     
         11 . The cleaner of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second vacuum extractor tools are each configured to engage the cleaning tool.  
     
     
         12 . The cleaner of  claim 10 , wherein: 
 the first vacuum extractor tool is configured to engage the cleaning tool and the second vacuum extractor tool is configured to engage the surface; and    the second vacuum extractor tool is configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum through a third vacuum path.    
     
     
         13 . The cleaner of  claim 12 , further comprising a vacuum path selector means for controlling vacuum communication between the vacuum and the first vacuum path, the second vacuum path and the third vacuum path.  
     
     
         14 . The cleaner of  claim 2 , further comprising a vacuum path selector means for selectively opening and closing vacuum communication between the vacuum and the first and second vacuum paths.  
     
     
         15 . A floor cleaner comprising: 
 a mobile body configured to travel over a surface;    a motorized cleaning head connected to the mobile body and comprising a cleaning tool;    a cleaning liquid dispenser configured to apply a cleaning liquid to one of the surface and the cleaning tool;    a vacuum supported on the mobile body;    a first vacuum path configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum;    a second vacuum path configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum;    a first vacuum extractor tool configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum through the first vacuum path; and    a vacuum squeegee connected to the mobile body and configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum through the second vacuum path.    
     
     
         16 . The cleaner of  claim 15 , further comprising a vacuum path selector means for selectively opening and closing vacuum communication between the vacuum and the first and second vacuum paths.  
     
     
         17 . The cleaner of  claim 15 , wherein the first vacuum extractor tool is configured to remove liquid from a surface of the cleaning tool.  
     
     
         18 . The cleaner of  claim 15 , wherein the first vacuum extractor tool is configured to engage the surface.  
     
     
         19 . The cleaner of  claim 18 , further comprising an extractor tool lift coupled to the first vacuum extractor tool, the lift mechanism configured to move the first vacuum extractor tool relative to the mobile body between a raised position, in which the first vacuum extractor tool is displaced from the surface, and an operating position, in which the first vacuum extractor tool engages the surface.  
     
     
         20 . The cleaner of  claim 15 , wherein the cleaning tool is selected from the group consisting of a soft floor cleaning tool and a hard floor cleaning tool.  
     
     
         21 . A floor cleaner comprising: 
 a mobile body configured to travel over a surface;    a motorized cleaning head connected to the mobile body and comprising a cleaning tool;    a cleaning liquid dispenser configured to apply a cleaning liquid to one of the surface and the cleaning tool;    a vacuum supported on the mobile body;    a first vacuum path configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum;    a second vacuum path configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum;    a third vacuum path configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum;    a first vacuum extractor tool configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum through the first vacuum path;    a second vacuum extractor tool configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum through the second vacuum path; and    a vacuum squeegee connected to the mobile body and configured for vacuum communication with the vacuum through the third vacuum path.    
     
     
         22 . The cleaner of  claim 21 , wherein the first and second vacuum extractor tools are each configured to remove liquid from a surface of the cleaning tool.  
     
     
         23 . The cleaner of  claim 21 , wherein the first vacuum extractor tool is configured to remove liquid from a surface of the cleaning tool and the second vacuum extractor tool is configured to engage the surface.