Hard surface cleaner

Abstract

A surface cleaner, comprising a tank having a fluid-filled part and an air-filled part; a vacuum pump; a fluid pressure pump; a cleaning head having a cleaning chamber and a vacuum chamber, the cleaning chamber forming a cavity bounded by a surface to be cleaned, the vacuum chamber having an inlet lip at the periphery of the cleaning chamber; jet nozzles mounted within the cleaning chamber; wherein the pressure pump draws fluid from the tank and ejects it into the cleaning chamber through the nozzles; wherein the vacuum pump maintains a low pressure in the air-filled part of the tank and a high pressure in the cleaning chamber; and wherein the inlet lip is in fluid communication with the air-filled part of the tank portion whereby fluid ejected into the cleaning chamber is drawn into the inlet lip and returned to the tank.

1 . A surface cleaner, comprising:
 a sealed tank portion having a fluid-filled part and an air-filled part;   a pneumatic vacuum pump having an inlet and an exhaust;   a fluid pressure pump having an inlet and an exhaust;   a cleaning head portion having an inner cleaning chamber and an annular vacuum chamber, said inner cleaning chamber forming a hollow cavity which is bounded at its lower end by a surface to be cleaned, said annular vacuum chamber having an inlet lip disposed at the periphery of said inner cleaning chamber;   one or more jet nozzles mounted within said inner cleaning chamber;   wherein said inlet of said pressure pump is in fluid communication with said fluid-filled part of said sealed tank portion drawing fluid from said sealed tank portion;   wherein said exhaust of said pressure pump is in fluid communication with said one or more jet nozzles thus ejecting said drawn fluid from said sealed tank portion into said inner cleaning chamber through said one or more jet nozzles;   wherein said inlet of said vacuum pump is in fluid communication with said air-filled part of said sealed tank portion maintaining a lower than atmospheric pressure in said air-filled part;   wherein said exhaust of said vacuum pump is in fluid communication with said inner cleaning chamber maintaining a higher than atmospheric pressure in said inner cleaning chamber; and   wherein said inlet lip of said annular vacuum chamber is in fluid communication with said air-filled part of said sealed tank portion whereby said fluid ejected into said inner cleaning chamber is drawn into said inlet lip and returned to said air-filled part of said sealed tank.   
   
   
       2 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1  wherein one or more filters are disposed between said inlet of said pressure pump and said fluid-filled part of said sealed tank so as to substantially remove debris from said fluid before it enters said pressure pump. 
   
   
       3 . The surface cleaner of  claim 2  wherein said one or more filters are removable. 
   
   
       4 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1  further comprising a skirt disposed peripherally around said inlet lip of said annular vacuum chamber. 
   
   
       5 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1  wherein said one or more jet nozzles rotate while ejecting fluid into said inner cleaning chamber. 
   
   
       6 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1  wherein said annular vacuum chamber is formed by inner and outer walls of said cleaning head portion. 
   
   
       7 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1  further comprising means for regulating the pressure within said sealed tank portion. 
   
   
       8 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1  further comprising means for regulating the pressure within said inner cleaning chamber. 
   
   
       9 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1  further comprising means for regulating the pressure at which said fluid is ejected into said cleaning chamber through said one or more jet nozzles. 
   
   
       10 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1  wherein said sealed tank portion is removable. 
   
   
       11 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1  further comprising:
 in said cleaning head portion, an annular pressure chamber, said annular pressure chamber having an exit lip disposed at the periphery of said inlet lip of said annular vacuum chamber; and   wherein said annular pressure chamber is in fluid communication with said exhaust of said vacuum pump whereby pressurized air is ejected through said exit lip of said annular pressure chamber.   
   
   
       12 . The surface cleaner of  claim 11  further comprising means for regulating the pressure within said annular pressure chamber. 
   
   
       13 . A surface cleaner, comprising:
 a removable sealed tank portion having a fluid-filled part and an air-filled part;   a pneumatic vacuum pump having an inlet and an exhaust;   a fluid pressure pump having an inlet and an exhaust;   a cleaning head portion having an inner cleaning chamber and an annular vacuum chamber, said inner cleaning chamber forming a hollow cavity which is bounded at its lower end by a surface to be cleaned, said annular vacuum chamber formed by inner and outer walls of said cleaning head portion and having an inlet lip disposed at the periphery of said inner cleaning chamber;   one or more jet nozzles mounted within said inner cleaning chamber;   a skirt disposed peripherally around said inlet lip of said annular vacuum chamber;   wherein said inlet of said pressure pump is in fluid communication with said fluid-filled part of said sealed tank portion drawing fluid from said sealed tank portion;   wherein said exhaust of said pressure pump is in fluid communication with said one or more jet nozzles thus ejecting said drawn fluid from said sealed tank portion into said inner cleaning chamber through said one or more jet nozzles;   wherein said inlet of said vacuum pump is in fluid communication with said air-filled part of said sealed tank portion maintaining a lower than atmospheric pressure in said air-filled part;   wherein said exhaust of said vacuum pump is in fluid communication with said inner cleaning chamber maintaining a higher than atmospheric pressure in said inner cleaning chamber;   wherein said inlet lip of said annular vacuum chamber is in fluid communication with said air-filled part of said sealed tank portion whereby said fluid ejected into said inner cleaning chamber is drawn into said inlet lip and returned to said air-filled part of said sealed tank;   wherein one or more filters are disposed between said inlet of said pressure pump and said fluid-filled part of said sealed tank so as to substantially remove debris from said fluid before it enters said pressure pump;   wherein said one or more filters are removable;   wherein said one or more jet nozzles rotate while ejecting fluid into said inner cleaning chamber;   wherein the pressure within said sealed tank portion is variable through regulating means;   wherein the pressure within said inner cleaning chamber is variable through regulating means; and   wherein the pressure at which said fluid is ejected into said cleaning chamber through said one or more jet nozzles is variable through regulating means.   
   
   
       14 . The surface cleaner of  claim 13  further comprising:
 in said cleaning head portion, an annular pressure chamber, said annular pressure chamber having an exit lip disposed at the periphery of said inlet lip of said annular vacuum chamber; and   wherein said annular pressure chamber is in fluid communication with said exhaust of said vacuum pump whereby pressurized air is ejected through said exit lip of said annular pressure chamber.   
   
   
       15 . The surface cleaner of  claim 14  further comprising means for regulating the pressure within said annular pressure chamber.