Carpet agitation apparatuses and methods

Abstract

A method and apparatus for cleaning a carpet. In some embodiments, the appliance includes a pad attached to a cleaning head, the pad having a non-absorbent portion that agitates the carpet with a reciprocating movement to work an encapsulant or other cleaning agent into the carpet fibers. The pad also may include an absorbent portion to absorb moisture from carpet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of cleaning a carpet using a surface cleaning appliance, the appliance having a pad mounted to a cleaning head, the method comprising:
 applying a liquid solution including an encapsulant to a carpet to be cleaned;   agitating the carpet by moving a pad across the carpet in a reciprocating motion;   allowing the encapsulant to interact with dirt particles; and   vacuuming the dirt particles and encapsulant from the carpet.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the pad includes a non-absorbent portion; and   agitating the carpet comprises moving the non-absorbent portion of the pad across the carpet in a reciprocating motion.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein allowing the encapsulant to interact with dirt particles includes penetrating, emulsifying, and dehydrating the dirt particles. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the pad is mounted to at least two moveable members on the cleaning head; and   agitating the carpet comprises moving the at least two moveable members and the pad in a reciprocating motion.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the pad comprises a first pad portion and a second pad portion; and   agitating the carpet comprises moving the first pad portion and the second pad portion toward and away from one another.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein:
 a surface-facing side of the pad comprises only non-absorbent portions; and   agitating the carpet comprises moving the non-absorbent portions of the pad across the carpet while the surface-facing side of the pad is in contact with the carpet.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the surface-facing side of the pad further comprises at least one glide portion. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein:
 a surface-facing side of the pad comprises non-absorbent and absorbent portions; and   agitating the carpet comprises moving the absorbent and non-absorbent portions of the pad across the carpet while the surface-facing side of the pad is in contact with the carpet.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the non-absorbent and absorbent portions are integrated in a same area of the surface-facing side of the pad. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the non-absorbent and absorbent portions are separate portions on the surface-facing side of the pad. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the surface-facing side of the pad comprises at least one glide portion. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the non-absorbent portion of the pad comprises polyolefin loops. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the non-absorbent portion of the pad comprises plastic loops. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising absorbing moisture and/or dirt from the carpet with an absorbent portion of the pad. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying the encapsulant to the carpet comprises spraying the solution including an encapsulant using a liquid application system that is mounted to the appliance. 
     
     
         16 . A carpet cleaning appliance comprising:
 an appliance body;   a cleaning head attached to the appliance body, wherein a moveable member on the cleaning head is moveable relative to the appliance body in a reciprocating motion;   a pad which is removably attachable to the moveable member such that the pad moves in a reciprocating motion with the moveable member, wherein the pad is configured to agitate a carpet and work an encapsulant into carpet fibers;   a liquid reservoir adapted to contain a solution; and   a liquid applicator to apply the solution to the carpet.   
     
     
         17 . The carpet cleaning appliance of  claim 16 , wherein the pad includes a non-absorbent portion configured to agitate the carpet when the pad is moved in a reciprocating motion. 
     
     
         18 . The carpet cleaning appliance of  claim 16 , wherein the liquid reservoir contains a solution with an encapsulant. 
     
     
         19 . The carpet cleaning appliance of  claim 16 , wherein the encapsulant interacts with dirt in the carpet fibers by emulsifying and dehydrating the dirt. 
     
     
         20 . The carpet cleaning appliance of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the cleaning head includes at least two moveable members; and   the pad is attached to the at least two moveable members.   
     
     
         21 . The carpet cleaning appliance of  claim 20 , wherein:
 the pad comprises a first pad portion and a second pad portion; and   the first and second pad portions move toward and away from one another to agitate the carpet.   
     
     
         22 . The carpet cleaning appliance of  21 , wherein the first and second pad portions are connected. 
     
     
         23 . The carpet cleaning appliance of  claim 16 , wherein the pad comprises an absorbent portion to absorb moisture from the carpet. 
     
     
         24 . The carpet cleaning appliance of  claim 17 , wherein the non-absorbent portion of the pad comprises polyolefin loops. 
     
     
         25 . The carpet cleaning appliance of  claim 17 , wherein the non-absorbent portion of the pad comprises plastic loops. 
     
     
         26 . The carpet cleaning appliance of  claim 20 , wherein a surface-facing side of the pad comprises only non-absorbent portions. 
     
     
         27 . The carpet cleaning appliance of  claim 26 , wherein the surface-facing side of the pad comprises at least one glide portion. 
     
     
         28 . The carpet cleaning appliance of  claim 20 , wherein a surface-facing side of the pad comprises non-absorbent and absorbent portions. 
     
     
         29 . The carpet cleaning appliance of  claim 28 , wherein the non-absorbent and absorbent portions are integrated in the same area of the surface-facing side of the pad. 
     
     
         30 . The carpet cleaning appliance of  claim 28 , wherein the non-absorbent and absorbent portions are separate portions on the surface-facing side of the pad. 
     
     
         31 . The carpet cleaning appliance of  claim 28 , wherein the surface-facing side of the pad comprises at least one glide portion. 
     
     
         32 . The carpet cleaning appliance of  claim 16 , wherein the pad comprises at least one layer that is sewn together in a cross pattern. 
     
     
         33 . The carpet cleaning appliance of  claim 16 , wherein the cross pattern forms a quadrilateral stitch pattern.