Liquid extraction apparatus and method

Abstract

An apparatus includes a body, a first tank and a second tank. The body includes a front side, a back side, a top side and a bottom side. The body also includes a first fluid output, a first air passage, a second air passage, and a third air passage. A nozzle is removably attached to the front side of the body. The nozzle includes a fourth air passage proximate the bottom side of the body and a fifth air passage proximate the top side of the body. The fifth air passage is communicatively coupled with the fourth air passage. The nozzle is attached to the body such that the first air passage and the fifth air passage are substantially aligned. The apparatus also includes a handle coupled with the body, a vacuum motor, a fluid pump and a controller configured to activate the fluid pump and/or the vacuum motor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a body comprising:
 one or more sidewalls defining a front side, a back side, a top side and a bottom side of the body; 
 a first fluid output; 
 a first air passage; 
 a second air passage communicatively coupled with the first air passage; and 
 a third air passage; 
   a nozzle removably attached to the front side of the body, the nozzle comprising a fourth air passage proximate the bottom side of the body and a fifth air passage proximate the top side of the body, the fifth air passage being communicatively coupled with the fourth air passage, the nozzle being attached to the body such that the first air passage and the fifth air passage are substantially aligned;   a handle coupled with the body, the handle comprising:
 a base portion comprising a first fluid coupling communicatively coupled with the first fluid output; 
 a shaft coupled with the base portion; and 
 a grip portion at an end of the shaft opposite the base portion; 
   a first tank over the base portion, the first tank comprising:
 a first vessel configured to accommodate a fluid; and 
 a second fluid coupling communicatively coupled with the first fluid coupling; 
   a second tank over the body, the second tank comprising:
 a second vessel separated from the first vessel; 
 a sixth air passage communicatively coupled with the second air passage; and 
 a seventh air passage communicatively coupled with the third air passage; 
   a vacuum motor in the base portion of the handle having an inlet communicatively coupled with the third air passage;   a fluid pump in the body communicatively coupled with the first fluid coupling and the first fluid output; and   a controller in the body communicatively coupled with the vacuum motor and the fluid pump, the controller being configured to activate the fluid pump to cause fluid contained in the first tank to be supplied to the first fluid output, and to activate the vacuum motor to draw one or more of air, debris, a liquid or a portion of the fluid into the second tank by way of the first air passage.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a fluid control switch configured to be in one of a plurality of selectable positions,
 wherein the controller is configured to cause fluid contained in the first tank to be supplied to the first fluid output at a rate based on the position of the fluid control switch. 
   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a second fluid output communicatively coupled with the first fluid coupling,   wherein,
 the first air passage and the second fluid output are configured to mate with an accessory connector comprising an accessory fluid coupling and an accessory connector air passage. 
   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the second fluid output is located on the front side of the body such that the second fluid output is exposed if the nozzle is detached from the body. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 an agitator;   an agitator motor communicatively coupled with the controller and configured to cause the agitator to move based on an instruction received from the controller; and   a mode selection switch communicatively coupled with the controller,   wherein
 if the mode selection switch is in a first position, and power is supplied to the controller, the controller is configured to cause the agitator to move and to cause the flow of the fluid to be based on the position of the fluid control switch, and 
 if the mode selection switch is in a second position, and power is supplied to the controller, the controller is configured to cause the agitator to be stationary and fluid to be supplied to the second fluid output at a predetermined rate independent of the position of the fluid control switch. 
   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the vacuum motor to stop based on a determination that the actuator is jammed. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the handle is configured to rotate with respect to the body about a first axis and to rotate about a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising a handle locking mechanism configured to fix the handle with respect to the body. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a trigger;   a mechanical linkage inside the shaft extending from the trigger to the base portion of the handle;   a fluid pump communicatively coupled with the first fluid coupling; and   an actuator communicatively coupled with the fluid pump,   wherein the mechanical linkage is configured to contact the actuator based on an actuation of the trigger, and the fluid pump is configured to cause fluid to be supplied to the first fluid output based on the actuation of the trigger and the contact between the mechanical linkage and the actuator.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second tank comprises an air conduit extending from the sixth air passage to an internal portion of the second vessel of the second tank, and the air conduit comprises a first flow path that branches into a second flow path and a third flow path that each communicatively couple the internal portion of the second vessel of the second tank with the sixth air passage. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle comprises a skid portion adjacent to the fourth air passage and at least one wheel on a side of the nozzle opposite to the skid portion with the fourth air passage being between the skid portion and the at least one wheel. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle comprises a squeegee surrounding the fourth air passage, the nozzle having a plurality of structures extending from a base of the squeegee in a direction away from the fourth air passage. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the nozzle is one of a first nozzle or a second nozzle included in a set of nozzles configured to be individually attached to the body,   the first nozzle comprises a skid portion adjacent to the fourth air passage and at least one wheel on a side of the nozzle opposite to the skid portion with the fourth air passage being between the skid portion and the at least one wheel, and   the second nozzle comprises a squeegee surrounding the fourth air passage, the nozzle having a plurality of structures extending from a base of the squeegee in a direction away from the fourth air passage.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a fluid pump in the body communicatively coupled with the first fluid coupling by a tube; and   a bridge around which the tube extends,   wherein the bridge is configured to maintain a minimum radius around which the tube curves between the fluid pump and the first fluid coupling independent of a position of the handle.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a magnet inside the vessel of the first tank, the magnet being configured to float based on a quantity of the fluid accommodated within the vessel of the first tank; and   a sensor inside the base portion of the handle, the sensor being configured to detect a distance between the magnet and the sensor based on a magnetic field associated with the magnet,   wherein the controller is configured to cause an alert to be output based on the quantity of the fluid accommodated within the vessel of the first tank being below of predetermined quantity.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a light on an exterior of the body communicatively coupled with the controller,   wherein the alert comprises causing the light to turn on based on a determination that the quantity of the fluid accommodated within the vessel of the first tank is below a predetermined quantity.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet of the vacuum motor is communicatively coupled with the third air passage by way of a hose, and the first fluid coupling is communicatively coupled with the first fluid output by way of a tube inside the hose. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 a wherein the first air passage and the second air passage are on ends of a coupler removably attached to one or more sidewalls of the body.   
     
     
         19 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a body comprising:
 a housing; 
 a first fluid output; 
 a first air passage; 
 a second air passage communicatively coupled with the first air passage; and 
 a third air passage; 
   a nozzle removably attached to the housing, the nozzle comprising a fourth air passage and a fifth air passage, the fifth air passage being communicatively coupled with the fourth air passage, the nozzle being attached to the housing such that the first air passage and the fifth air passage are substantially aligned;   a handle coupled with the body, the handle comprising:
 a base portion comprising a first fluid coupling communicatively coupled with the first fluid output; 
 a shaft coupled with the base portion; and 
 a grip portion at an end of the shaft opposite the base portion; 
   a first tank over the base portion, the first tank comprising:
 a first vessel configured to accommodate a fluid; and 
 a second fluid coupling communicatively coupled with the first fluid coupling; 
   a second tank over the body, the second tank comprising:
 a second vessel separated from the first vessel; 
 a sixth air passage communicatively coupled with the second air passage; and 
 a seventh air passage communicatively coupled with the third air passage; 
   a vacuum motor having an inlet communicatively coupled with the third air passage;   a fluid pump communicatively coupled with the first fluid coupling and the first fluid output; and   a controller communicatively coupled with the vacuum motor and the fluid pump, the controller being configured to activate the fluid pump to cause fluid contained in the first tank to be supplied to the first fluid output, and to activate the vacuum motor to draw one or more of air, debris, a liquid or a portion of the fluid into the second tank by way of the first air passage,   wherein the second tank comprises an air conduit extending from the sixth air passage to an internal portion of the second vessel of the second tank, and the air conduit comprises a first flow path that branches into a second flow path and a third flow path that each communicatively couple the internal portion of the second vessel of the second tank with the sixth air passage.   
     
     
         20 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a body comprising:
 a housing; 
 a first fluid output; 
 a first air passage; 
 a second air passage communicatively coupled with the first air passage; and 
 a third air passage; 
   a nozzle removably attached to the housing, the nozzle comprising a fourth air passage and a fifth air passage, the fifth air passage being communicatively coupled with the fourth air passage, the nozzle being attached to the housing such that the first air passage and the fifth air passage are substantially aligned;   a handle coupled with the body, the handle comprising:
 a base portion comprising a first fluid coupling communicatively coupled with the first fluid output; 
 a shaft coupled with the base portion; and 
 a grip portion at an end of the shaft opposite the base portion; 
   a first tank over the base portion, the first tank comprising:
 a first vessel configured to accommodate a fluid; and 
 a second fluid coupling communicatively coupled with the first fluid coupling; 
   a second tank over the body, the second tank comprising:
 a second vessel separated from the first vessel; 
 a sixth air passage communicatively coupled with the second air passage; and 
 a seventh air passage communicatively coupled with the third air passage; 
   a vacuum motor having an inlet communicatively coupled with the third air passage;   a fluid pump communicatively coupled with the first fluid coupling and the first fluid output;   a controller communicatively coupled with the vacuum motor and the fluid pump, the controller being configured to activate the fluid pump to cause fluid contained in the first tank to be supplied to the first fluid output, and to activate the vacuum motor to draw one or more of air, debris, a liquid or a portion of the fluid into the second tank by way of the first air passage;   an agitator;   an agitator motor communicatively coupled with the controller and configured to cause the agitator to move based on an instruction received from the controller; and   a mode selection switch communicatively coupled with the controller, wherein   if the mode selection switch is in a first position, and power is supplied to the controller, the controller is configured to cause the agitator to move and to cause the flow of the fluid to be based on the position of the fluid control switch, and   if the mode selection switch is in a second position, and power is supplied to the controller, the controller is configured to cause the agitator to be stationary and fluid to be supplied to the second fluid output at a predetermined rate independent of the position of the fluid control switch.