Surface cleaner

Abstract

A wet surface cleaner operable in an upright cleaning mode, an auxiliary cleaning mode, and a lift-off cleaning mode. The surface cleaner has a canister assembly that is coupled to a body in the upright cleaning mode and removed from the body in the auxiliary cleaning mode and the lift-off cleaning mode.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surface cleaner comprising:
 a body having a lower portion and an upper portion opposite the lower portion, the upper portion including a handle;   a base pivotably coupled to the lower portion of the body and configured to move across a cleaning surface;   a nozzle positioned on the base adjacent the cleaning surface;   a canister assembly removably coupled to the body, the canister assembly includes a housing, a supply tank and a recovery tank;   a hose having a first end coupled to the canister assembly and fluidly connected to the recovery tank and a second end coupled to the base and fluidly connected to the nozzle; and   a suction source in fluid communication with the recovery tank, the suction source operable to draw fluid and debris through the hose into the recovery tank;   wherein the surface cleaner is operable in an upright cleaning mode when the canister assembly is coupled to the body and the surface cleaner is operable in an auxiliary cleaning mode when the canister assembly is uncoupled from the body; and   wherein in the upright cleaning mode and in the auxiliary cleaning mode the nozzle is movable over the cleaning surface by a user grasping the handle such that in operation debris and fluid are drawn through the nozzle, through the hose and into the recovery tank.   
     
     
         2 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the second end of the hose is configured to be uncoupled from the base, and wherein the surface cleaner is operable in a lift-off cleaning mode when the canister assembly is uncoupled from the body and the second end of the hose is uncoupled from the base. 
     
     
         3 . The surface cleaner of  claims 1 , wherein the body is collapsible into a collapsed position such that the lower portion and the upper portion are adjacent in the collapsed position. 
     
     
         4 . The surface cleaner of  claim 3 , where in the upper portion and the lower portion telescope together. 
     
     
         5 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the supply tank is fluidly connected to a fluid line extending along the hose to a fluid distributor positioned on the base, the fluid distributor configured to distribute fluid to the cleaning surface. 
     
     
         6 . The surface cleaner of  claim 5 , wherein the surface cleaner includes an actuator in fluid communication with the fluid line to selectively dispense fluid from the supply tank through the fluid distributor. 
     
     
         7 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a carrying handle. 
     
     
         8 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the second end of the hose is configured to be uncoupled from the base, and wherein the nozzle is removable from the base and connectable to the second end of the hose. 
     
     
         9 . The surface cleaner of  claim 8 , wherein the nozzle is coupled to the base in the upright cleaning mode and the auxiliary cleaning mode and the nozzle is removed from the base and connected to the second end of the hose in the lift-off cleaning mode. 
     
     
         10 . The surface cleaner of  claim 5 , wherein the second end of the hose and the fluid line are configured to be uncoupled from the base, and wherein the surface cleaner further comprises a cleaning tool having a cleaning tool nozzle and a cleaning tool fluid distributor, wherein the cleaning tool is connectable to the second end of the hose fluidly connecting the cleaning tool nozzle to the hose and the cleaning tool fluid distributor to the fluid line. 
     
     
         11 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the supply tank and the recovery tank are in a side by side orientation. 
     
     
         12 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein when the canister assembly is coupled to the body and the body upper portion is positioned above the lower portion, the motor is positioned at an elevation below the supply tank. 
     
     
         13 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein when the canister assembly is coupled to the body and the body upper portion is positioned above the lower portion, the supply tank is positioned at an elevation above the recovery tank. 
     
     
         14 . The surface cleaner of  claim 13 , wherein the motor positioned at an elevation below the supply tank. 
     
     
         15 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein when the canister assembly is coupled to the body and the body upper portion is positioned above the lower portion, the motor is positioned at an elevation above the recovery tank. 
     
     
         16 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein when the canister assembly is coupled to the body and the body upper portion is positioned above the lower portion, the motor is positioned at an elevation below the recovery tank. 
     
     
         17 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the suction source is operable to generate a working airflow along an airpath extending from a suction inlet to an exhaust outlet, wherein the airpath is external to the body upper portion. 
     
     
         18 . The surface cleaner of  claim 17 , where the airpath is external to the body lower portion. 
     
     
         19 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the hose is flexible. 
     
     
         20 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1 . wherein the base includes an agitator driven by an agitator motor. 
     
     
         21 . The surface cleaner of  claim 20 , wherein the agitator motor is powered by a battery positioned on the base. 
     
     
         22 . The surface cleaner of  claim 20 , further comprising a power cord configured to provide alternating electrical current to the suction source.