Floor cleaner

Abstract

A floor cleaner including a vacuum source recovery tank or collection bin and a body pivotally coupled to a base. The body is pivotable between an upright storage position and an inclined operating position and the body includes a recovery tank recess. The floor cleaner further includes a recovery tank removably coupled to the body in the recovery tank recess, the recovery tank in fluid communication with a vacuum source and a suction inlet, the recovery tank configured to store the cleaning fluid and/or debris drawn through the suction inlet from a surface by the vacuum source. The floor cleaner further includes a projection and a recess that receives the projection when the recovery tank is coupled to the body to limit movement of the body relative to the recovery tank.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A floor cleaner comprising:
 a vacuum source;   a supply tank configured to store a cleaning fluid;   a base movable over a surface to be cleaned, the base having a distribution nozzle in fluid communication with the supply tank, the distribution nozzle configured to dispense the cleaning fluid and the base including a suction inlet in fluid communication with the vacuum source;   a body pivotally coupled to the base, the body pivotable between an upright storage position, in which the body extends along an axis that is positioned generally upright, and an inclined operating position, the body including a recovery tank recess and an outlet in fluid communication with the vacuum source;   a recovery tank removably coupled to the body in the recovery tank recess, the recovery tank in fluid communication with the outlet, vacuum source, and the suction inlet, the recovery tank configured to store the cleaning fluid drawn through the suction inlet by the vacuum source,   the recovery tank including,
 a tank body having a lower end wall, an open upper end, and a sidewall that extends upwardly from the lower end wall to the open upper end, 
 a cover removably coupled to the open upper end to close the open upper end of the tank body, the cover including a suction air outlet in fluid communication with the vacuum source, and 
   wherein the cover includes at least one of a recess and a projection and the body includes the other of the recess and the projection, the projection received in the recess when the recovery tank is coupled to the body in the recovery tank recess, the projection received in the recess to limit movement of the cover of the recovery tank along the axis relative to the body and to maintain connection between the suction air outlet and the outlet.   
     
     
         2 . The floor cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the recovery tank further includes a latch that engages a latch recess to removably couple the recovery tank to the body, wherein the latch and the latch recess are spaced from the projection and the recess. 
     
     
         3 . The floor cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes the projection and the cover includes the recess. 
     
     
         4 . The floor cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the interaction of the projection and the recess holds the cover against an upper portion of the recovery tank recess. 
     
     
         5 . The floor cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the cover includes a filter aperture downstream of the suction air outlet, and wherein the recovery tank includes a filter received in the filter aperture. 
     
     
         6 . The floor cleaner of  claim 5 , wherein the outlet is configured to align with and be adjacent to the filter when the recovery tank is received within the recovery tank recess such that air exiting the recovery tank passes through the filter before passing through the outlet toward the vacuum source. 
     
     
         7 . The floor cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes a portion adjacent the recovery tank recess, wherein the projection is received in the recess to limit flexing of the portion. 
     
     
         8 . The floor cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes a portion adjacent the recovery tank recess, wherein the recovery tank recess has a front height and the portion is rearwardly flexible to increase the front height of the recovery tank recess. 
     
     
         9 . The floor cleaner of  claim 8 , wherein the cover moves linearly along a distance of travel relative to the tank body when the portion flexes rearwardly. 
     
     
         10 . The floor cleaner of  claim 9 , wherein the cover includes a lid seal that engages the sidewall of the tank body to seal the recovery tank, and wherein the seal is positioned offset from a top side of the cover such that the lid seal remains engaged with the sidewall of the tank body during the distance of travel. 
     
     
         11 . The floor cleaner of  claim 10 , wherein the cover includes a filter aperture downstream of the suction air outlet configured to receive a filter, and wherein when the cover moves along the tank body for the distance of travel, the filter and the lid seal move with the cover relative to the tank body. 
     
     
         12 . The floor cleaner of  claim 8 , wherein the recovery tank includes a latch that selectively engages a latch recess to removably couple the recovery tank to the body, and wherein the interaction of the projection and the recess prevents the latch from disengaging from the latch recess when the portion flexes rearwardly. 
     
     
         13 . A floor cleaner comprising:
 a vacuum source;   a base movable over a surface to be cleaned, the base having a suction inlet in fluid communication with the vacuum source;   a body pivotally coupled to the base for movement between an upright storage position, in which the body extends along an axis that is positioned generally upright, and an inclined operating position, the body including a recovery tank recess having an outlet in fluid communication with the vacuum source;   a recovery tank removably coupled to the body in the recovery tank recess and in fluid communication with the outlet of the recovery tank recess, the vacuum source, and the suction inlet, the recovery tank configured to store debris drawn through the suction inlet;   wherein the body includes at least one of a projection and a recess, and   wherein the recovery tank includes the other of the projection and the recess, the recess receives the projection when the recovery tank is coupled to the body to limit movement of at least a portion of the recovery tank along the axis relative to the outlet of the recovery tank recess and the body.   
     
     
         14 . The floor cleaner of  claim 13 , wherein the projection is positioned in the recess adjacent the outlet of the recovery tank recess. 
     
     
         15 . The floor cleaner of  claim 13 , wherein the recovery tank further includes a latch that engages a latch recess to removably couple the recovery tank to the body, wherein the latch and the latch recess are spaced from the projection and the recess. 
     
     
         16 . The floor cleaner of  claim 13 , wherein the projection is a first projection, wherein the floor cleaner further includes a second projection, wherein the first projection and the second projection are positioned on opposite sides of the outlet of the recovery tank recess. 
     
     
         17 . The floor cleaner of  claim 13 , wherein the recovery tank further includes
 a tank body having a lower end wall, an open upper end, and a sidewall that extends upwardly from the lower end wall to the open upper end, and   a cover removably coupled to the open upper end to close the open upper end of the tank body, the cover including a suction air outlet in fluid communication with the vacuum source and positioned adjacent the outlet in the recovery tank recess when the recovery tank is coupled to the body.   
     
     
         18 . The floor cleaner of  claim 17 , wherein the outlet is positioned on an upper portion of the recovery tank recess, and wherein the interaction of the projection and the recess limits movement of the cover along the axis relative to the body and holds the cover against the upper portion of the recovery tank recess such that the cover moves relative to the tank body along a distance of travel. 
     
     
         19 . The floor cleaner of  claim 18 , wherein the cover includes a lid seal configured to engage the sidewall of the tank body, wherein the lid seal is offset from an upper side of the cover such that the lid seal remains engaged with the sidewall through the distance of travel. 
     
     
         20 . The floor cleaner of  claim 19 , wherein the cover further includes a filter aperture in fluid communication with the vacuum source, wherein a filter is received in the filter aperture, and wherein when the cover moves along the distance of travel, the lid seal and the filter move with the cover. 
     
     
         21 . The floor cleaner of  claim 20 , wherein the outlet is configured to align with and be adjacent to the filter aperture when the recovery tank is received in the recovery tank recess such that air exiting the recovery tank passes through the filter before passing through the outlet toward the vacuum source. 
     
     
         22 . The floor cleaner of  claim 13 , wherein the body includes a portion adjacent the recovery tank recess, wherein the projection is received in the recess to limit flexing of the portion. 
     
     
         23 . The floor cleaner of  claim 13 , wherein the body includes a portion adjacent the recovery tank recess, wherein the recovery tank recess has a front height and the portion is rearwardly flexible to increase the front height of the recovery tank recess.