Surface cleaner

Abstract

A surface cleaner operable to clean a surface. The surface cleaner includes a housing having a handle and a base pivotably coupled to the handle, the handle configured to move the base along the surface. The surface cleaner includes a supply tank configured to store a liquid, a heater including a reservoir, a pump positioned between the supply tank and the heater, the pump operable to draw the liquid from the supply tank and pump the liquid into the reservoir, the heater operable to superheat the liquid. The surface cleaner also includes a pressure control element in fluid communication with the heater and operable to depressurize the liquid into vapor, a nozzle disposed in the base and in fluid communication with the pressure control element, the nozzle configured to dispense the vapor, and a cleaning pad coupled to the base such that the cleaning pad directly contacts the surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surface cleaner operable to clean a surface, the surface cleaner comprising:
 a housing including a handle and a base pivotably coupled to the handle, the handle configured to move the base along the surface;   a supply tank configured to store a liquid;   a heater including a reservoir;   a pump positioned between the supply tank and the heater, the pump operable to draw the liquid from the supply tank and pump the liquid into the reservoir, the heater operable to superheat the liquid;   a pressure control element in fluid communication with the heater and operable to depressurize the liquid into vapor;   a nozzle disposed in the base and in fluid communication with the pressure control element, the nozzle configured to dispense the vapor; and   a cleaning pad coupled to the base such that the cleaning pad directly contacts the surface.   
     
     
         2 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a battery operable to power the surface cleaner; and   a controller configured to control operation of the surface cleaner.   
     
     
         3 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1 , further comprising a conduit including a first fluid line extending between the supply tank the reservoir, and a second fluid line extending between the pressure control element and the nozzle. 
     
     
         4 . The surface cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein the heater uses less than 250 Watts of power to heat the liquid. 
     
     
         5 . The surface cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein the surface cleaner includes a first sensor configured to measure a pressure of the liquid, and wherein the surface cleaner includes a second sensor configured to measure a temperature of the liquid. 
     
     
         6 . The surface cleaner of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is operable to activate and deactivate the pump based at least in part on a signal received from the first sensor or second sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The surface cleaner of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is operable to activate and deactivate the heater based at least in part on a signal from the first sensor or second sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid is heated to a temperature of approximately 10 to 50 degrees above a boiling temperature of the liquid at atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         9 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid is pressurized at a pressure ranging from 1 bar to 3 bar in the reservoir. 
     
     
         10 . The surface cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein the surface cleaner is couplable to an external power source, the surface cleaner is operable to pre heat the liquid when coupled to the external power source. 
     
     
         11 . The surface cleaner of  claim 10 , wherein the controller pre heats the liquid to a temperature approximately 10 degrees lower than a boiling temperature of the liquid at atmospheric pressure when coupled to the external power source. 
     
     
         12 . The surface cleaner of  claim 11 , wherein the external power source is a battery charging station, the battery charging station is operable to pre heat the liquid when coupled to the battery charging station. 
     
     
         13 . The surface cleaner of  claim 11 , further comprising a power cord couplable to the external power source to charge the battery when the surface cleaner is connected to the external power source. 
     
     
         14 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the pump is operable to pressurize the liquid to a predetermined pressure greater than atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         15 . The surface cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning pad includes at least one aperture that allows the vapor to flow from the nozzle, through the at least one aperture, and onto the surface. 
     
     
         16 . A method of operating a surface cleaner comprising:
 pumping a liquid from a supply tank into a reservoir of a heater using a pump;   pressurizing the liquid in the reservoir using the pump to a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure;   powering the heater using power from an onboard battery;   superheating the liquid in the reservoir under the pressure to a predetermined temperature;   depressurizing the liquid using a pressure control element to form vapor; and   discharging the vapor through a nozzle.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising controlling the heater using a controller. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising powering the pump using power from the battery and controlling the pump using the controller. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising a power cord couplable to an external power source to charge the battery when the surface cleaner is connected to the external power source. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising preheating the liquid when coupled to the external power source, wherein preheating includes using the controller to activate the heater to heat the liquid to the predetermined temperature of approximately 10 degrees lower than a boiling temperature of the liquid at atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising preheating the liquid when coupled to the external power source, wherein preheating includes using the controller to activate the heater to superheat the liquid in the reservoir under the pressure. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the pressure ranges from 1 bar to 3 bar in the reservoir. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the predetermined temperature is approximately 10 to 50 degrees Celsius above a boiling temperature of the liquid at atmospheric pressure.