Extraction cleaner

Abstract

An extraction cleaner may include an upright body, a cleaning head pivotally coupled to the upright body, a supply tank coupled to the upright body and fluidly coupled to the cleaning head, a recovery tank coupled to the upright body and fluidly coupled to the cleaning head, and an agitator rotatably coupled to the cleaning head. The agitator may include a main body and a bristle strip extending helically around the main body and forming an acute attack angle with the main body that opens in a direction of rotation of the agitator during a cleaning operation of the extraction cleaner.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An extraction cleaner comprising:
 an upright body;   a cleaning head pivotally coupled to the upright body;   a supply tank coupled to the upright body and fluidly coupled to the cleaning head;   a recovery tank coupled to the upright body and fluidly coupled to the cleaning head; and   an agitator rotatably coupled to the cleaning head, the agitator including:
 a main body; and 
 a bristle strip extending helically around the main body and forming an acute attack angle with the main body that opens in a direction of rotation of the agitator during a cleaning operation of the extraction cleaner. 
   
     
     
         2 . The extraction cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the acute attack angle is about 75°. 
     
     
         3 . The extraction cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning head includes an agitator chamber for rotatably receiving the agitator and a debris inlet separate from the agitator chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The extraction cleaner of  claim 3 , wherein the agitator chamber includes a first spray nozzle and a second spray nozzle, each spray nozzle fluidly coupled to the supply tank. 
     
     
         5 . The extraction cleaner of  claim 4 , wherein each of the spray nozzles is configured to generate a spray pattern that extends between the agitator and a sidewall of the agitator chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The extraction cleaner of  claim 5 , wherein a substantial portion of each spray pattern does not intersect with the agitator and the sidewall of the agitator chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The extraction cleaner of  claim 4 , wherein the first spray nozzle is configured to generate a first spray pattern and the second spray nozzle is configured to generate a second spray pattern, the first and second spray patterns overlapping to form an overlap region. 
     
     
         8 . The extraction cleaner of  claim 7 , wherein the overlap region is forward of a central region of the agitator. 
     
     
         9 . The extraction cleaner of  claim 4 , wherein each of the first spray nozzle and the second spray nozzle include a nozzle body and a spray deflector configured to direct cleaning fluid towards a surface to be cleaned. 
     
     
         10 . The extraction cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the agitator includes a driven end and a non-driven end and the bristle strip extends from the driven end to the non-driven end. 
     
     
         11 . An extraction cleaner comprising:
 an upright body;   a cleaning head pivotally coupled to the upright body, the cleaning head including a debris inlet and an agitator chamber;   a suction motor fluidly coupled to the debris inlet;   a supply tank coupled to the upright body and fluidly coupled to the cleaning head;   a recovery tank coupled to the upright body and fluidly coupled to the debris inlet and the suction motor;   an agitator rotatably coupled to the cleaning head within the agitator chamber;   a first spray nozzle configured to generate a first spray pattern that extends between the agitator and the debris inlet; and   a second spray nozzle configured to generate a second spray pattern that extends between the agitator and the debris inlet, wherein a substantial portion of each of the first and second spray patterns does not intersect with the agitator and the agitator chamber.   
     
     
         12 . The extraction cleaner of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second spray patterns overlap to form an overlap region. 
     
     
         13 . The extraction cleaner of  claim 12 , wherein the overlap region is forward of a central region of the agitator. 
     
     
         14 . The extraction cleaner of  claim 11 , wherein each of the first spray nozzle and the second spray nozzle include a nozzle body and a spray deflector configured to direct cleaning fluid towards a surface to be cleaned. 
     
     
         15 . The extraction cleaner of  claim 11 , wherein the agitator includes a main body and a plurality of cleaning elements extending from the main body. 
     
     
         16 . The extraction cleaner of  claim 15 , wherein each of the cleaning elements form an acute attack angle with the main body that opens in a direction of rotation of the agitator during a cleaning operation of the extraction cleaner. 
     
     
         17 . The extraction cleaner of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the cleaning elements is a bristle strip. 
     
     
         18 . The extraction cleaner of  claim 17 , wherein the agitator includes a driven end and a non-driven end and the bristle strip extends from the driven end to the non-driven end. 
     
     
         19 . The extraction cleaner of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the cleaning elements is bristle tuft. 
     
     
         20 . The extraction cleaner of  claim 16 , wherein the acute attack angle is about 75°.