Floor cleaner and steam cleaning apparatus for a floor cleaner

Abstract

A cleaning apparatus is operable to clean a floor cleaner. The floor cleaner includes a base movable along a surface to be cleaned, a brushroll motor, and a brushroll rotatable about a brushroll axis relative to the base by the brushroll motor. The cleaning apparatus includes a tray that is configured to removably receive the floor cleaner in a mounted position. The tray includes a brushroll-receiving portion configured to receive the brushroll of the floor cleaner. The cleaning apparatus also includes a reservoir configured to store liquid and a boiler in fluid communication with the reservoir. The boiler is configured to convert the liquid into steam. The cleaning apparatus also includes a steam distributor in fluid communication with the boiler. The steam distributor has one or more steam openings configured to dispense the steam onto the brushroll.

1 . A cleaning apparatus for a floor cleaner, the floor cleaner having a base movable along a surface to be cleaned, a brushroll motor, and a brushroll rotatable about a brushroll axis relative to the base by the brushroll motor, the cleaning apparatus comprising:
 a tray configured to removably receive the floor cleaner in a mounted position, the tray including a brushroll-receiving portion configured to receive the brushroll of the floor cleaner;   a reservoir configured to store liquid;   a boiler in fluid communication with the reservoir, the boiler configured to convert the liquid into steam; and   a steam distributor in fluid communication with the boiler, the steam distributor having one or more steam openings configured to dispense the steam onto the brushroll.   
     
     
         2 . The cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the reservoir is removable from the tray. 
     
     
         3 . The cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning apparatus includes a pump operably positioned between the reservoir and the boiler, the pump configured to transfer the liquid from the reservoir to the boiler. 
     
     
         4 . The cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more steam openings extend along at least 50% of a length of the brushroll-receiving portion. 
     
     
         5 . The cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the steam distributor extends along at least 50% of a length of the brushroll-receiving portion. 
     
     
         6 . The cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , the one or more steam openings being a plurality of steam openings configured to dispense the steam onto the brushroll. 
     
     
         7 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the brushroll-receiving portion defines a longitudinal axis, and wherein the steam distributor includes a plurality of segments along the longitudinal axis, at least one of the plurality of segments including at least one of the plurality of steam openings positioned a radial first distance from the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         8 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of segments includes at least one of the plurality of steam openings positioned the radial first distance from the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         9 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of segments is separated from an adjacent segment by a divot, a rear wall bounding the divot positioned a radial second distance from the longitudinal axis, the second distance being greater than the first distance. 
     
     
         10 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of segments forms a comb shape. 
     
     
         11 . The cleaning apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the steam distributor includes a longitudinal ridge extending along at least a portion of the brushroll-receiving portion, wherein at least one of the one or more steam openings extends along the longitudinal ridge positioned a radial first distance from the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         12 . The cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the brushroll has a brushroll radius defined from the brushroll axis to an outer perimeter of the brushroll, wherein the one or more steam openings are positioned a radial first distance from the brushroll axis, and wherein the radial first distance is less than the brushroll radius. 
     
     
         13 . The cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the brushroll has a brushroll radius defined from the brushroll axis to an outer perimeter of the brushroll, and wherein the cleaning apparatus is configured to engage the brushroll and expose an internal portion of the brushroll to the one or more steam openings, wherein the internal portion of the brushroll includes portions of the brushroll disposed at a dimension less than the brushroll radius from the brushroll axis. 
     
     
         14 . The cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning apparatus includes a controller operable to control an operation of either the boiler or a pump configured to deliver the liquid to the boiler, or both of the boiler and the pump. 
     
     
         15 . The cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the tray includes an actuator configured to activate the brushroll when the floor cleaner is in the mounted position in the tray. 
     
     
         16 . The cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plenum configured to deliver steam to the one or more steam openings. 
     
     
         17 . The cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a cover portion is configured to shield at least a portion of the one or more steam openings to inhibit an ingress of water and/or debris into the one or more steam openings. 
     
     
         18 - 43 . (canceled)