Surface cleaning appartaus

Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus includes a fluid delivery system and a recovery system and is operable to vacuum and/or mop a floor surface. The fluid delivery system has a supply tank that may form a portion of a recovery pathway. A fluid dispenser may dispense liquid through a mopping pad to the surface to be cleaned. The surface cleaning apparatus may include wheels fore and aft of the mopping pad. The recovery system may include a recovery tank with a top-load mounting arrangement

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surface cleaning apparatus, comprising:
 a base comprising a base housing;   an upright body assembly pivotally attached to the base;   a supply tank removably mounted on the base housing;   a recovery system comprising a recovery path, a suction nozzle, a recovery tank, and a suction source;   wherein a portion of the recovery path is formed by a bottom wall of the supply tank; and   wherein removal of the supply tank from the base housing removes the portion of the recovery path.   
     
     
         2 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom wall of the supply tank forms a portion of the recovery path that extends from the suction nozzle to the recovery tank. 
     
     
         3 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom wall of the supply tank forms a portion of the recovery path that is fluidly downstream of the suction nozzle and fluidly upstream of the recovery tank. 
     
     
         4 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the recovery path comprises a suction conduit between the suction nozzle and the recovery tank, and the bottom wall of the supply tank forms a portion of the suction conduit. 
     
     
         5 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the suction conduit comprises a first mating half and a second mating half, and the supply tank comprises the first mating half, wherein removal of the supply tank from the base housing removes the first mating half of the suction conduit and the second mating half remains with the base housing. 
     
     
         6 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the first mating half comprises an upper conduit section defining at least a top of the suction conduit and the second mating half comprises a lower conduit section defining at least a bottom of the suction conduit. 
     
     
         7 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 5 , comprising a compressible seal between the first mating half and the second mating half. 
     
     
         8 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the supply tank defines a liquid storage volume, and a portion of the liquid storage volume can surround a portion of the first mating half. 
     
     
         9 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the base housing comprising an upper side, the supply tank comprises at least one an externally-facing surface that forms an external surface of the base, and the bottom wall comprises an internally-facing surface that forms an internal surface of the base and confronts the upper side of the base housing. 
     
     
         10 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a hook-and-catch coupling between the supply tank and the base housing, the hook-and-catch coupling comprising hooks on the supply tank and catches on the base housing; and   a tank latch to retain the supply tank on the base housing;   wherein the hook-and-catch coupling is disposed forwardly of the tank latch.   
     
     
         11 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a joint assembly connecting the base to the upright body assembly for movement of the upright body assembly about at least one axis, wherein the surface cleaning apparatus comprises a lay-flat position in which an angle between the base and the upright body assembly is substantially 180 degrees. 
     
     
         12 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising at least one mopping pad disposed on an underside of the base. 
     
     
         13 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 12 , comprising a fluid dispenser provided on the base above the at least one mopping pad, the fluid dispenser in fluid communication with the supply tank via a fluid delivery pathway, wherein the fluid dispenser comprises at least one distributor outlet configured to spray fluid toward a surface to be cleaned through a cleaning fluid passage in the at least one mopping pad. 
     
     
         14 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 13 , comprising:
 at least one rotatable pad holder provided on the base housing, wherein the at least one mopping pad is provided on the at least one rotatable pad holder for rotation therewith and the cleaning fluid passage extends through the at least one rotatable pad holder; and   a drive motor operably coupled with the at least one rotatable pad holder for rotation of the at least one rotatable pad holder and the at least one mopping pad.   
     
     
         15 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the suction nozzle is disposed at a forward edge of the base, in front of the at least one mopping pad. 
     
     
         16 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the base comprises a plurality of wheels facilitating movement of the surface cleaning apparatus over a surface to be cleaned, wherein the plurality of wheels comprises at least one first wheel forward of the at least one mopping pad and at least one second wheel rearward of the at least one mopping pad. 
     
     
         17 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the upright body assembly comprises a tank receiver, the recovery tank comprises an upper end and a lower end, and the recovery tank is mountable to the upright body assembly via the tank receiver, the upper end of the recovery tank being insertable into the tank receiver followed by insertion of the lower end. 
     
     
         18 . A surface cleaning apparatus, comprising:
 a base;   an upright body assembly pivotally attached to the base;   at least one mopping pad on a lower side of the base; and   a plurality of wheels on the lower side of the base facilitating movement of the surface cleaning apparatus over a surface to be cleaned, wherein the plurality of wheels comprises:
 at least one first wheel forward of the at least one mopping pad; and 
 at least one second wheel rearward of the at least one mopping pad; 
 wherein the at least one second wheel comprises a caster rotates about a first axis and swivels about a second axis that is non-parallel to the first axis. 
   
     
     
         19 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 18 , comprising a joint assembly connecting the base to the upright body assembly for movement of the upright body assembly about at least one axis, wherein the surface cleaning apparatus comprises a lay-flat position in which an angle between the base and the upright body assembly is substantially 180 degrees, wherein the at least one first wheel, the at least one second wheel, and the at least one mopping pad are in contact with the surface to be cleaned in the lay-flat position. 
     
     
         20 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the at least one mopping pad comprises a pair of rotatable mopping pads spaced in a lateral direction on the lower side of the base;   the at least one first wheel comprises a pair of wheels spaced in a lateral direction on the lower side of the base and forward of the pair of rotatable mopping pads; and   the at least one second wheel comprises a pair of casters spaced in a lateral direction on the lower side of the base and rearward of the pair of rotatable mopping pads.