Floor cleaning nozzle for surface cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A floor cleaning nozzle for a surface cleaning apparatus includes a nozzle housing having a brushroll compartment, a suction inlet opening to the brushroll compartment, a main brushroll, and an edge brushroll. The edge brushroll is connected to an end of the main brushroll and is rotatable therewith about an axis. The edge brushroll can at least partially extend through an edge cleaning aperture in the nozzle housing.

1 . A floor cleaning nozzle for a surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
 at least one fluid dispenser in fluid communication with a source of cleaning fluid and configured to dispense cleaning fluid to a surface to be cleaned;   a nozzle housing having a first side, a second side, a bottom, a brushroll compartment therein, an elongated suction inlet opening to the brushroll compartment, and an edge cleaning aperture in the first side extending upward from the bottom;   a main brushroll rotatably mounted in the brushroll compartment about an axis, the main brushroll having a first end corresponding to the first side of the nozzle housing and a second end corresponding to the second side of the nozzle housing, the main brushroll comprising a main agitation material extending through the suction inlet opening; and   an edge brushroll in the brushroll compartment, the edge brushroll connected to the first end of the main brushroll and rotatable therewith about the axis, the edge brushroll comprising an edge agitation material extending through the edge cleaning aperture.   
     
     
         2 . The floor cleaning nozzle of  claim 1 , wherein the second side of the nozzle housing extends upward from the bottom of the nozzle housing and the nozzle housing is closed to airflow through the second side. 
     
     
         3 . The floor cleaning nozzle of  claim 1 , comprising a squeegee on the bottom of the nozzle housing, wherein the squeegee is rearward of the main brushroll. 
     
     
         4 . The floor cleaning nozzle of  claim 3 , wherein the squeegee is laterally elongated and extends into the edge cleaning aperture in the first side of the nozzle housing, wherein the squeegee is rearward of the edge brushroll. 
     
     
         5 . The floor cleaning nozzle of  claim 1 , comprising a brushroll assembly comprising the main brushroll and the edge brushroll, wherein the brushroll assembly is removable as a unit from the nozzle housing. 
     
     
         6 . The floor cleaning nozzle of  claim 5 , wherein the brushroll assembly comprises a carrier supporting the brushroll assembly within the brushroll compartment; and wherein the nozzle housing comprises a carrier mount within the brushroll compartment that mounts the carrier, where the carrier mount is disposed between a first end and a second end of the brushroll compartment such that the brushroll assembly is supported by the carrier at a location intermediate the first and second ends of the brushroll compartment. 
     
     
         7 . The floor cleaning nozzle of  claim 6 , wherein the carrier is axially offset along a length of the brushroll assembly and is disposed between the main brushroll and the edge brushroll. 
     
     
         8 . The floor cleaning nozzle of  claim 6 , comprising a drive coupling connecting the edge brushroll with the main brushroll, wherein the drive coupling extends through the carrier. 
     
     
         9 . The floor cleaning nozzle of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle housing comprises a removeable brushroll cover having an underside that is adjacent to the main brushroll and the edge brushroll, the brushroll cover defining at least a portion of the brushroll compartment, wherein the brushroll cover defines at least one edge of the edge cleaning aperture. 
     
     
         10 . The floor cleaning nozzle of  claim 9 , wherein the brushroll cover comprises at least one of an upper wall and a front wall extending from the first side of the nozzle housing to cover at least one of an upper portion and a front portion of the edge brushroll. 
     
     
         11 . The floor cleaning nozzle of  claim 9 , comprising a carrier coupled with a non-rotatable portion of the main brushroll, wherein the carrier is removably mounted to the nozzle housing, the brushroll cover is removably mounted to the carrier, and the carrier is disposed between the main brushroll and the edge brushroll. 
     
     
         12 . The floor cleaning nozzle of  claim 9 , wherein the brushroll cover comprises a sidewall extending downwardly along a portion of the edge brushroll to cover an upper portion of the edge brushroll and leave a lower portion of the edge brushroll exposed, wherein the sidewall defines the at least one edge of the edge cleaning aperture. 
     
     
         13 . The floor cleaning nozzle of  claim 12 , wherein the edge brushroll comprises a first end face corresponding to the sidewall of the brushroll cover and a second end face corresponding to the first end of the main brushroll, wherein 50% or less of the first end face is covered by the sidewall of the brushroll cover and 50% or more of the first end face is exposed via the edge cleaning aperture. 
     
     
         14 . The floor cleaning nozzle of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one fluid dispenser comprises a main fluid dispenser configured to deliver cleaning fluid to at least the main brushroll and an edge fluid dispenser configured to deliver cleaning fluid to at least the edge brushroll. 
     
     
         15 . The floor cleaning nozzle of  claim 14 , wherein the edge fluid dispenser comprises a spray tip having at least one outlet and disposed at a rear surface of the brushroll compartment, inwardly of the first side of the nozzle housing. 
     
     
         16 . The floor cleaning nozzle of  claim 14 , wherein the main fluid dispenser comprises a spray manifold having a plurality of outlets, wherein the plurality of outlets are axially spaced to dispense cleaning fluid along the main brushroll, and wherein the edge fluid dispenser is separate from the spray manifold. 
     
     
         17 . The floor cleaning nozzle of  claim 1 , wherein the main brushroll comprises a main brushroll length along the axis, the edge brushroll comprises an edge brushroll length along the axis, and wherein a ratio of the main brushroll length to edge brushroll length is 5:1 to 10:1. 
     
     
         18 . The floor cleaning nozzle of  claim 1 , wherein the main agitation material comprises microfiber having a first nap length, and the edge agitation material comprises microfiber having a second nap length that is less than the first nap length. 
     
     
         19 . The floor cleaning nozzle of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a brushroll motor;   a drive transmission connecting the brushroll motor with the second end of the main brushroll and configured to transmit rotational motion of the brushroll motor to the main brushroll; and   a drive coupling connecting the edge brushroll with the main brushroll, wherein the drive coupling comprises:
 a shaft fixed with the main brushroll, the shaft comprising an externally-threaded head; and 
 an internally-threaded neck on the edge brushroll, wherein the edge brushroll is attached to the shaft by screwing the externally-threaded head into the internally-threaded neck. 
   
     
     
         20 . A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
 an upright body comprising a handle and a frame;   a floor cleaning nozzle operably coupled to the upright body;   a supply tank adapted to hold a supply of cleaning fluid;   a recovery tank; and   a suction source;   wherein the floor cleaning nozzle comprises:
 a nozzle housing having a first side, a second side, a bottom, a brushroll compartment therein, an elongated suction inlet opening to the brushroll compartment, wherein the suction inlet opening is in fluid communication with the suction source, and an edge cleaning aperture in the first side extending upward from the bottom; 
 at least one fluid dispenser in fluid communication with the supply tank; 
 a main brushroll rotatably mounted in the brushroll compartment about an axis, the main brushroll having a first end corresponding to the first side of the nozzle housing and a second end corresponding to the second side of the nozzle housing, the main brushroll comprising a main agitation material extending through the suction inlet opening; and 
 an edge brushroll in the brushroll compartment, the edge brushroll connected to the first end of the main brushroll and rotatable therewith about the axis, the edge brushroll comprising an edge agitation material extending through the edge cleaning aperture.