EP-4740809-A1 - HARD SURFACE CLEANING APPARATUS

EP4740809A1EP 4740809 A1EP4740809 A1EP 4740809A1EP-4740809-A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a hard surface cleaning device. The hard surface cleaning device comprises: a suction assembly for creating a suction flow, the suction assembly comprising a suction unit and an electric motor for driving the suction unit; a suction nozzle in fluid communication with the suction assembly for sucking the liquid air mixture from the hard surface; a cleaning flow path between the suction nozzle and the suction assembly, and a separating member for separating liquid from the sucked liquid air mixture is provided in the cleaning flow path; and a fluid reservoir for containing the separated liquid, the fluid reservoir being detachably mounted to the separating member; wherein the fluid reservoir and the separating member are integrally attachable to and detachable from the hard surface cleaning device.

Inventors

QIN, Tian Kui

Assignees

Techtronic Cordless GP

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20251105

Claims (15)

A hard surface cleaning device comprising: a suction assembly for creating a suction flow, the suction assembly comprising a suction unit and an electric motor for driving the suction unit; a suction nozzle in fluid communication with the suction assembly for sucking the liquid air mixture from the hard surface; a cleaning flow path between the suction nozzle and the suction assembly, and a separating member for separating liquid from the sucked liquid air mixture is provided in the cleaning flow path; and a fluid reservoir for containing the separated liquid, the fluid reservoir being detachably mounted to the separating member; wherein the fluid reservoir and the separating member are integrally attachable to and detachable from the hard surface cleaning device.
The hard surface cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the separating member comprises a double cylinder structure in an upper portion, and a mixture inlet is formed between an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder and the inner cylinder is formed as a gas exit outlet, and the sucked liquid air mixture enters the fluid reservoir via the mixture inlet and the gas exits the hard surface cleaning device via the gas exit outlet.
The hard surface cleaning device according to either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the separating member and the fluid reservoir respectively comprise a fixing means and a complementary mating means, such that the separating member is releasably fixed to the fluid reservoir.
The hard surface cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the separating member comprises a flange at an upper portion, and the flange comprises a stopping portion extending axially downwardly from its peripheral edge, wherein the stopping portion comprises a recessed portion which is formed circumferentially as a blind hole in the stopping portion.
The hard surface cleaning device according to claim 4, wherein the fluid reservoir is provided with a stopping protrusion at the mouth extending radially outwards from the mouth, and the stopping protrusion is configured to engage the stopping portion, in particular the recessed portion.
The hard surface cleaning device according to claim 5, wherein the stopping portions are provided at diametrically opposite positions of the flange, and the number of stopping protrusions is the same as the number of stopping portions.
The hard surface cleaning device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the stopping protrusion has a wedge shape along a clockwise direction.
The hard surface cleaning device according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the hard surface cleaning device is provided with a locking element, and the fluid reservoir is provided with complementary locking means at its bottom side, and the fluid reservoir is releasably lockable to the hard surface cleaning device by means of the locking element and complementary locking means.
The hard surface cleaning device according to claim 8, wherein said complementary locking means is a receiving portion recessed inwardly towards the accommodating space of the fluid reservoir, and said hard surface cleaning device comprises a bottom wall housing, and said locking element is a locking cap which biased into said receiving portion and held in place.
The hard surface cleaning device of either claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the fluid reservoir comprises a groove at a bottom thereof, and the groove is recessed inwardly from a bottom wall of the fluid reservoir, and the receiving portion is further recessed inwardly from the groove; the bottom wall housing is formed with a tongue projecting upward therefrom, and the groove is configured to slide on the tongue, and the locking cap is floatable to be exposed from the tongue.
The hard surface cleaning device of claim 10, wherein the tongue comprises an opening, and the locking cap comprises a crown in the form of a dome and a brim extending outwardly from a bottom of the crown, and the crown is movable through the opening but the brim is not movable through the opening, and a resilient member is compressively disposed between the bottom wall housing and the crown.
The hard surface cleaning device according to any preceding claim, wherein a molded seal is provided between the fluid reservoir and the separating member, and the molded seal is located in a radial direction between a mouth of the fluid reservoir and a body of the separating member.
The hard surface cleaning device according to claim 12, wherein a projecting wall portion is provided below the flange, and the projecting wall portion projects slightly more in a radial direction relative to the body of the separating member to form a stopper against the molded seal sliding out in an axial direction.
The hard surface cleaning device according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the molded seal is made of an elastomeric material, and the molded seal has ring portions on its outer peripheral surface which are spaced apart in the axial direction, and preferably O-rings are positioned between the spaced apart ring portions of the molded seal.
The hard surface cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the fluid reservoir further comprises a guide block projecting outwardly from an outer periphery of the upper end, and the shell of the hard surface cleaning device comprises a notch for receiving the guide block; preferably, the fluid reservoir further comprises a longitudinally extending raised portion, and the shell of the hard surface cleaning device comprises a recess for mating with the raised portion; preferably, the fluid reservoir is made of a transparent or translucent material.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the field of surface cleaning, and more particularly to a hard surface cleaning device having a suction assembly for creating a suction flow, a suction nozzle in fluid communication with the suction assembly, a cleaning flow path between the suction nozzle and the suction assembly, and a fluid reservoir for containing the separated liquid, and a separating member for separating liquid from a sucked liquid air mixture is arranged in the cleaning flow path. BACKGROUND A hard surface cleaning device is a device configured to clean hard surfaces such as glass surfaces. The hard surface cleaning device can perform cleaning and automatically absorb waste water and dirt produced during the cleaning at the same time, ensuring that the hard surface is clean and traceless. By using such a hard surface cleaning device, surfaces such as floor surfaces or table surfaces, or tiled wall surfaces or for example glass surfaces, in particular for window glass, can be cleaned. The hard surface cleaning device may be guided along a surface to be cleaned, and the hard surface cleaning device has a suction nozzle which is in fluid communication with a suction assembly and configured to suck a liquid air mixture. The suction assembly generates a suction air flow, under the action of which the liquid air mixture can be sucked from the surface to be cleaned or from a suction nozzle of the hard surface cleaning device that is in contact with the surface, for example. The separating member is used for separating liquid from the sucked liquid air mixture, and the fluid reservoir is used for containing the separated liquid. The fluid reservoir is typically detachable to allow a user to easily remove the fluid reservoir for cleaning and emptying. This reduces the risk of dirt accumulating inside the hard surface cleaning device, extends the useful life of the hard surface cleaning device, and ensures that the hard surface cleaning device remains being efficiently operated at all times. In the art, a rotary locking type connection is generally used, and a rotary action is used for fixing the fluid reservoir, and a thread or a rotary locking groove is generally designed at an interface of the fluid reservoir. The user places the fluid reservoir into a corresponding interface of the hard surface cleaning device and then rotates the fluid reservoir clockwise so that the threads or locking tabs thereon engage the locking structure of the hard surface cleaning device to complete the locking. When detaching the fluid reservoir, the locking device can be released only by reversely rotating the fluid reservoir, and the fluid reservoir can be taken down. In some applications, although a rotary locking type connection may detachably connect the fluid reservoir to the hard surface cleaning device, as the interface is subjected to the weight of the fluid reservoir during use, particularly when a volume of fluid has been stored in the fluid reservoir, the weight of the fluid reservoir may cause the sealing and connection of the fluid reservoir at the interface to become weakened by the greater weight due to the fluid reservoir being suspended from the hard surface cleaning device solely by the connection, the fluid reservoir may fall or the fluid in the fluid reservoir may flow out of the interface, thereby affecting the operation of the hard surface cleaning device. Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for an improved hard surface cleaning device which facilitates good cleaning effects, wherein the fluid reservoir of the hard surface cleaning device can be easily removed and replaced, in particular tool-lessly replaced, and it is ensured that the fluid reservoir is held firmly in place and thus the hard surface cleaning device has good cleaning effects and an extended overall service life. SUMMARY It is an object of the present application to provide a hard surface cleaning device, in which a fluid reservoir can be locked to the hard surface cleaning device without tools at its upper and lower ends and can be detached from the hard surface cleaning device without tools, and the fluid reservoir is supported at both its upper and lower ends in use, helping to ensure that the fluid reservoir is held firmly in place, preventing the fluid reservoir from loosening and fluid leaking from the fluid reservoir, thus ensuring good cleaning effects for the hard surface cleaning device and extending overall lifetime for the hard surface cleaning device. To solve the above technical problems, in one aspect of the present application, there is provided a hard surface cleaning device comprising: a suction assembly for creating a suction flow, the suction assembly comprising a suction unit and an electric motor for driving the suction unit;a suction nozzle in fluid communication with the suction assembly for sucking the liquid air mixture from the hard surface;a cleaning flow path between the suction no