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EP-4740817-A1 - CLEANING APPARATUS WITH SPRING-LOADED TANK DOOR

EP4740817A1EP 4740817 A1EP4740817 A1EP 4740817A1EP-4740817-A1

Abstract

A cleaning apparatus (10) includes a body (12) having a handle (84), an actuator (26), and an actuator linkage (28) coupled with the actuator (26). A recovery tank (20) assembly includes a recovery tank (20) having a proximal end (20a), a distal end (20b), and an outer tank wall (22) extending therebetween to define a collection chamber (24), a door (18) operably coupled to the distal end (20b) of the recovery tank (20) to selectively close a bottom opening of the collection chamber (24), and at least one engagement linkage (30, 32a, 32b, 32c, 36, 38) configured to selectively couple with the actuator linkage (28). The at least one engagement linkage (30, 32a, 32b, 32c, 36, 38) is operably coupled to the recovery tank (20) and operably coupled with the door (18). A biasing member (44, 46) is configured to bias the door (18) to a closed position. A force applied to the actuator (26) sufficient to overcome a biasing force of the biasing member (44, 46) moves the at least one engagement linkage (30, 32a, 32b, 32c, 36, 38) toward the door (18) and, consequently, rotate the door (18) to an opened position.

Inventors

  • MOHAMMAD ARIFF, bin Abu Talib

Assignees

  • Bissell Inc.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20251110

Claims (15)

  1. A cleaning apparatus (10), comprising: a body (12) having a handle (84); an actuator (26); an actuator linkage (28) coupled with the actuator (26); and a recovery tank (20) assembly including: a recovery tank (20) having a proximal end (20a), a distal end (20b), and an outer tank wall (22) extending therebetween to define a collection chamber (24), the distal end (20b) being disposed farther from the handle (84) than the proximal end (20a); a door (18) operably coupled to the distal end (20b) of the recovery tank (20) to selectively close a bottom opening of the collection chamber (24); at least one engagement linkage (30, 32a, 32b, 32c, 36, 38) configured to selectively couple with the actuator linkage (28), wherein the at least one engagement linkage (30, 32a, 32b, 32c, 36, 38) is operably coupled with the door (18); and a biasing member (44, 46) operably coupled to the recovery tank (20) and configured to bias the door (18) to a closed position, wherein movement of the actuator linkage (28) in response to a force applied to the actuator (26) sufficient to overcome a biasing force of the biasing member (44, 46) moves the at least one engagement linkage (30, 32a, 32b, 32c, 36, 38) toward the door (18) and, consequently, rotates the door (18) to an opened position.
  2. The cleaning apparatus (10) of claim 1, wherein the at least one engagement linkage (30, 32a, 32b, 32c, 36, 38) extends along an outer surface (204) of the outer tank wall (22), and wherein the at least one engagement linkage (30, 32a, 32b, 32c, 36, 38) defines a slot (208), and further wherein the recovery tank (20) includes a protrusion (206) that extends into the slot (208) to define a range of movement of the at least one engagement linkage (30, 32a, 32b, 32c, 36, 38).
  3. The cleaning apparatus (10) of claim 2, wherein the biasing member (44) is operably coupled to the recovery tank (20) proximate to the protrusion (206) of the recovery tank (20) and is operably coupled with the at least one engagement linkage (30, 32a, 32b, 32c, 36, 38) proximate the slot (208), and wherein the biasing member (44) is configured to bias the at least one engagement linkage (30, 32a, 32b, 32c, 36, 38) away from the door (18) to bias the door (18) to the closed position.
  4. The cleaning apparatus (10) of either of claims 2 or 3, wherein the at least one engagement linkage (30, 32a, 32b, 32c, 36, 38) includes an elongated linkage (32a, 32b, 32c), and wherein the biasing member (44) includes a compression spring operably coupled to the recovery tank (20) and the elongated linkage (32a, 32b, 32c).
  5. The cleaning apparatus (10) of claim 1, wherein the recovery tank (20) includes a flange (212) extending from the outer tank wall (22), and wherein the door (18) is configured to rotate about a rotational axis extending through the flange (212) between the opened and closed positions, and further wherein the biasing member (46) is operably coupled to the recovery tank (20) at the flange (212) and the door (18) proximate to the rotational axis of the door (18).
  6. The cleaning apparatus (10) of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the biasing member (46) includes a torsion spring operably coupled to the recovery tank (20) and the door (18) proximate to the rotational axis.
  7. The cleaning apparatus (10) of any one of claims 1-6, further comprising: a biasing member (42) operably coupled with a connecting end (192) of the actuator linkage (28), wherein the actuator (26) and the actuator linkage (28) are operably coupled with the body (12), and wherein the connecting end (192) is configured to selectively couple with the at least one engagement linkage (30, 32a, 32b, 32c, 36, 38).
  8. The cleaning apparatus (10) of any one of claims 1-6, wherein the at least one engagement linkage (30, 32a, 32b, 32c, 36, 38) includes an elongated linkage (32a, 32b, 32c) with a proximal end (200) configured to selectively couple with the actuator linkage (28) and a distal end (202) coupled with a coupling projection of the door (18).
  9. The cleaning apparatus (10) of any one of claims 1-6, wherein the at least one engagement linkage (30, 32a, 32b, 32c, 36, 38) includes an elongated linkage (32a, 32b, 32c) with a proximal end (200) configured to selectively couple with the actuator linkage (28) and a distal end (202) configured to engage an abutting surface (34) of a coupling projection (216) of the door (18).
  10. The cleaning apparatus (10) of any one of claims 1-6, wherein the at least one engagement linkage (30, 32a, 32b, 32c, 36, 38) includes an elongated linkage (32a, 32b, 32c), a connector linkage (36), and a coupling linkage (38), and wherein the elongated linkage (32a, 32b, 32c) includes a proximal end (200) configured to selectively couple with the actuator linkage (28) and a distal end (202) coupled with the connector linkage (36), and further wherein the coupling linkage (38) is coupled to the connector linkage(36) and a coupling projection of the door (18).
  11. The cleaning apparatus (10) of any one of claims 8-10, wherein a connecting end (192) of the actuator linkage (28) includes a receiving notch (148), and wherein the proximal end (20a) of the elongated linkage (32a, 32b, 32c) includes a projection (196) configured to be selectively disposed within the receiving notch (148) when the recovery tank (20) is coupled with the body (12).
  12. The cleaning apparatus (10) of any one of claims 8-11, further comprising: a cover (228) coupled to the outer tank wall (22) over the elongated linkage (32a, 32b, 32c).
  13. The cleaning apparatus (10) of any one of claims 1-12, wherein the body (12) includes a handle (84), and wherein the actuator (26) is operably coupled to the handle (84), and further wherein the actuator linkage (28) extends through the body (12).
  14. The cleaning apparatus (10) of any one of claims 1-13, further comprising: a locking feature (244) operably coupled to at least one of the recovery tank (20) and the door (18), wherein the locking feature (244) is configured to automatically engage when the door (18) is in the closed position.
  15. The cleaning apparatus (10) of any one of claims 1-14, further comprising: a gasket (182) coupled to the door (18) and configured to engage the outer tank wall (22) when the door (18) is in the closed position to seal a bottom of the collection chamber (24).

Description

FIELD The present application generally related to a cleaning apparatus with a spring-loaded tank door, and, more particularly, a cleaning apparatus with a spring-biased actuation assembly for adjusting a tank door to an opened position with the tank door biased to a closed position. BACKGROUND Vacuum cleaners can draw dirt from a surface using a vacuum system. The dirt is generally collected in dirty tanks or dust bins for later disposal. These dirty tanks and dust bins often rely on manual latches to secure a tank lid in a closed state for collecting the dirt in the tank or bin. BRIEF SUMMARY According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a cleaning apparatus includes a body having a handle, an actuator, and an actuator linkage coupled with the actuator. A recovery tank assembly includes a recovery tank having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer tank wall extending therebetween to define a collection chamber, a door operably coupled to the distal end of the recovery tank to selectively close a bottom opening of the collection chamber, and at least one engagement linkage configured to selectively couple with the actuator linkage. The at least one engagement linkage is operably coupled to the recovery tank and operably coupled with the door. A biasing member is configured to bias the door to a closed position. A force applied to the actuator sufficient to overcome a biasing force of the biasing member moves the at least one engagement linkage toward the door and, consequently, rotate the door to an opened position. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a cleaning apparatus includes a body and a recovery tank removably coupled to the body at a tank interface. The recovery tank includes flanges extending from an outer tank wall. A door includes a coupling projection, and the coupling projection is operably coupled to the flanges to define a rotational axis for the door to move between a closed position and an opened position. An actuation assembly includes an actuator operably coupled to the body. An actuator linkage extends from the actuator to proximate the tank interface of the body. An elongated linkage includes a proximal end configured to selectively engage with an end of the actuator linkage and a distal end operably coupled with the door proximate to the rotational axis. At least one biasing member is operably coupled with at least one of the body and the recovery tank. The at least one biasing member is configured to bias the door to the closed position. Movement of the actuator in response to an applied force is configured to move the actuator linkage and the elongated linkage against a biasing force of the at least one biasing member which, consequently, moves the coupling projection and causes the door to rotate about the rotational axis to the opened position. According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a recovery tank assembly for a cleaning apparatus that includes a tank door actuator is disclosed. The recovery tank assembly includes a recovery tank having an outer tank wall defining a collection chamber. A release latch is operably coupled to a proximal end of the recovery tank for engaging the cleaning apparatus. An engagement linkage extends along an outer surface of the outer tank wall. The engagement linkage includes a proximal end proximate to the release latch to selectively couple with the tank door actuator. A door is operably coupled to the recovery tank. The door is configured to rotate about a rotational axis between an opened position and a closed position. A distal end of the engagement linkage is operably coupled to the door proximate to the rotational axis. At least one biasing member is operably coupled to the recovery tank and at least one of the engagement linkage and the door. The at least one biasing member is configured to bias the door to the closed position. Movement of the engagement linkage toward the door in response to a force applied by the tank door actuator is configured to overcome a biasing force of the at least one biasing member to adjust the door to the opened position. At least one of the biasing force and the movement of the engagement linkage away from the door in response to a release of the force applied to the tank door actuator is configured to adjust the door to the closed position. These and other features, advantages, and objects of the present disclosure will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims, and appended drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings: FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a cleaning apparatus with an actuation assembly for controlling movement of a door of a recovery tank, according to an aspect of the present disclosure;FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of a cleaning apparatus with a door actuation assembly for controlling a recovery tank door, according to an aspect of the present disclosure;FIG