WO-2026093932-A1 - DIRTY WATER TANK

Abstract

The is provided a dirty water tank of a surface cleaning system. The dirty water tank comprises: an inlet; a water-receiving portion for holding water received through the inlet; a disinfector operable to disinfect water within the water-receiving portion; and a magnetic stir bar rotatable, by a rotating magnetic field, to stir water within the water-receiving portion.

Inventors

• MATHERS, MICHAEL
• MEAD, JAMES
• REEKSTING, Bianca
• LIDDELL, Geoffrey

Assignees

• DYSON TECHNOLOGY LIMITED

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20251029

Priority Date

20241031

Claims (15)

1. 1. A dirty water tank of a surface cleaning system, the dirty water tank comprising: an inlet; a water-receiving portion for holding water received through the inlet; a disinfector operable to disinfect water within the water-receiving portion; and a magnetic stir bar rotatable, by a rotating magnetic field, to stir water within the water-receiving portion.
2. 2. A dirty water tank according to claim 1 further comprising: a restraint coupled to a wall of the tank, wherein the restraint restricts movement of the magnetic stir bar within the water-receiving portion.
3. 3. A dirty water tank according to claim 2, wherein the restraint forms an enclosure, and wherein the magnetic stir bar is located within the enclosure.
4. 4. A dirty water tank according to claim 3, wherein the enclosure is at least partially defined by a base wall of the tank, the base wall configured to interface with a driver operable to generate a rotating magnetic field.
5. 5. A dirty water tank according to any of claims 2 to 4, wherein the restraint comprises an axle and a bearing, wherein the axle and bearing rotatably couple the magnetic stir bar to the wall of the tank.
6. 6. A dirty water tank according to any of claims 2 to 5, wherein the restraint is coupled to a base wall of the tank, the base wall configured to interface with a driver operable to generate a rotating magnetic field.
7. 7. A dirty water tank according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the dirty water tank comprises an outlet extending through a wall of the tank, the outlet for emptying water from the water-receiving portion, and wherein the wall through which the outlet extends 23 P005103-W001 further defines a depression for catching the magnetic stir bar when water is emptied from the water-receiving portion via the outlet.
8. 8. A dirty water tank according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the disinfector is located within the water-receiving portion.
9. 9. A dirty water tank according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the disinfector is removably coupled to a wall of the tank.
10. 10. A dirty water tank according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the disinfector comprises a UV light source to transmit UV radiation into the water-receiving portion.
11. 11. A dirty water tank according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the dirty water tank further comprises a filter for removing debris from water received through the inlet, the filter thereby separating the tank into a water-receiving portion below the filter and a debris-receiving portion above the filter.
12. 12. A dirty water tank according to claim 11, wherein the filter is rotatable.
13. 13. A water disinfecting system of a surface cleaning system, the water disinfecting system comprising: a dirty water tank according to any of the preceding claims; and, a driver operable to generate a rotating magnetic field to rotate the magnetic stir bar.
14. 14. A docking station comprising the water disinfecting system of claim 13, wherein the docking station is coupleable to a wet surface cleaner such that a dirty water outlet of the wet surface cleaner is fluidly connected to the inlet of the dirty water tank.
15. 15. A wet surface cleaner comprising the water disinfecting system of claim 13.

Description

1 P005103-W001 DIRTY WATER TANK BACKGROUND Surface cleaning systems, such as floor cleaning systems, may include a clean water tank for storing water to be used to clean the surface, and a dirty water tank for storing water after it has been used to clean the surface. The water stored in the dirty water tank may be mixed with debris, such as hair, food, and dust. SUMMARY According to the present disclosure, there is provided a dirty water tank of a surface cleaning system, the dirty water tank comprising: an inlet; a filter for removing debris from water received through the inlet, the filter thereby separating the tank into a waterreceiving portion below the filter and a debris-receiving portion above the filter; and a UV light source positioned to illuminate water in the water-receiving portion and debris in the debris-receiving portion with UV radiation. In this way, both the water in the tank and the debris caught on the filter may be disinfected/sanitised by the UV radiation, and the overall hygiene of the dirty water tank may be improved. Optional features will now be set out. These may be applicable singly or in any combination unless clearly impermissible or expressly avoided. It will be appreciated that “above” and “below” may be understood to mean “above” and “below” during a normal use and/or position of the dirty water tank. “Above” may be understood to mean on a side or edge closer to the inlet, and “below” may be understood to mean on a side or edge further from the inlet, typically closer to the floor or other surface upon which the dirty water tank is located. The surface cleaning system may correspond to a floor cleaning system. The surface cleaning system may comprise a wet surface cleaner (e.g., a wet floor cleaner) and/or a docking station coupleable to the wet surface cleaner. The dirty water tank may be a component of the wet surface cleaner, or the docking station. For example, when the dirty water tank is a component of the docking station, the docking station may be coupleable to 2 P005103-W001 a wet surface cleaner such that a dirty water outlet of the wet surface cleaner is fluidly connected to the inlet of the dirty water tank. In some examples, the dirty water tank may have, or may define a tank axis. For example, the tank axis may be a longitudinal and/or central axis of the dirty water tank. As used herein, a “tank axis position” may mean a tank axis coordinate (e.g., a coordinate defined in relation to its position along the tank axis). The tank axis position may not necessarily lie on the tank axis itself. The water-receiving portion and the debris-receiving portion may be separated along the tank axis. For example, the filter may be located at a tank axis position P, the debrisreceiving portion may be located at one or more tank axis positions, each of which may be above P, and the water-receiving portion may be located at one or more tank axis positions, each of which may be below P. In some examples, the UV light source may extend from a tank axis position above the filter (or from a first tank axis position above a tank axis position P at which the filter is located and/or through which the filter passes) to a tank axis position below the filter (or to a second tank axis position below a tank axis position P at which the filter is located and/or through which the filter passes). In this way, a UV light source may illuminate both water in the water-receiving portion and debris in the debris-receiving portion with UV radiation, and the hygiene of the tank may be improved. This in turn reduces unwanted odours that can have an undesirable impact upon user satisfaction. In some examples, the UV light source (e.g., the longitudinal axis of the UV light source) may extend parallel to the tank axis, or the UV light source (e.g., the longitudinal axis of the UV light source) may lie along the tank axis. In other examples, the UV light source may extend transversely to the tank axis. In some examples, the UV light source may extend from the debris-receiving portion to/into the water-receiving portion. In some examples, the UV light source may extend from the debris-receiving portion, through the filter (e.g., through a receiving aperture in the filter) and into the water-receiving portion. For example, the UV light source may extend through a centre of the filter. 3 P005103-W001 In this way, improved disinfection/sanitisation of the debris and/or the water may be achieved. In some examples, the UV light source may be coupled to a wall of the tank. For example, the UV light source may be coupled to the top wall of the tank, the base wall of the tank, or to a side wall of the tank. It will be appreciated that the top wall of the tank may be understood to mean the wall defining the top of the tank in normal use and/or position of the tank. In normal position and/or use of the tank, water in the tank may flow in a direction away from the top wall of the tank under the influence