Patent · US Expired

Compact wet/dry vacuum cleaner with flexible bladder

US5735017A · kind A · utility

100Cited by
21References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 29, 1996
Grant dateApr 7, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 29, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA47L11/4083
  • WIPO fieldFurniture, games
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner for cleaning a surface is disclosed. The vacuum cleaner comprises a main housing including a tank chamber, a motor-blower assembly for creating a vacuum, a recovery tank disposed within the tank chamber for storing contaminated liquid, a supply tank for providing cleaning liquid, a hose assembly and a fluid pump. The fluid pump pumps fluid from the supply tank onto a surface to be cleaned. The vacuum pump creates a vacuum across the recovery tank assembly and hose assembly to vacuum up dispensed cleaning fluid into the recovery tank assembly. Preferably, the supply tank may be a flexible bladder disposed within the recovery tank. The flexible bladder contracts as liquid is dispensed so that the volume for storing contaminated liquid within the recovery tank assembly increases. Preferably, the recovery tank may be removed from the main housing and a vacuum bag is fluidly connected between the hose assembly and the motor-blower assembly for dry vacuuming.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.