A Cleaning Appliance

The present invention relates to a cleaning appliance. In particular, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a multi-floor, or wet/dry, cleaning appliance, or vacuum cleaner.

According to a first aspect of the invention we provide a cleaning appliance, including:

The second fluid recovery pathway may be positioned rearwardly of the recovery tank.

The recovery tank may be releasably connectable to the main body.

The second fluid recovery pathway may be removable when the recovery tank is removed.

The second fluid recovery pathway may be defined by a second fluid pathway member.

The second fluid pathway member may include first and second ends wherein the first end is closer to the first fluid recovery pathway than the second end.

The second fluid pathway member may be releasably connectable to the remainder of the cleaning appliance.

The second fluid pathway member may be rotatable, or pivotable, preferably downwardly towards the cleaner head, to remove the second fluid pathway member from the cleaning appliance.

The cleaning appliance may include a (first) fastener member for fastening the second fluid pathway member to the main body or the recovery tank.

The fastener member may be positioned closer to the second end than the first end.

The fastener member may be positioned at or adjacent the second end.

The fastener member may include a first fastener portion positioned on the main body or recovery tank.

The fastener member may include a second fastener portion positioned on the second fluid pathway member.

The first fastener portion may fasten to the second fastener portion to fasten the second fluid pathway member relative to the main body or recovery tank.

The first fastener portion may be a first fastener portion recess/first fastener portion opening defined by a sidewall of the main body or recovery tank.

The second fastener portion may be a fastener formation including a projection.

In use, the fastener formation may be received in the fastener recess/opening and the projection may abut the sidewall for holding the fastener formation in the fastener recess/opening.

The cleaning appliance may include a second fastener member.

The first fastener member may be positioned to a first side of the second fluid pathway member.

The second fastener member may be positioned to a second, opposite, side of the second fluid pathway member.

The second fastener member may include one or more or all of the features of the first fastener member as set forth above.

The first and second fastener members may be substantially equidistant from the first fluid recovery pathway.

An outlet of the first fluid recovery pathway may be positioned in the main body.

The main body may include a second fluid pathway recess.

The outlet of the first fluid recovery pathway may be located in the second fluid pathway recess.

The first end may include a flange.

The flange, in use, may be received in the second fluid pathway recess.

The flange may be substantially the same size and/or shape as the second fluid pathway recess.

The main body may include an upwardly facing surface in which the second fluid pathway recess is located.

In use, the recovery tank may rest on the upwardly facing surface.

The upwardly facing surface may include a retaining formation, e.g., a retaining wall, which extends away therefrom.

In use, the retaining formation may retain the recovery tank on the upwardly facing surface.

The recovery tank may include an inlet, e.g., positioned in a sidewall of the recovery tank, through which dirt and dirt laden liquid is received in use.

The second end may include a dirty air/liquid outlet which is fluidly connected to the second fluid recovery pathway.

The second end may be positioned adjacent the inlet to connect the second fluid recovery pathway to the recovery tank.

The cleaning appliance may include a seal positioned around the dirty air/liquid outlet in the second end to seal the second end to the recovery tank.

The second end may be inclined at an angle to a remainder of the second fluid pathway member and/or the first end.

The second fluid recovery pathway may be positioned generally centrally with respect to the main body and/or the recovery tank.

The recovery tank may extend towards and/or around first and second respective sides of the second fluid recovery pathway.

The cleaning appliance may include a fluid supply tank, e.g., positioned on a rear of the main body.

The cleaning appliance may include a spray nozzle device, or first and second spray nozzle devices, for dispensing, directly or indirectly, cleaning fluid onto a surface to cleaned.

The cleaner head may include an agitator, or first and second agitators.

Referring tothere is shown a surface cleaning applianceaccording to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The surface cleaning applianceis, in particular a wet/dry vacuum cleaner, or multi-floor, cleaner. The surface cleaning applianceincludes a main bodyand a cleaner head. The surface cleaning appliancemay rest on the cleaner headin use and/or when in a stored position. The main bodymay be connected to the cleaner head. In particular the main bodymay be pivotably connected to the cleaner head. The connection between the main bodyand the cleaner headmay permit the main body to pivot in a fore-aft direction in which the cleaner is moved during use and to respective left and right sides of the cleaner headwhich are generally perpendicular, or perpendicular, to the fore-aft direction in which the cleaner is moved during use. In particular the pivotal connection may permit the main bodyto sit within a periphery of the cleaner head, i.e. within front, rear and first and second sides of the cleaner head(described in more detail below), so that a centre of gravity of the surface cleaning applianceis positioned within a footprint of the cleaner head. This permits the surface cleaning appliance to be stored in an upright position. The cleaning appliance includes a first fluid recovery pathway(shown in) which is fluidly connectable to a dirty air outletof the cleaner head. The first fluid recovery pathwayin the present embodiment is defined, at least partially, by an outlet pipe(shown in) provided between the cleaner headand the main body. The outlet pipeis relatively flexible and ensures that the pivotal connection between the main bodyand cleanercan function. The outlet pipeis fluidly connected to a dirty air outlet of the cleaner head. The first fluid recovery pathwayis also fluidly connectable to a second fluid recovery pathway(shown in). The second fluid recovery pathwayis fluidly connectable to a dirt collection container, or recovery tank,. This is described in more detail below.

It should be appreciated that in other embodiments the main bodymay be fixed in position with respect to the cleaner head. In further envisaged embodiments the surface cleaning appliancemay be a cylinder style cleaner. In such embodiments the surface cleaning appliance may include a wand, a first end of which is connected to the outlet pipeand a second end of which is connected to the cleaner head.

The surface cleaning appliance includes a handlefor a user to grasp. The handlemay be positioned above the main body. In particular the handlemay be positioned at a top of the surface cleaning appliance.

The main bodyhouses a source of suction, e.g. a motor, fan, impeller, for creating a vacuum (not shown). In some embodiments the motor may be a brushless motor. The source of suction may be positioned at a top of the main body. In particular, the source of suction may be positioned adjacent the handle.

A cleaning fluid supply tankfor holding a cleaning fluid is supported on the main body. In use, the cleaning fluid supply tankreceives fluid for cleaning a surface to be cleaned. For example, the cleaning fluid supply tank may receive a pre-mixed cleaning solution for cleaning a surface. In other embodiments the cleaning fluid supply tankmay receive water to which a concentrated cleaning solution is added, either in the cleaning fluid supply tank or subsequently from a further cleaning fluid supply tank (not shown) of the cleaning appliance. The cleaning fluid supply tankis releasably connectable to the main body, although it could be fixed in the main body. In particular, the cleaning fluid supply tankis received, at least partially, within a recess on an exterior surface of the main body. A fluid inlet (not shown) is provided in the recess to which the cleaning fluid supply tankis fluidly connectable. The cleaning fluid supply tankis positioned on a rear of the main bodywith respect to a fore-aft direction in which the cleaner is moved during use. The cleaning fluid supply tankis also positioned close to, or adjacent, the source of suction and/or the handle.

The fluid inlet is fluidly connected to a cleaning fluid dispensing deviceon the cleaner head. In the present disclosure the cleaning fluid dispensing device may be at least one spray nozzle, or spray nozzle device,, or first and second spray nozzles,(shown in). The at least one spray nozzle device, or first and second spray nozzles,, sprays cleaning fluid onto an agitator, or first and second agitators, of the cleaner head. The at least one spray nozzle, or the or each first and second spray nozzle,, may alternatively, or additionally, spray cleaning fluid onto a surface to be cleaned. The cleaning fluid dispensing device is fluidly connected to the fluid inlet via fluid channels which extend from and through the main bodyto the cleaner head. This permits fluid from the cleaning fluid supply tankto be conveyed to the cleaning fluid dispensing device.

The cleaning applianceincludes a dirt collection chamber, or recovery tank,. In the present embodiment, the main bodysupports the recovery tank,(as shown in). The recovery tankis provided in a lower half of the main body, closer to the cleaner headthan the handle. The recovery tankis provided on a front of the main body with respect to a fore-aft direction in which the cleaner is moved during use. The recovery tankmay be fluidly connected to the source of suction.